‘Alaskan Bush People’ Star Found Dead In A River

Matt Brown, 42, the eldest brother of the “Alaskan Bush People” family, was found dead over the weekend in a Washington state river.

His brother Bear, 38, confirmed the loss in an emotional video on Saturday, sharing that the youngest brother, 33-year-old Noah, helped pull Matt out of the water and identified the body as his older brother. 

“I would’ve never suspected he would’ve hurt himself,” Bear said in the video. “It does look as though the injury is self-inflicted.” The family is still waiting on the coroner’s report to confirm the cause of death.

 

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A post shared by Bear Brown (@bearbrownthekingofextreme)

Matt’s body was discovered after a search that lasted several days.

Last week, the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office posted a press release that detailed a 911 call describing a man sitting in the shallow water of the Okanogan River. When the caller turned away, he heard a noise, and after turning back around, he saw that the man was face down in the water, drifting down the current. First responders were unable to locate the man, though a firearm was recovered where he was last seen.

In another post, Bear shared a tribute on behalf of the whole family: “It is with broken hearts that we share the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Brown. To millions of viewers, Matt was known as one of the original stars of Alaskan Bush People.”

“When we think of Matt, we will remember the young man who loved the wilderness, could navigate rough waters, draw for hours, lose himself in learning, make us laugh unexpectedly, and dream bigger than most people ever dared. He was imperfect. He was human. He was deeply loved. And he will be missed beyond words.”

The Discovery Channel’s “Alaskan Bush People,” which ran from 2014 to 2022, featured the Brown family and their unique lives off the grid in remote Alaska.

Matt had reportedly grown estranged from the family in recent years and struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. According to Bear, he “didn’t want anything to do with the family.”

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free hotline for individuals in crisis or distress or for those looking to help someone else. It is available 24/7 by dialing 988.