Matt was found dead in Washington on May 30 at age 42, his brother, Bear, confirmed
Matt Brown’s family is paying tribute to him after a devastating loss.
The Alaskan Bush People star was found dead in Washington on May 30, his brother, Solomon Isaiah “Bear” Brown, confirmed in an Instagram post that same day. He was 42.
“I would have never suspected he would have hurt himself, honestly. He struggled for a long time, as I’ve mentioned, and I worried he was going to end up, like, OD’d or something like that. I didn’t think he would hurt himself,” Bear said in the video.
On Sunday, May 31, Bear and his brother Josh both shared a statement on behalf of their family. “It is with broken hearts that we share the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Brown,” the statement began. “To millions of viewers, Matt was known as one of the original stars of Alaskan Bush People. To us, he was so much more.”
“Matt was intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him. He was a gifted outdoorsman, fisherman, boatman, artist, and lifelong learner. He loved adventure, nature, and discovering new things. Matt had an extraordinary mind,” the statement said.
“Those who truly knew Matt knew his heart. He was compassionate, generous with his time, and deeply wanted to help others. During periods of sobriety and recovery, he openly shared his struggles with addiction and mental health through his videos and personal outreach. He encouraged others to seek help, offered hope to people fighting similar battles, and reminded them they were not alone. We are incredibly proud of the lives he touched.”:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/matt-brown2-052926-561bab2068d44d2582ce9a33da29cd3c.jpg)
‘Alaskan Bush People’ star Matt Brown.Matt Brown/Instagram
“Matt spent many years battling serious mental health challenges and addiction. Like countless families facing similar circumstances, we experienced periods of hope, recovery, setbacks, heartbreak, and reconciliation. Our Dad, Billy Brown, never stopped believing in Matt’s ability to heal and find peace, and neither did we,” the statement continued. Billy, the patriarch of the family who found fame on the Discovery Channel’s Alaskan Bush People in 2014, died in 2021 at age 68.
In the family’s statement, they acknowledged that Matt, the oldest of the family’s seven siblings, “was not without mistakes, struggles, and painful chapters. Some of those chapters caused hurt, and we do not minimize that. At the same time, we do not believe any person’s life should be defined solely by their lowest moments.”
“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,” the statement continued. “He was imperfect. He was human. He was deeply loved. And he will be missed beyond words.”
Concerns were first raised about Matt on May 29 when Bear posted a video on TikTok and said he had been told that his brother “took his own life.”
“He has been struggling for a long time with alcohol and with drugs,” Bear said in the video. “Everyone thinks that the family has shunned him and won’t have anything to do with him, but that’s not actually the case. He didn’t want anything to do with the family.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749x0:751x2):format(webp)/matt-brown-052926-07065584fd5445dc9b0cab0000a81e59.jpg)
‘Alaskan Bush People’ star Matt Brown.Matt Brown/Instagram
Matt starred on Alaskan Bush People from its premiere in 2014 until 2019, when he stepped away amid his public struggles with addiction. In the years that followed, he largely lived outside of the spotlight and separately from much of the Brown family while sharing occasional updates with fans through YouTube and social media.
Along with Bear and Joshua, he is survived by his mother, Ami, his brothers, Gabe and Noah, and his sisters, Amora and Rain.
News
Alaskan Bush People Star Matt Brown’s Family Speaks Out After His Death at 42: “We Were Afraid He’d Overdose, But What Happened Next Was Even More Shocking”
Matt was found dead in Washington on May 30 at age 42, his brother, Bear, confirmed Matt Brown’s family is paying tribute to him after a devastating loss. The Alaskan Bush People star was found dead in Washington on May 30, his brother, Solomon Isaiah “Bear” Brown, confirmed in an Instagram post that same day. He was 42. “I would have […]
Matt Brown‘s death has left his family wrestling with a painful and complicated reality … some relatives are devastated, while others are feeling a sense of relief.Family sources tell TMZ … the reaction within the Brown family has been a mixed bag … with grief, shock and relief all colliding after the late “Alaskan Bush People” star was found dead in a river. matt brown alaskan bush people insta 1 We’re told Matt’s long battle with addiction created ongoing anxiety for those closest to him. Relatives often worried about when he might reappear, what condition he would be in, and what kind of situation might follow.Our sources say some family members are now breathing easier because there’s no longer a looming concern about “when and where he will appear and strike next.” We’re told the fear of the unknown that surrounded him for years has disappeared, at least for some relatives. Matt Brown Through The Years Matt Brown Through The YearsLaunch Gallery At the same time, our sources say family members have plenty of sympathy for the struggles Matt endured and the pain he carried throughout his years-long battle with addiction. Still, we’re told his behavior could be unpredictable, and the impact on loved ones was sometimes “scary,” creating fear and emotional strain.As TMZ first reported … family sources told us most of the Brown family cut ties with Matt several years ago because they could no longer support him amid his ongoing addiction struggles. However, Gabe Brown remained as one of the relatives who stayed in contact.As we reported … Bear Brown announced Matt’s death on TikTok over the weekend, saying his brother had taken his own life. The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed Matt’s body was located Saturday by a private search party and recovered from a river.As relatives process the tragedy, our sources say they’re left grappling with grief for the brother and son they lost, relief that the uncertainty is over, and heartbreak over how much pain preceded Matt’s death.
Matt Brown‘s death has left his family wrestling with a painful and complicated reality … some relatives are devastated, while others are feeling a sense of relief.Family sources tell TMZ … the reaction within the Brown family has been a mixed bag … with grief, shock and relief all colliding after the late “Alaskan Bush […]
Please Don’t Go After My Mom” — Matt Brown’s Heartbreaking Final Message Leaves Family Devastated After His Death
Matt Brown‘s death has left his family wrestling with a painful and complicated reality … some relatives are devastated, while others are feeling a sense of relief.Family sources tell TMZ … the reaction within the Brown family has been a mixed bag … with grief, shock and relief all colliding after the late “Alaskan Bush […]
Just 48 Hours Before Graduation, 14-Year-Old Disappears in Chilling Beach Tragedy
A teen boy described as a “happy kid” by his family vanished while swimming off the coast of New Jersey during a school trip – just two days before his graduation. Davoris Carter, 14, disappeared Monday afternoon after going into the water in Wildwood – but his swim shorts were found by his mom on […]
Family’s Worst Fear Realized: Teen Goes Missing During School Trip Just 48 Hours Before Graduation
A teen boy described as a “happy kid” by his family vanished while swimming off the coast of New Jersey during a school trip – just two days before his graduation. Davoris Carter, 14, disappeared Monday afternoon after going into the water in Wildwood – but his swim shorts were found by his mom on […]
A Deadly Mistake? Investigator Says Nancy Guthrie’s Family Was Targeted Because They Appeared Rich
A veteran forensic scientist suggested that Nancy Guthrie may have been abducted by a local worker who mistook her for being wealthy, given the status of her “Today Show” star daughter. Barbara Butcher told Fox News Digital Saturday she found it “flabbergasting” someone would just take the 84-year-old, before speculating, “Someone in the area… had found out […]
End of content
No more pages to load
