What To Know
- Bear Brown announced that his brother and fellow Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown is likely dead by suicide after being seen near a river.
- Matt had struggled with substance abuse and was estranged from his family.
- Bear urged fans to be respectful toward their family.
Warning: The following post contains discussions of suicide.
Alaskan Bush People star Bear Brown shared “really bad news” on TikTok on Friday, telling fans of the Discovery reality series that his older brother and costar Matt Brown likely died by suicide the night before.
“I wanted to start out by saying that I can’t confirm that it’s a hundred percent true right now, but it is what I’m hearing,” a tearful Bear said in the video. “So I’m being told that late last night that Matt took his own life. … 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 that they saw him floating down the river.”
Bear cautioned that the reports of Matt’s death were just based on witness testimony — and said investigators have been scouring the scene but haven’t found a body. And he added that his brother had been struggling with alcohol and drugs for a long time and had estranged himself from the family.
@bearthekingofextreme Really bad news about Matt #bearthekingofextreme #alaskanbushpeople #thelifeofbear #fyp ♬ original sound – Bear Brown
“Before I left for Florida, I actually ran into him in Walmart, and we talked for a few minutes, and that was the last time I saw him, you know?” Bear said. “And he called me after that, and he said that he had fallen off the wagon, and I was like, ‘Well, get back on it, man. You know, everybody falls off. Just get back on it. Go to rehab if you’ve got to. You’ve got this. You’ve fought it a lot before and all.’ And that was the last call I had with him, and that was a little bit ago.”
Bear said Matt had been going through “a really bad breakup” with a “girl that he really liked,” but he never thought the 43-year-old was suicidal.
Bear ended his video by asking fans to be respectful of the family and of his mom, Ami Brown, in particular. “Mom cares very much for Matt and always has and has been through a lot for him — a lot,” he said. “So please don’t attack my mom. Anyway, I just wanted to let y’all guys know. God bless.”
In a follow-up TikTok video, Bear spoke out against “negative, nasty” comments on his original upload and told fans that recent social media posts posted in Matt’s name are not authentic. He also said the person spotted at the river was “99 percent” likely to be Matt.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by texting or dialing 988. If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911.
