'Alaskan Bush People' Star Noah Brown Shares Heartbreaking Details About Identifying Brother Matt

The Brown family is mourning an unimaginable loss.

Alaskan Bush People star Noah Brown revealed that he was the one who identified his brother Matt Brown after his body was recovered from a river in Washington.

In an emotional Instagram video shared on Saturday, May 30, Noah — the youngest of the seven Brown siblings — explained that he had been actively helping search efforts when Matt was found.

Noah said the search team he was working with located the body at 3:27 p.m.

“I identified it as Matthew,” Noah said. “My oldest brother, Matthew Brown, has passed away.”

The reality star explained that the family is still waiting for more information and expects to learn additional details once the coroner's report is released. He also expressed gratitude to everyone who participated in the search, including local volunteers who assisted in the effort.

Recalling the difficult experience, Noah shared just how involved he was in the recovery process.

“I was there when we pulled him out of the river,” he said. “We hauled him up off the bank. And then, after the sheriffs got there and everything, the coroner did his thing, and I went down to identify that it was him.”

Noah then confirmed there was no doubt about his brother’s identity.

“It’s definitely Matthew,” he continued. “His ID and Social Security card was on him, and I was able to visually identify that it was Matthew.”

The heartbreaking update was followed by a message directed at fans of Alaskan Bush People, many of whom have supported the Brown family for years.

“I’m sorry it came down to this. I don’t know what to say,” he added emotionally. “Anyway, it’s late. Say your prayers and tell people that you love that you love them while you can.”

As OK! previously reported, Matt's death was believed to be an apparent suicide. His brother Bear Brown confirmed the tragic news in a video shared on Sunday, May 31.

“This is an update about Matt. 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 was so worried he was gonna end up you know, like OD or something like that…I I didn’t think that he would hurt himself,” Bear said.

"Noah was with them and helped them pull the body out of the water. Noah identified [Matt]," he continued. "Please be respectful to my family, and to my mom, please watch the comments that you leave guys, sometimes words can hurt more than fists can."

The reality TV personality urged viewers to remember that public figures are still real people dealing with real pain.

"In one of [Matt’s] last videos, he was talking about how negative people were on his posts. You guys should keep in mind that people on the other side of your screen, people you are watching a video of, are real people too," Bear said.

While authorities have not yet released a final autopsy report, Bear noted that early information suggested Matt's death may have been self-inflicted.

“I would just ask you to please, please, please be kind,” Bear pleaded. “Especially with my siblings … Please leave my family out of it.”

Just days before the devastating discovery, Bear had publicly voiced concerns about Matt's well-being after he disappeared. In a May 28 video, he shared reports that his brother had been seen near a local river shortly before he went missing.

“I’m being told that late last night that Matt took his own life,” Bear said. “I can’t confirm that that’s true, but witnesses say that he was seen in a river, at a river or close to a river.”

According to TMZ, the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office received a call on May 27 from an anonymous individual who reported seeing a man sitting in the shallow waters of the Okanogan River in Washington.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, please call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.