Rescuer Describes Finding Matt Brown's Body in Okanogan River

Chay Wilkerson Moore, part of the search team deployed along the Okanogan River in Washington state, publicly recounted the moment crews located the body of the reality television figure.

Matt Brown, known from the Discovery Channel series Alaskan Bush People, was found dead in the Okanogan River.
Rescue volunteer Chay Wilkerson Moore described the recovery moment in public remarks following the search.
Brown had been reported missing before the search operation was launched along the Okanogan River in Washington state.
Brown was 41 years old at the time of his death.
No cause of death has been publicly confirmed at the time of filing.

Chay Wilkerson Moore, a member of the search-and-rescue team deployed along the Okanogan River in Washington state, described the moment Matt Brown's body was pulled from the water following an active search operation.

Brown, 41, had appeared on Discovery Channel's Alaskan Bush People across multiple seasons alongside his family. He had been reported missing prior to the recovery.

Moore spoke publicly about the emotional weight of the find, according to reporting by Page Six published June 3, 2026. The precise location along the Okanogan River and the circumstances leading to Brown's presence there have not been fully disclosed in public records reviewed at the time of filing.

No official cause of death had been confirmed as of publication. The Okanogan County Sheriff's Office has not issued a completed investigative statement in available records.

Brown had previously spoken publicly about struggles with alcohol and substance use over the course of the show's run — a fact the family had addressed on camera more than once.