{"id":2439309,"date":"2026-05-31T18:26:07","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T18:26:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2439309"},"modified":"2026-05-31T18:26:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T18:26:07","slug":"matt-browns-up-and-downs-over-the-years-before-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/matt-browns-up-and-downs-over-the-years-before-death\/","title":{"rendered":"Matt Brown’s Up and Downs Over the Years Before Death"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Before Alaskan Bush People<\/em> star Matt Brown<\/strong> tragically died in May 2026, he and his family had been open about his struggles with substance abuse and ongoing efforts to maintain his sobriety.<\/p>\n

Matt died at the age of 43 after he was reported missing and feared dead. After unnamed witnesses saw who they appeared to be Matt by a Washington state river, a short search later recovered his body. Authorities were aided by his brother, Noah Brown<\/strong>, who later confirmed he helped retrieve and ID his oldest brother\u2019s remains.<\/p>\n

A cause of death was not immediately given, but Matt\u2019s family members publicly shared that they believed it was \u201cself-inflicted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Us Weekly<\/em> breaks down everything to know about the ups and downs in Matt\u2019s life before his untimely death.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Matthew Perry\u2019s Ups and Downs Through the Years<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tMatthew Perry never shied away from opening up about his struggles after rising to stardom for his role as Chandler Bing in Friends. \u201cWhen [fame] happens, it\u2019s kind of like Disneyland for a while. For me it lasted about eight months, this feeling of \u2018I\u2019ve made it, I\u2019m thrilled, there\u2019s no problem in the world.\u2019 [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Matt Brown Went to Rehab in 2016<\/h2>\n

Just two years after Matt and his family began starring on Alaskan Bush People<\/em> in 2014, he entered rehab for the first time in 2016.<\/p>\n

In July 2016, he told People<\/em><\/a> that he \u201ccould see [himself] spiraling\u201d before he entered treatment, adding that he was nervous to discuss his unhealthy relationship with alcohol with his family. \u201cThere was a lot of anxiety. It took a couple days to work up the guts to tell my parents. But their support was unbelievable,\u201d he said. \u201cIt instantly made me feel better and like I could be successful on this journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt Brown Candidly Discussed His Drinking Problems While Recalling First Rehab Experience<\/h2>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been able to handle city life, no problem,\u201d Matt told People<\/em> following his first stint in rehab. \u201cBut I started hanging out with people who drank. They didn\u2019t have a problem with it so while I was around them, I started drinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that he started to make \u201cbad choices\u201d and he stopped drinking, though he started drinking again the following year.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started drinking lightly and then it got to be more and more,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s when I saw the problem around the corner, and I didn\u2019t want to be one of those guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Matt claimed he only drank every few nights and never blacked out, he said he decided to enter an in-patient rehab center for 35 days in the spring of 2016 to get his drinking under control.<\/p>\n

\u201cI learned a lot about myself in those 35 days. I\u2019ve turned my weakness into a strength,\u201d he said. \u201cIn life, we all get lost every now and then and have to find our way back. Not everyone makes it back, and I\u2019m happy to be one of those who did.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Matthew Perry’s Friends Worried Drug Overdose Caused His Death: Sources<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tPrior to Matthew Perry\u2018s cause of death being determined, his loved ones suspected he died of an overdose. \u201cHe\u2019s been struggling with sobriety for years,\u201d a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. \u201cEvery time he fell off the wagon there was a huge sense of shame.\u201d \u201cAfter Friends ended there was a lot of depression and [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Matt Brown Relapsed in 2018 and Went Back to Rehab<\/h2>\n

Matt relapsed in 2018 and went back to rehab in September of that year.<\/p>\n

In 2019, he quietly exited Alaskan Bush People<\/em> as he continued to struggle with substance abuse. Matt then moved away from his family, but continued to document his life on social media.<\/p>\n

Matt Brown Struggled With Fell \u2018Off the Wagon\u2019 Before His Death<\/h2>\n

The Okanogan County Sheriff\u2019s Office received an anonymous call on May 27, 2026, about a man who was sitting in the shallow waters of the Okanogan River in Washington. The caller claimed that the man, who was believed to be Matt, was lying face down in the river and was being swept away from the current.<\/p>\n

A search was set out for Matt, and the Brown family members took to social media to keep fans updated.<\/p>\n

On May 28, 2026, Matt\u2019s brother Bear Brown<\/strong> said he had \u201cbeen struggling for a long time<\/a>\u201d with \u201calcohol and with drugs and stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has other issues and stuff, too. He has done a lot of stuff that people like, don\u2019t even know about,\u201d Bear continued in the TikTok<\/a> video.<\/p>\n

Bear also recalled the last time he saw Matt, explaining they ran into each other at a Walmart.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was the last time I saw him, you know, and he called me after that, and he said that he had fallen off the wagon, and I was like, \u2018Well, get back on it, man, you know, everybody falls off, you know, just get back on it, rehab if you\u2019ve got to, you\u2019ve got this, you fought it a lot before,\u2019 and that was the last call I had with him, and that was a little bit ago,\u201d Bear said.<\/p>\n

Bear added that Matt was going through \u201ca really bad breakup\u201d the last time they saw each other. \u201cThere was this girl that he really liked, and I guess they, like, broke up, and I guess he\u2019d been drinking too much and stuff, and I don\u2019t know all the details to it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Biggest Takeaways From Matthew Perry Doc: ‘Friends’ Costar Quotes and More<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tNBC \/ Courtesy Everett Collection Peacock\u2019s latest special about Matthew Perry explored how his time on Friends, his addiction struggles and more affected him ahead of his shocking death. Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, which started streaming on Tuesday, February 25, used footage from the actor\u2019s past interviews and excerpts from his 2022 memoir \u201cFriends, [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Matt Brown Found Dead at the Age of 43<\/h2>\n

Bear confirmed that Matt had been found dead at the age of 43<\/a> on May 30, 2026.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey found a body in the river a few hours ago and it was positively identified as being Matt,\u201d Bear said via TikTok. \u201c[Brother] Noah<\/strong> was with them and helped them pull the body out of the water<\/a>. Noah identified [Matt].\u201d<\/p>\n

Bear said that he knew Matt \u201cstruggled for a long time,\u201d but he \u201cnever would have suspected that [Matt] would have hurt himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

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