(Photo credit: Matt Brown/Instagram)
Matt Brown, a star of the Discovery Channel’s “Alaskan Bush People,” has died at 42.
Matt Brown’s brother, Bear Brown, shared the news on social media, saying that his brother appeared to have died from injuries that were “self-inflicted.”
Matt disappeared last week, and his family feared that he was dead, as shared in videos posted online. He was last seen near the Okanogan River in Washington State, where the family now resides.
His body was recovered from the river on Saturday after an extensive search.
The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Department also confirmed the news in a press release. They wrote that Brown’s body was found in the river by a group of private citizens who were searching for him.
“The individual was recovered and brought to shore, where he was positively identified as Matthew Brown,” the press release reads. “Matthew Brown has been transferred into the custody and care of the Okanogan County Coroner. The cause and manner of death will be determined by the Coroner’s Office.”
The Brown Family Statement
Sunday afternoon, the Brown family issued a statement about Matt’s death. Matt, who appeared on “Alaskan Bush People” from 2014 to 2019, stepped away from the show due to struggles with addiction. He openly spoke about his addictions, though his struggles allegedly caused a rift between him and his family.
In a statement released following his death, the Brown family addressed Matt’s “serious mental health challenges and addiction,” while honoring his life by remembering his life outside of those obstacles.
“Matt was intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him. He was a gifted outdoorsman who felt most at home on the water, in the wilderness, or sharing what he had learned with others. He was an accomplished fisherman, an experienced boatman, and served as the radar operator on our family’s vessels. He loved adventure and never stopped exploring new ideas,” the family recalled .
They also praised his skills as an artist and a creative, saying that he “had an extraordinary mind.”
“Those who truly knew Matt knew his heart. He was compassionate, generous with his time, and deeply wanted to help others,” the statement reads. “During periods of sobriety and recovery, he openly shared his struggles with addiction and mental health through his online videos and personal outreach. He encouraged others to seek help, offered hope to people fighting similar battles, and used his own experiences in an effort to make others feel less alone.”
The Brown family expressed their pride in Matt’s ability to touch lives with his own story about addiction and recovery, before addressing the struggles they’ve been through as a family trying to help him fight his own battles.
“Matt spent many years battling serious mental health challenges and addiction. These were complex struggles that affected every aspect of his life. Like countless families facing similar circumstances, we experienced periods of hope, recovery, setbacks, heartbreak, reconciliation, and renewed hope again,” they wrote.
“Throughout the years, there were rehabilitation programs, interventions, treatment efforts, and countless attempts to support his recovery … In recent months, as Matt publicly shared his pain and struggles, members of our family were actively trying to reconnect, offer support, and help him find his way back to stability and healing.”
The Browns also addressed the criticism they have faced regarding their family dynamics and relationship with Matt.
“We recognize that many people have opinions about our family relationships. The truth is far more complicated than what can ever be shown on television, discussed online, or summarized in headlines. Mental illness and addiction are devastating diseases that impact not only the person suffering but everyone who loves them.
Families facing these challenges often make difficult decisions, establish boundaries, and endure periods of separation while never losing their love for the person at the center of the struggle. Our family was no different.”
They encouraged people not to define Matt’s life by his “lowest moments,” and not “to suffer alone” if you are struggling with “addiction, depression, and hopelessness.”
“He was imperfect. He was human. He was deeply loved. And he will be missed beyond words.”
Read the Brown family’s full statement below, as shared by his brother, Gabe.
