Reality TV star dead at 42, brother confirms: ‘He struggled for a long time’

Matt Brown, a familiar face from Discovery’s hit series Alaskan Bush People, has passed away at the age of 42. His brother, Solomon Isaiah “Bear” Brown, confirmed the tragic news via Instagram, noting that Matt was discovered in Washington this past Saturday.

A Tragic Loss

In an emotional video update, Solomon Isaiah “Bear” Brown detailed the heartbreaking discovery. A body was recovered from a river, which was later identified as Matt. While his brother expressed that he had long worried about Matt’s well-being, he admitted surprise at the circumstances, stating, “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.”

Solomon added that while official confirmation from the coroner is still pending, the incident appears to be self-inflicted. He felt it was important to share the news directly with fans.

Family at the Scene

The family has been directly involved in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. Their brother, Noah Brown, was reportedly present at the scene and assisted officials in recovering Matt from the water, where he also provided a positive identification.

Legacy and Public Struggles

Matt Brown was a central figure on Alaskan Bush People during the show’s run from 2014 to 2019. He eventually stepped away from the spotlight to focus on personal battles with addiction, as reported by PEOPLE. 205focus.com will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available regarding this developing story.