Matt Brown, a former Alaskan Bush People cast member whose family had asked fans for prayers during a search in Washington state, has died.
Brown was found dead in the Okanogan River on Saturday, May 30, after a days-long search connected to a missing man reported in the area. His brother Bear Brown confirmed the news in a social media video, saying a body found in the river had been positively identified as Matt.
E! News reported that Bear said their brother Noah Brown helped recover the body and was the first family member to identify him.
Brown’s Body Was Found After a River Search
The search followed a 911 report involving a man in the Okanogan River near Oroville, Washington. Entertainment Weekly reported that the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office later suspended official search efforts because of dangerous river conditions before Brown’s body was found.
TMZ reported that a private search party found Brown’s body in the river on Saturday. The outlet said the body was placed in the care of the Okanogan County Coroner, where the official cause and manner of death will be determined.
No official cause or manner of death has been released.
Bear Brown Asked Fans to Be Careful With Their Words
Bear shared the confirmation after previously saying the family feared the missing man could be Matt. In his update, Bear said the situation appeared to involve a self-inflicted injury, but he also said the coroner still needed to examine the body.
PEOPLE reported that Bear asked viewers to be respectful toward the Brown family, especially their mother, Ami Brown.
“Please don’t attack my mom,” Bear said, according to PEOPLE. “Mom cares very much for Matt and always has.”
Noah Brown Helped Identify His Brother
PEOPLE reported that Noah Brown later said he had spent days helping search for Matt before the body was found.
“I was there when we pulled him out of the river,” Noah said in an emotional Instagram video, according to PEOPLE.
Noah said he was able to identify Matt through personal identification found with him and by visually identifying him. He also said more details, including a cause of death, would come after the coroner’s report.
Matt Brown Was Part of the Original Alaskan Bush People Family
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Brown became known to television viewers as the eldest son in the Brown family on Discovery Channel’s Alaskan Bush People. The reality series followed Billy and Ami Brown and their children as they lived off the grid, first in Alaska and later in Washington.
PEOPLE reported that Matt appeared on the show from its 2014 premiere until he stepped away in 2019 amid public struggles with addiction.
After leaving the series, he lived more privately and shared updates through YouTube and social media, where he documented recovery, self-reflection, and life away from reality television.
He Had Spoken Publicly About Addiction and Recovery
Brown had previously discussed his struggles with alcohol and treatment. In a 2016 interview with PEOPLE, he said he realized his drinking had become a problem before entering an inpatient rehabilitation program.
His family’s recent comments also referenced those struggles, but the official determination in his death has not yet been released.
That distinction is important. Bear Brown’s social media comments explain what the family believed at the time, while the coroner’s office remains responsible for the final ruling.
The Brown Family Had Already Faced Public Loss
Matt’s death comes five years after the death of his father, Billy Brown, the patriarch of Alaskan Bush People. Billy died in 2021 after suffering a seizure.
PEOPLE reported that Matt is survived by his mother, Ami, and his siblings, Joshua “Bam Bam” Brown, Solomon Isaiah “Bear” Brown, Gabriel “Gabe” Brown, Noah Brown, Amora Jean “Bird” Brown, and Merry Christmas Kathryn Raindrop “Rain” Brown.
The family’s public statements around Matt’s death have focused on grief, privacy, and the harm that online cruelty can cause when someone is struggling.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use, or thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988 in the United States and Canada for immediate support through the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Help is available 24 hours a day.