‘Alaskan Bush People' Star Matt Brown Feared Dead After Seen ‘Floating' In River

Matt Brown-one of the stars of the reality series Alaskan Bush People-is feared dead, according to his own family.

On Thursday, Matt's brother Bear took to his TikTok page to share some "really bad news about Matt," before adding that he couldn't confirm it 100% at the time of posting. He later claimed that witnesses allegedly saw his brother take his own life, before seeing a body "floating in a river."

The local Okanogan County Sheriff's Office confirmed in a Facebook post that a man called 911 after speaking with "a male sitting in the shallow water of the Okanogan River," south of Oroville, Washington, on Wednesday. The caller said he then "turned away from the man sitting in the river, heard a sound, turned back toward the man in the water, and saw the man face down in the water drifting away in the current."

Police, firefighters, and EMS personnel all responded to the scene, but, as of Friday morning, no body has been located. A firearm, however, was recovered from the water near the area where the man was last seen, per authorities.

According to the Sheriff, the search will continue once weather in the area improves. "The identity of the male is not confirmed and will not be released," they added.

Alaskan Bush People aired for 14 seasons on Discovery, from 2014 through 2022. During his time on the show, Matt was open about his issues with alcohol abuse. His apparent disappearance comes after he shared a concerning livestream to YouTube earlier this month, in which he rambled and appeared to be carrying a gun.

Matt's Brother Bear Shares News

On Thursday, May 28, Matt's brother Bear shared a TikTok video in which he revealed the "really bad news."

"I can't confirm it's 100% true right now, but it is what I'm hearing," he began. "I'm being told that late last night that Matt took his own life. I can't confirm that's true, but witnesses say that he was seen in a river, at a river, or close to a river, and that he took his own life, and then they saw him floating in the river."

"They called the police and they've been scouring, doing what they do, trying to find the body. So far they haven't been able to find any body," said Bear. "All the witnesses and stuff are saying it was Matt."

According to Bear, his brother had been "struggling for a long time with alcohol and drugs," as well as other unnamed "issues."

"He has done a lot of stuff that people don't even know about, and everyone thinks that the family has shunned him and won't have anything to do with him, but that's not actually the case," Bear insisted. "He didn't want anything to do with the family."

Bear said he always tried to encourage his brother to stay sober, but claimed Matt told him when they last spoke that he had "fallen off the wagon." He said his brother also had a "really bad breakup" recently and was "drinking too much."

"I would have never thought that Matt would take his own life," added Bear, before telling his followers not to place any blame on their mother.

Bear Addresses ‘Wild' Comments

In a follow-up video shared on Friday, May 29, Bear responded to followers who took issue with his initial post. Some criticized him for sharing information before the person in question was confirmed as his brother.

"I'm not just making a video on rumors. It's a very, very, very small chance it's not him. It's like 99% him," said Bear. "I document my life…so when stuff bothers me, happens to me, I make a video about it. If you don't like to see that content, don't follow me."

As he continued to address the "wild," negative comments that filled his replies after his first video, Bear also reiterated that his family members didn't turn their backs on Matt, despite him allegedly doing "a lot of bad things y'all don't know about."

"Now is not the time to speak on stuff like that," he continued. "The family didn't and never turned their back on Matt. We spent a lot of trouble, stuff, a lot of hassle, money, trying to help Matt. Rehab, three, four times. Everybody cared about Matt..Matt distanced himself from the family, completely."

Sharing that a body still hasn't been recovered, Bear said he's "still praying" that it's not his brother. He also confirmed that Matt only uses YouTube, warning fans to be wary of posts claiming to be from him on other social media accounts.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 29, 2026 at 4:34 PM.