Meet 'Alaskan Bush People' Star, Matt Brown's Estranged Family, Reportedly Cut Ties With Him

Matt Brown, who rose to fame with Discovery’s Alaskan Bush People, tragically passed away at 42. According to multiple reports, Matt was found dead in Washington on Saturday, May 30, 2026. It was Matt’s brother, Bear Brown, who confirmed the devastating news of his demise through a video. Earlier, in a social media post, Bear said that their family believed that Matt, who had a history of substance abuse, had ended his own life.

Amid this tragic loss, people have grown curious to know about Matt’s estranged family. Matt often got candid about his personal life. He had also opened up about his strained relationship with his family in recent years. In 2021, Matt had a huge fight with his family over not receiving his share of funds raised from TV  series, Alaskan Bush People. Now, if you are one of those who have shown interest in knowing Matt’s estranged family, then continue reading.

Meet Alaskan Bush People star, Matt Brown's parents

Matt Brown was born to Billy Brown and Ami Brown. The couple rose to prominence with Discovery’s Alaskan Bush People. Before achieving fame, Billy and Ami allegedly left Texas and moved to Alaska. The duo raised their seven children in Alaska’s remote wilderness conditions. Matt was Billy and Ami’s eldest son. The Brown family’s unconventional lifestyle featured in the TV series, Alaskan Bush People. Billy was the family’s patriarch until his death at 68 in February 2021. Following his death, Ami continued to appear on the series and remained a central figure of the Brown family.

Who are Matt Brown's siblings?

Matt Brown had six siblings: Joshua "Bam Bam" Brown, Bear Brown, Gabe Brown, Noah Brown, Snowbird Brown and Rain Brown. All of Matt’s siblings appeared on the hit TV series, Alaskan Bush People. However, in the later seasons, Matt became less involved due to his personal struggles, including substance abuse.

Inside Matt Brown's strained relationship with his family

Matt Brown’s relationship with his family members became strained in recent years. Back in 2021, he had a serious fight with his family over not receiving his share of funds raised from Alaskan Bush People. The Alaskan Bush People star alleged that his late father, Billy, kept all of the cash they amassed from the TV series. He also alleged that his siblings were unwilling to share the profits with him.

Matt, in a video, mentioned that he had been in touch with one of his brothers, who acted as a mediator between him and his family. Matt mentioned that he wanted to fix things with his family and reunite with them. However, the Brown family allegedly didn’t reciprocate his reconciliation attempt. He felt betrayed when one of his siblings, whom he trusted with the mediation, did not help him. Matt was quoted as saying:

"I found out yesterday, it's like he was trying to set me off again...I was very triggered. I didn't scream at him, but I did at a couple of times get frustrated and raise my voice...They always say stuff that isn't true about me and my addiction, and I realise they are never going to do the right thing, and I was never treated right."

However, Matt’s brother, Bear, denied such claims. He alleged that it was Matt who had become largely estranged from relatives by his own choice. Bear said that Matt "didn't want anything to do with the family." In the same video, Bear shared that their younger brother, Noah Brown, was present when cops recovered Matt's body from the river and helped identify him.

Matt Brown's untimely demise at 42

A few hours back, Matt’s brother, Bear Brown, took to his Instagram handle to share the heartbreaking news of his untimely death. Through a video, Bear mentioned that the police had found a body in the river, and it was identified as Matt. Bear expressed his disbelief over Matt’s death and shared that he never expected that the Alaskan Bush People star would hurt himself. He was quoted as saying:

"They found a body in the river a few hours ago, and it was positively identified as being Matt. 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. It does look as though the injury is self-inflicted. Obviously, the coroner and stuff still has to look at him and stuff, but I thought that y'all guys should know that it is him."

Rest in peace, Matt Brown.

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Pic credit: Matt Brown/IG, Bear Brown/IG, Discovery

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