Content Advisory: This article discusses death, suspected suicide, addiction struggles, and family grief. Reader discretion is advised.
Matt Brown, a former star of ‘Alaskan Bush People’, has died at age 42. His brother Bear Brown confirmed the news in a TikTok video after authorities recovered a body from a river in Washington state. Bear said the body was positively identified as Matt by their brother Noah.
“They found a body in the river a few hours ago, and it was positively identified as being Matt,” Bear said.
The Discovery Channel personality appeared on ‘Alaskan Bush People’ from 2014 to 2019 before stepping away from the show amid personal struggles.
Matt Brown Found In Washington River
According to reports, deputies with the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office responded Wednesday after receiving a 911 call from a witness.
The caller reportedly said they saw a man sitting in a shallow section of the river. The witness later reported hearing a sound and then seeing the man face down in the water before he was carried away by the current.
A firearm was reportedly recovered near the area where the man was last seen. Bear said early indications suggested the injury may have been self-inflicted, but added that officials still needed to complete their review. “It does look as though the injury is self-inflicted,” Bear said. “Obviously, the coroner and stuff still has to look at him.”
Bear Brown Asks Fans To Respect Family
Bear also asked fans to be careful with how they speak about the family during the painful time.
“Please be respectful to the family, to my mom especially,” he said, referring to Ami Brown. He added, “Please don’t attack my mom. Mom cares very much for Matt and always has.”
Bear said he knew Matt had struggled for a long time, but did not expect this outcome. “I would have never suspected he would have hurt himself,” he said.
Matt Brown Previously Opened Up About Addiction
Matt left ‘Alaskan Bush People’ after struggling with addiction.
In a 2016 interview with People, he spoke openly about his drinking and said he could see himself “spiraling.” “I started drinking lightly and then it got to be more and more,” Matt said at the time.
He said it took him days to tell his parents, but their support helped him feel like recovery was possible. After completing 35 days of treatment, Matt said he had gained a new outlook. “I learned a lot about myself in those 35 days,” he said. “I’ve turned my weakness into a strength.”
Brown Family Faces Another Loss
Matt’s death marks another tragedy for the Brown family.
Family patriarch Billy Brown died in 2021 after suffering a seizure. He was 68. At the time, the family remembered him as a loving father, grandfather, and husband who lived life on his own terms. Now, the family is mourning Matt.
For fans who watched the Browns build a life off the grid on ‘Alaskan Bush People’, the news is another painful chapter in a family story already marked by loss, conflict, and public scrutiny.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 800-273-TALK (8255).
