When Alaskan Bush People debuted years ago, the Brown family appeared united and close-knit. They even have their own dialect, though whether it's authentic or manufactured is still up for debate. Over the years, though, the family's dark secrets came out, including jail time for almost half of the Brown family and an uncomfortable revelation about Ami and the late Billy Brown's young marriage.
And while there's been no shortage of drama for the family's reality show, the sudden departure of one of the Brown kids was never fully addressed. Now that Billy is gone, Ami Brown and her kids Joshua (Bam Bam), Solomon (Bear), Gabe, Noah, Amora (Snowbird), and Merry (Rain) are rebuilding their lives part in Washington state and part in Alaska. But what happened to the oldest son Matt Brown?
Matt Brown Is The Oldest Alaskan Bush Kid
Given all the excitement surrounding the rest of the Brown kids' lives, what with some of them seeming to rush into marriage (Gabe, Noah, and Bear) and others contemplating their futures (Snowbird), some viewers might not have noticed Matt's absence at first.
The arrival of multiple grandchildren, not to mention her husband's passing and her own health issues, likely kept Ami Brown busy, too.
But in 2019, Matt dropped off of Alaskan Bush People and no one really talked about him. In fact, some fans began trolling the family's various accounts suggesting that the family didn't care about him and were pretending like he no longer exists.
Despite the family seeming to be so close, Matt was cut out of the family group, and apparently stayed put when the rest of the Browns moved away from California after Ami Brown's treatment (which required them to move from Alaska).
It turns out that may not have been Matt's choice, but rather a result of circumstances at the time.
Why Did Matt Brown Leave Alaskan Bush People?
It's not entirely clear why Matt left Alaskan Bush People. Some sources say he was fired from the reality series, specifically after allegations came out against the former reality TV personality suggesting that he assaulted two women.
Others say Matt disappeared from the show because he was checking into rehab, a storyline Alaskan Bush People didn't seem interested in following. It's not the first time producers have swept a story under the rug, of course.
And regardless of the reason, it's evident Matt's contract was severed with Discovery, as he hasn't resurfaced in footage from the series for years.
But finally, Matt spoke up.
The former Discovery cast member took to Instagram and YouTube to share details about his life and experiences. He told fans that he was able to reconcile with his late father before Billy's passing, but Matt also dropped some information that took fans by surprise.
The eldest Brown kid alleges that his substance abuse issues stemmed from production providing him with substances. He also claimed that the show was fake and staged, something that many fans have guessed at over the years.
Despite Matt's claims, the family hasn't said anything about him, and neither has Discovery. When the majority of the Browns moved to Washington state back in 2018, Matt didn't go with them, ostensibly because he was at an inpatient recovery program.
Fortunately, Matt stayed on the path toward recovery, and seems to be doing well today.
What Matt Brown Is Doing Today
Fans don't have to wonder anymore about where Matt Brown is or what he's doing. He gives regular updates on YouTube and Instagram about his life off the grid apparently in Washington. Though he isn't filmed for Alaskan Bush People, it seems that Matt might be near enough to his family to visit, though it's unclear whether he's on good terms with them.
As unfortunate as it is to have family relationships suffer, Matt seems to be doing well on his own and often shares messages of hope and recovery with his followers.
Fans are thrilled to know that he's okay, with many people pointing out how pure and kind he seems. Though he might have had legal and other troubles before, plenty of followers seem to think that Matt Brown was subject to some unfortunate circumstances that led to him being axed from Discovery.
It might not be a reality TV show, but Matt is living his truth and his reality through his social media channels, and fans are thrilled over it.
Brown's YouTube videos regularly receive tens of thousands of views, and he has over 30,000 subscribers following for updates.