Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown, 43, was identified by his brother Bear Brown after a body was found in the river, hours after Oregon authorities suspended the search for a missing man due to dangerous weather and deteriorating river conditions.
For days, Matt Brown was missing—and then, late Saturday, the river delivered the answer his family had been fearing.
Bear Brown, 38, announced on TikTok on Saturday, May 30 that “they found a body in the river a few hours ago” and that it was “positively identified as being Matt.” Bear said Noah was with rescuers and helped pull the body out of the water, then identified Matt.
Bear added that he “never would have suspected that [Matt] would have hurt himself,” even though his brother had “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.
In that same message. Bear confirmed that a coroner has not yet performed an autopsy on Matt. though the death is “theorized” to be self-inflicted. He also asked viewers to be respectful to his family and his mom. and to “watch the comments that you leave.” “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. ” Bear said. urging people to remember that “people on the other side of your screen… are real people too.”.
Bear also thanked followers who supported the rescue efforts after Matt went missing earlier in the week, and he pleaded for kindness—especially toward his siblings—asking that his family “leave… out of it.”
The confirmation came hours after Oregon authorities suspended search efforts for a missing man believed to be the reality star due to weather concerns. A press release said that “during the day of search efforts. the river conditions deteriorated and hampered search efforts.” After rainfall from the previous night. it added. the river level and current speed increased. and the active river flow made it more likely the man had not remained near the location last seen.
Local authorities said the search was suspended “due to dangerous river conditions and pending information to focus on search efforts.”
Before Bear’s Saturday announcement, Matt’s family had been dealing with uncertainty. On Thursday. May 28. 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 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.”.
Earlier. on Wednesday. May 27. the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office received a call to report a man sitting in the shallow waters of the Okanogan River in Washington state. per TMZ. The caller stayed anonymous and. after looking away. allegedly heard a sound when they turned back: the man was “lying face down” and reportedly being swept away by the current. 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 expected to be resumed.
A source close to the Browns told Us Weekly before Matt’s death was confirmed that the family was “not sure what to believe” amid 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. The source also said the family was “all in contact and speaking to police and waiting to hear. ” adding that “They have had their issues [with Matt] and Gabe has been the person most in contact with him.”.
Matt Brown’s death lands against a long, public struggle inside the family’s spotlight. Over the years, Matt struggled with substance abuse. He went to rehab in 2016. After a relapse, he returned for a second round of treatment two years later.
Alaskan Bush People aired for 14 seasons from 2014 to 2022 on Discovery Channel. The series followed the Brown family as they lived off the grid in Hoonah, Alaska. Matt appeared on the show from 2014 to 2019 and later left reality TV quietly without an official explanation. After his departure, Matt ran his own YouTube channel.
The series ended in 2022, one year after Billy Brown—the Bear family patriarch—died at age 68 following a seizure. Matt is the eldest son of Billy and Ami Brown. His siblings are 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).
Matt Brown Alaskan Bush People Bear Brown Noah Brown Okanogan River Hoonah Alaska Discovery Channel missing person search TikTok announcement substance abuse rehab