Alaskan Bush People Star Matt Brown's Cause of Death Revealed
Content warning: This story discusses suicide.
More details have been shared about Matt Brown's cause of death.
After the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office first confirmed that the Alaskan Bush People star was found dead in Washington's Okanogan River on May 30 in a press release, authorities determined Brown died by suicide, the coroner told multiple outlets June 3.
The 43-year-old's “subsequent immersion in water" and being under the influence of methamphetamine were both listed as contributing circumstances, according to People.
The additional details about the cause and manner of death come as the coroner's office noted plans to release Brown's body to his family to make private arrangements, following the conclusion of their autopsy investigation.
Brown was discovered by a search party of private citizens dedicated to finding the reality star, including his brothers Bear Brown, 38, and Noah Brown, 33, who also appeared on the Discovery Channel series until its final season in 2022.
As the official law enforcement statement explained, "The individual was recovered and brought to shore, where he was positively identified as Matthew Brown."
Since confirmation of Brown's untimely death, his family—which, in addition to his aforementioned brothers, includes parents Billy Brown, who died at 68 in 2021, and Ami Brown, 62, as well as siblings Joshua “Bam Bam” Brown, 41, Gabe Brown, 36, SnowBird “Bird” Brown, 31 and Rain Brown, 23—has shown an outpouring of love for the fallen member of "the wolfpack."
"It is with broken hearts that we share the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Brown," the family said in a tribute on Instagram. "To millions of viewers, Matt was known as one of the original stars of Alaskan Bush People. To us, he was so much more."
"Matt was intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him. He was a gifted outdoorsman, fisherman, boatman, artist, and lifelong learner. He loved adventure, nature, and discovering new things. Matt had an extraordinary mind," the touching dedication expressed, later acknowledging that "Matt spent many years battling serious mental health challenges and addiction. Matt's life was not without mistakes, struggles, and painful chapters. Some of those chapters caused hurt, and we do not minimize that."
The Brown family signed off with heartfelt words about his legacy.
"When we think of Matt, we will remember the young man who loved the wilderness, could navigate rough waters, draw for hours, lose himself in learning, make us laugh unexpectedly, and dream bigger than most people ever dared," the Browns wrote, concluding, "He was imperfect. He was human. He was deeply loved. And he will be missed beyond words.”
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