The Brown family is mourning the loss of Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown, 43, who was found dead after going missing near the Okanogan River in Washington.
According to reports, authorities were alerted after a 911 caller spotted a man sitting in shallow water near Oroville. The caller later watched the man fall face down into the river before being carried away by the current. Emergency crews launched a search operation but were unable to immediately locate him.
A firearm was reportedly found near the area where Matt had first been reported missing. Officials have said an autopsy is still pending.
Matt’s brother Bear confirmed his death in an emotional TikTok video shared on Saturday.
“They found a body in the river a few hours ago and it was positively identified as being Matt,” Bear told followers.
Bear also revealed that their younger brother, Noah Brown, was the one who first found Matt’s body and pulled him from the water.
Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown dead at 43
Throughout his life, Matt was open about his struggles with mental health and recovery. In one of his final Instagram videos, posted in July 2024, he spoke about the tools he used to get through difficult periods in his life.
“It’s really important to sit down figure out what’s going on and what to do about it so whenever that happens for me I remember my recovery training because I spent six months in rehab and I knew I really had to pay attention.
“I have very good counselors in all of my rehabs and I pull all of those recovery tools. I’ve got some cards here that I’m using to write out the things I’m going through and then solutions for it so that I can check them later and see if it’s a good thing.”
He ended the video with a message to his followers: “All right, never give up, never surrender, guys.”
In a separate follow-up video, Matt explained how he used the cards to help put what he described as “toxic” situations into perspective.
He then closed with the same words: “All right, never give up, never surrender, guys.”
Where to get help
On the topic of mental health, don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you, or someone you know, is struggling, you can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741, or contact the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990.
If your distress feels unbearable, or if you have suicidal thoughts or plans, contact a psychiatric emergency unit immediately or call 911.
For more information about available resources, visit Mental Health America at mhanational.org.
