The search for Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown has come to a tragic end as the 43-year-old was discovered dead on Saturday, May 30 2026.
Matt's brother Bear confirmed the news in a video online, where he revealed that a body had been found in a river in northern Washington state "a few hours ago." The body was later confirmed to be Matt, whose brother Noah helped police pull from the water.
Matt's family feared the worst after his brother Bear Brown shared an emotional update suggesting the reality TV personality had gone missing near a river in Washington state.
© YouTubeBear suggested his brother died by suicide and spoke of a wound on his body that appeared to be "self-inflicted."
"I would've never expected he would hurt himself, honestly," Bear told his followers. Matt had a history of drug and alcohol addiction prior to his death. "He struggled for a long time with addiction and I was so worried for a long time that he was going to OD. I didn't think that he would hurt himself," Bear said.
© InstagramBear took to social media on Friday, May 29 2026, to address growing concerns about his older brother, revealing that family members have been trying to piece together reports from witnesses who allegedly saw Matt shortly before a man was swept away by a river current.
Fighting back emotion, Bear admitted that while authorities had not officially identified the missing person, some of the details being reported have left the family deeply worried. According to Bear, witnesses claimed Matt had been seen near a river and was reportedly floating in the water at one point.
While he stressed that he could not confirm the information, he acknowledged that the circumstances had led family members to fear the missing man could be his brother.
© YouTubeAccording to the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office, emergency services were called to the scene on Wednesday after a witness reported seeing a man sitting in shallow water near the river south of Oroville.
© Getty ImagesThe witness reportedly looked away briefly before hearing a sound and turning back to see the man face down in the water and being carried away by the current.
Police, firefighters and emergency responders immediately launched a search operation but were unable to locate the individual.
The troubling developments have reignited concern among fans who have followed Matt's struggles in recent years.
© Getty ImagesMatt was one of the original stars of Discovery Channel's hit reality series Alaskan Bush People, which followed the Brown family as they lived an unconventional off-grid lifestyle in the Alaskan wilderness. The series became a ratings success and ran for 14 seasons before ending in 2022. In recent years, however, Matt has largely lived apart from the rest of the family.
The television personality has been open about his battles with addiction and personal challenges, and his relationship with relatives became increasingly strained. Reports have previously suggested that communication between Matt and several family members had broken down years ago amid concerns about his wellbeing.
