Alaskan Bush People Star Matt Brown’s Cause Of Death Has Been Confirmed

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Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown’s cause of death has now been confirmed, after he was found dead in Washington state, following a multi-day search from authorities.

Fans of the reality star, who appeared on the hit show from 2014 to 2018, have been grieving the loss of the 43-year-old, who tragically died earlier this week.

Search efforts intensified after witness report

Concern first emerged on May 27 when a 911 caller reported seeing a man sitting in shallow water along the Okanogan River near Oroville, Washington.

Authorities said the witness briefly looked away before hearing a noise. When they turned back, they saw the man floating face down in the water and being carried by the current. Emergency crews quickly launched a search operation, using boats, divers, sonar technology, and K-9 teams. Despite their efforts, they were initially unable to locate the individual.

The search continued for several days as concerns mounted that the missing person could be Brown.

His brother, Solomon Isaiah ‘Bear’ Brown, shared emotional updates with followers online, explaining that the family was becoming increasingly worried as new information emerged from the search area.

Brothers share emotional accounts

Bear later confirmed the tragic news in a heartfelt video posted on social media.

“They found a body in the river a few hours ago, and it was positively identified as being Matt,” he said, per E! Online.

The reality TV star also revealed that his younger brother, Noah Brown, had been involved in the search effort.

“Noah was with them and helped them pull the body out of the water,” Bear explained. “Noah identified him.”

Noah later recounted his own experience, revealing that he had spent several days working alongside search and rescue teams.

“For the past couple of days, I’ve been working with search and rescue groups trying to locate the body,” he said.

“Today at 3:27, the group that I was working with located the missing body and I identified it as Matthew.”

He added: “My oldest brother, Matthew Brown, has passed away.”

A difficult road to recovery

Brown became a familiar face to viewers after appearing on Alaskan Bush People from the show’s premiere in 2014 until he left the series in 2019.

Throughout the years, he spoke candidly about his struggles with alcohol addiction and his time in rehabilitation programs.

In a 2016 interview, Brown reflected on the moment he recognized his drinking was becoming a serious issue.

“I started drinking lightly and then it got to be more and more,” he said. “That’s when I saw the problem around the corner, and I didn’t want to be one of those guys.”

After receiving treatment, Brown regularly turned to YouTube and social media to talk about sobriety, personal growth, and mental wellness.

However, his family said maintaining recovery remained an ongoing challenge.

The Browns revealed there had been years of ‘rehabilitation programs, interventions, treatment efforts, and countless attempts to support his recovery.’

Bear also shared details of a recent conversation he had with Matt after unexpectedly crossing paths with him.

According to the brother, Matt admitted he had relapsed.

“He called me after that, and he said that he had fallen off the wagon,” Bear recalled.

“And I was like, ‘Well, get back on it, man. Everybody falls off. Just get back on it. Go to rehab if you’ve got to. You’ve got this.’”

Final words take on new meaning

Following news of his passing, many fans have returned to Brown’s social media accounts to revisit his videos and messages.

One clip that has drawn particular attention was posted in July 2024, when Brown spoke openly about challenging periods in his life and the recovery strategies he used to navigate them.

“It’s really important to sit down figure out what’s going on and what to do about it,” Brown told viewers.

“I have very good counselors in all of my rehabs and I pull all of those recovery tools.”

He explained that one technique involved writing problems and possible solutions on note cards, helping him work through difficult situations and emotions.

The video concluded with a message that many fans now view as especially poignant.

Before ending the recording, Brown looked directly into the camera and said: “All right, never give up, never surrender, guys.”

Cause of Matt Brown’s death confirmed

The Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office has released a major update in the case earlier this week. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brown was not ultimately located by law enforcement officials.

Instead, authorities said a ‘group of private citizens’ conducting an independent search along the river found a body in the water on May 30.

“On Saturday, May 30, 2026, a group of private citizens conducting a search along the Okanogan River located a deceased individual in the river,” the sheriff’s office said.

“The individual was recovered and brought to shore, where he was positively identified as Matthew Brown.”

Officials confirmed that Brown’s body was transferred to the Okanogan County Coroner’s Office, who have since shared that Brown died by suicide.

According to People, being under the influence of methamphetamine and the ‘subsequent immersion in water,’ are both listed as contributing circumstances towards his death.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available through the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

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