The family of Matt Brown, star of Alaskan Bush People, are concerned for his welfare. Police received reports of an unidentified man in the area in which he was spotted.
Alaskan Bush People aired on The Discovery Channel for 14 seasons beginning in 2014. The docu-series followed Matt, his parents, the late Billy and Ami, and six siblings living in isolation.
H2: What we know about Matt Brown’s disappearance so far
On Thursday, May 29, Bear, Matt’s brother, posted on TikTok about witnesses who saw Matt. The unidentified people said they saw him floating in the water, but Bear could not confirm this.
An anonymous call came into the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday, May 27 about a man sitting in a shallow part of Washington State’s Okanogan River, according to TMZ. The caller said when he looked away and looked back, the man was lying in the river face down, with the current sweeping him away.
After emergency responders searched the area, no body was located, TMZ confirmed. The search is expected to continue, according to the sheriff’s office.
Matt was part of Alaskan Bush People until 2019, when he unexpectedly left the show. No reason was provided for his departure. The show ran until 2022.
He reportedly struggled with addiction, entering rehab in 2016. After suffering a relapse, Matt re-entered treatment in 2018. This was around the time that he was accused by two women of sexual assault. The Browns never spoke publicly about the accusations.
Bear posted in December 2025 about the show’s future via a social media video. “The day is getting closer and closer to something a lot of people thought would never happen,” he said. “What I’m talking about is actually the return of Alaskan Bush People.” He blamed the show’s long hiatus on the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery.
Matt most recently ran his own YouTube channel, where he posted a video of himself naked in a public park holding a gun.
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).
