Noah Brown detailed the events leading up to his brother Matt Brown‘s death.
“I actually saw him the day before [Matt went missing], just in one of those, like, driving by, wave-type situations,” Noah exclusively told Us Weekly on Sunday, May 31. “I wish I had more time when I drove past. It was stopped, but … it is what it is.”
Matt, who starred in the reality TV series Alaskan Bush People alongside Noah and the wider Brown family, was found dead at the age of 43 on Saturday, May 30. Local authorities confirmed his body had been recovered from the Okanogan River in Washington state.
Noah also detailed his final conversation with Matt to Us, revealing that it took place “probably two or three weeks” prior to Matt’s death.
“I ran into him in the grocery store, [and] the last thing I said to him was, ‘OK, love you more, man,’ which was our thing,” Noah said. “You never know when the last time you’re going to see someone is, so [our family] always [says] how you feel right before you say goodbye, because it could be the last thing. Then that was it.”
Noah also touched on his relationship with Matt during his interview with Us, sharing that the pair “were good” despite keeping “a distance” amid their large family dynamic.
“In the later years, I realized it was best to just kind of let him do his own thing,” Noah said.
“We never really had that kind of relationship where it was like a fight or anything. We were good; we just kept our distance. The stress of a large family gets to some people, and it’s just one of those things. Just let’s let him live his life.”
Noah continued, “He and I were good, and I’m very, very thankful for that. I do wish, though, that there could have been more, but in the end, that’s kind of always how it is. You always wish that you could have done more, no matter how much it was that you were doing.”
The Discovery Channel docudrama-style series followed Billy Brown and Ami Brown’s survival in Alaska’s remote wilderness before charting life in Washington state with their seven children: Matt, Noah, Joshua “Bam Bam” Brown, Bear Brown, Gabe Brown, Bird Brown and Rain Brown.
Bear confirmed Matt’s death via TikTok on Saturday, revealing that Noah was with a group of private citizens who had recovered his oldest brother’s remains.
Noah detailed the group’s efforts during his conversation with Us. “Myself and the rest of the people that were looking hauled [a] skiff up further on the shore, and that’s where it was … when the coroner came,” Noah said. “Right now, all I can say is that he was lost in the river. He was lost in the river, and we found him.”
The Brown family shared a statement addressing Matt’s death with Us on Sunday. “It is with profound sadness and broken hearts that we share the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Brown,” the statement read. “To millions of viewers, Matt was known as one of the original stars of Alaskan Bush People. To us, he was so much more.”
The statement continued, “Matt was intelligent, curious, creative, and endlessly fascinated by the world around him. He was a gifted outdoorsman who felt most at home on the water, in the wilderness, or sharing what he had learned with others. He was an accomplished fisherman, an experienced boatman, and served as the radar operator on our family’s vessels. He loved adventure and never stopped exploring new ideas.”
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