‘Alaskan Bush People’ star Matt Brown was cremated after committing suicide at the age of 43.
The reality star’s ashes were turned over to the Okanogan County Crematorium on June 24, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ on Friday.
The television personality’s body was discovered in the Okanogan River in Washington on May 30th. A witness called emergency services after seeing a man, later identified as Brown, wading through the water.
After hearing “noises” in the river, the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office said the 911 caller turned around and saw a man “face down in the river, floating in the current.”
Matt’s brother Bear Brown had said earlier in the week that he believed Matt had died by suicide, but later announced that his brother had “taken his own life.”
“A body was found in the river a few hours ago and we have positively identified it as Matt,” Baer said on TikTok.
Bear said Noah Brown, the youngest of seven Brown children, was the first in his family to see his brother’s body and helped retrieve it.
Baer also claimed that the documentary star had a “long-term struggle with alcohol and drugs” and that during that struggle he “didn’t want anything to do with his family.”
Days after Matt’s death, the Okanogan County coroner ruled the TV star’s death a suicide due to a penetrating gunshot wound to the head, according to a report obtained by Page Six.
It was also revealed that Matt was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of his death.
The show mourned Matt’s death on June 2 in a statement on social media.
“Sad to hear of the passing of Matt Brown,” they wrote at the time, along with a portrait of the star with his hat pulled over his chest.
“He shared much of his life with viewers over the years and was an important member of Alaska’s Bush People. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and those touched by his story.”
In the days after his death, TMZ reported that Matt’s ex-girlfriend (with whom he had broken up weeks before his death) “did everything she could” to help Matt deal with his “personal struggles.”
Sources told the magazine that Jamie had been urging the reality star for months to seek professional help, believing he could not be her “only source of strength” in the face of her “darkest moments.”
A close aide to the pair said Jamie was a “positive influence in his life” and insisted she “remained committed” to Matt’s well-being despite their breakup.
If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
