This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Over the years, fans of Sister Wives have grown close to the cast, especially the children. The older generation practically grew up on the small screen. Fans have watched weddings, birthdays, and college graduations. But no one expected an untimely tragedy. The next episode will focus on Kody Brown and Janelle Brown’s son, and it will undoubtedly be the hardest one yet as the family navigates Garrison Brown’s death.
How did Garrison Brown die?
On March 5, 2024, Kody and Janelle revealed that they had lost their son, Garrison. The 25-year-old took his own life at his home in Flagstaff, Arizona. The autopsy report conducted by the Coconino County Medical Examiner confirmed Garrison died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. His manner of death was ruled a suicide. The report also revealed that Garrison had ethanol intoxication. The Sister Wives star’s blood alcohol level was .307% while the legal limit in Arizona is .08%. Anything above 0.40% is considered potentially fatal.
Sadly, it was Gabriel Brown who found Garrison on the floor of his room. Kody and Janelle both released a statement on Instagram. It read, “Janelle and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy, Robert Garrison Brown. He was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. Our loss will leave such a big hole in our lives that it takes our breath away. We ask that you please respect our privacy and join us in honoring his memory.” Garrison had been struggling with his family’s feud, especially the fallout between himself and the patriarch.
Sister Wives Season 19 Episode 23 will be emotional
TLC is preparing fans for the sadness that will take over Sunday’s episode. On Instagram, they captioned their sneak peek by writing, “On the next Sister Wives, Janelle, Kody, and the Brown family face an unimaginable loss.” The video shows Janelle in her confessional, trying to process the grief of losing her beloved son. She says, “I don’t know what happened. I don’t remember the next few minutes, but I got in the car and I drove.” It is unclear if Janelle was in North Carolina at the time or visiting Arizona.
Sister Wives has had a few deaths on the series, but none as tragic as losing Garrison. His funeral took place five days after his death on March 9. At the time, his cousin shared, “Dear Robert, I had to dress up for your funeral today and this is everything i wish you could’ve heard before i had to say goodbye. we love you. i don’t even own a picture of you without your contagious smile. i don’t know if i have the right words to say i’ll miss you.”
Janelle Brown is trying to bring awareness to Garrison Brown’s struggle
In September of 2024, Janelle spoke with People, sharing that she had no idea that Garrison was struggling. The mother of six shared, “We just had no idea that he was in that place.” She added that “substance abuse” likely played a role in his death. “But he didn’t ever express any kind of extreme sad feelings. In fact, he was very funny, very upbeat. He had a career path that he was excited about. He had a life, he had friends.” Janelle was quick to add, “We should be speaking more, especially about mental health for men, and that there’s no shame in getting help and seeking help. We just had no idea. This was such a shock to us.”
Since the loss of her son, Janelle has tried to honor him on those extra special days like his birthday and his one-year anniversary. In March 2025, she took to Instagram writing, “I stay busy but in EVERY quiet moment you are first and foremost in my thoughts. It’s been a year, baby. We miss you so much. I miss you so much.”
It was brave for Janelle, Kody, and the rest of the Sister Wives cast to agree to film an episode about Garrison’s tragic passing. Hopefully, it will help others who feel like Garrison.
Sister Wives is available to stream on TLC.
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