It’s already been one year since Sister Wives star Janelle Brown lost her son Garrison Brown. Though she’s moved on with her life, his memory will always weigh heavy on her heart.
On March 5, 2024, Garrison tragically took his own life. His younger brother Gabriel Brown went to Garrison’s home when he wasn’t responding to calls or texts from the family. Sadly, he found his 25-year-old brother dead from an apparent suicide.
“I stay busy but in EVERY quiet moment you are first and foremost in my thoughts,” Janelle wrote to her son in an Instagram tribute. “It’s been a year baby. We miss you so much. I miss you so much.”
Sister Wives star Janelle Brown took to Instagram to pay tribute to son Garrison on the anniversary of his death
Garrison was Janelle’s fourth child with her ex-husband Kody Brown. As an avid animal lover, Garrison adopted several rescue animals.
In honor of the anniversary, Janelle asked fans to support a cause that meant a lot to her son. “I encourage everyone reading this to consider making a donation to your local animal shelter, rescue, or humane society,” she wrote. “This cause was close to Garrison’s heart—he adopted all three of his cats from shelters.”
At the time of his death, friends and fans donated to animal shelters in his honor. Local shelter High County Humane received more than $13,000 in donations. It was a sweet way to honor the memory of the boy who loved cats.
Shortly after his death, Janelle and Kody shared a joint Instagram statement: “Kody 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. His 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.”
Sister Wives star Janelle Brown said son Garrison’s death came as an unexpected shock
At the time of his passing, Janelle told People that the family “had no idea” Garrison was struggling. She admitted, however, that “substance abuse definitely played a role” in his death.
But Janelle didn’t know what they could have done differently. “We were always talking to him … loving him,” she said. “It really just was … like the demon he couldn’t get on top of.”
Some fans believe the way his father treated him and Gabriel during Covid played a part in Garrison’s depression. The two young men refused to obey their dad’s strict sanitation rules, and as a result, Kody refused to see them. Kody now regrets his actions and wishes he’d done things differently to prevent their estrangement.
But Janelle says her son “had a life, he had friends.”
“This was just such a shock,” she concluded. “We just never expected this.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
Sister Wives is available to stream on TLC.
TELL US – DO YOU HAVE ANY WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR JANELLE AS SHE CONTINUES TO HEAL?
