Noah Brown has shared intimate details about the final days leading up to his brother Matt Brown's death, including their last words to each other and a brief encounter just one day before Matt went missing.
"I actually saw him the day before [Matt went missing], just in one of those, like, driving by, wave-type situations," Noah 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 Brown, who starred in the reality television series Alaskan Bush People alongside Noah and the wider Brown family, was found dead at the age of 43. Local authorities confirmed his body had been recovered from the Okanogan River in Washington state on Saturday, May 30.
The reality star also revealed to Us Weekly that his final conversation with Matt occurred "probably two or three weeks" before his brother's death. The exchange took place during a chance encounter at a grocery store and ended with words that now carry profound significance.
"I ran into him in the grocery store [and] the last thing I said to him was, 'Okay, love you more, man,' which was our thing," Noah told Us Weekly. "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."
During the interview, Noah addressed his relationship with Matt, explaining that while the brothers maintained a cordial connection, they kept a certain distance within their large family dynamic. "We were good, we just kept our distance," Noah said, speaking to Us Weekly.
"In the later years, I realized it was best to just kind of let him do his own thing," Noah explained.
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 Brown confirmed Matt's death via TikTok on Saturday, revealing that Noah was with a group of private citizens who recovered his oldest brother's remains.
Noah detailed the group's efforts during his conversation with Us Weekly. "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 Weekly 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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