The Okanogan County coroner's office confirmed Wednesday that Matt Brown, a former star of "Alaskan Bush People," died by suicide in Washington state.
Authorities recovered the 42-year-old's body from a river after a three-day search.
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County officials listed subsequent immersion in water and methamphetamine influence as contributing factors, according to People.
The investigation began when a witness reported seeing a man face down in a shallow section of the river before the current swept him away.
A firearm was later recovered from the area where the individual was last seen.
Following the recovery, family members publicly reflected on the life and struggles of the former television personality.
Family Reactions
Bear Brown, the brother of the deceased, shared details about the discovery on social media.
"They found a body in the river a few hours ago, and it was positively identified as being Matt," he said.
Bear Brown noted that their brother Noah Brown performed the formal identification. He added that the family had long worried about addiction struggles but did not anticipate self-harm.
"I would have never suspected he would have hurt himself, honestly," Bear Brown said.
Noah Brown explained that finding the body brought a sense of resolution after days of uncertainty.
"It definitely made it to where you can feel the finality of it a little bit more," he said.
Gabe Brown recalled positive attributes and life lessons shared by his late brother.
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"He used to be like so fun loving, so full of life, so curious, and he taught me so many different things," Gabe Brown said.
Rain Brown noted that her brother provided significant encouragement during her own personal difficulties.
"He was a really good inspiration for me when I was going through my struggles to just keep on the light side of things," she said.
The broader Brown family issued a joint statement Sunday honoring the memory of the reality television star, who appeared on the Discovery Channel program from 2014 until 2019.
"It is with broken hearts that we share the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Brown," the statement read.
The family emphasized that his identity extended beyond his public persona. "To millions of viewers, Matt was known as one of the original stars of Alaskan Bush People.
To us, he was so much more," they said.
The relatives highlighted his diverse talents and love for outdoor exploration. "Matt was intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him," the statement said.
The statement also addressed his transparency regarding substance abuse.
"During periods of sobriety and recovery, he openly shared his struggles with addiction and mental health through his videos and personal outreach," the family said.
The family concluded by acknowledging the long-term challenges they faced together. "Matt spent many years battling serious mental health challenges and addiction.
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Our Dad, Billy Brown, never stopped believing in Matt's ability to heal and find peace, and neither did we," they said.
