Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown has died at the age of 43, according to his brother Bear Brown.
“They found a body in the river a few hours ago and it was positively identified as being Matt,” Bear, 38, announced via TikTok on Saturday, May 30. “[Brother] Noah was with them and helped them pull the body out of the water. Noah identified [Matt].”
Bear said that he “never would have suspected that [Matt] would have hurt himself” even though his brother “struggled for a long time.”
“I was so worried that he would end up ODed or something like that. I didn’t think he would hurt himself,” Bear told his followers.
Bear confirmed that the coroner has not yet performed an autopsy on Matt though it is theorized that the death was “self-inflicted.”
“I would ask people to please, please be respectful to my family and to my mom. Please watch the comments that you leave, guys,” he asked. “Sometimes words can hurt more than fists can … In one of [Matt’s] last videos, he was talking about how negative people were on his posts. You guys should keep in mind that people on the other side of your screen, people you are watching a video of, are real people too.”
Bear thanked any followers who supported the rescue efforts for Matt after he went missing earlier in the week.
“I would just ask you to please, please, please be kind,” Bear pleaded. “Especially with my siblings … Please leave my family out of it.”
The confirmation of Matt’s death comes hours after Oregon authorities suspended search efforts for a missing man believed to be the reality star due to weather concerns.
“During the day of search efforts, the river conditions deteriorated and hampered search efforts,” a press release read. “After rainfall from the previous night, the river level and river current speed increased. The active river flow increases the likelihood that the male has not remained near the location last seen.”
Local authorities added, “The search has been suspended due to dangerous river conditions and pending information to focus on search efforts.”
Matt’s family expressed concerns about his well-being amid a police search for an unidentified man in his area. On Thursday, May 28, Matt’s brother Bear posted a TikTok video addressing claims that Matt was seen by a witness near a local river.
“I’m being told that late last night that Matt took his own life,” Bear, 38, said in the clip. “I can’t confirm that that’s true, but witnesses say that he was seen in a river, at a river or close to a river.”
Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office received a call on Wednesday, May 27, to report a man sitting in the shallow waters of the Okanogan River in Washington state, per TMZ. The caller, who remained anonymous, looked away and when they turned back because of a sound. The man was allegedly lying face down in the river and being swept away by the current, according to the caller.
TMZ confirmed that emergency responders searched the area but could not find a body. As of Friday, May 29, no body had been found and the search was to be resumed.
Prior to confirmation of his death, a source close to the Browns told Us Weekly that “the family is not sure what to believe” amid the speculation.
“They are not sure where Matt is but they are hoping that he is OK and that the information is wrong,” the insider explained at the time. “They are all in contact and speaking to police and waiting to hear. They have had their issues [with Matt] and Gabe has been the person most in contact with him.”
Alaskan Bush People aired for 14 seasons from 2014 to 2022 on Discovery Channel. The reality series followed the entire Brown family as they lived off the grid in Hoonah, Alaska. Matt appeared on the show from 2014 to 2019. He quietly left the series without an official explanation. Since his departure from reality TV, Matt has run his own YouTube channel.
Over the years, Matt struggled with substance abuse. He went to rehab in 2016. After suffering a relapse, he returned from a second round of treatment two years later.
Alaskan Bush People came to an end in 2022, one year after the Bear family patriarch Billy Brown died age 68 after suffering a seizure. (Matt is the eldest son of Billy and Ami Brown. His siblings include Bear, Gabe, Joshua “Bam Bam” Brown, Noah Brown, Bird Brown and Rain Brown.)
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).