Trigger Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide.
On Sunday’s episode of Sister Wives, Kody Brown opened up about the emotions he’s been dealing with following the death of his son Garrison Brown, with the father of 18 comparing the feeling to “some kind of anxiety attack.”
As fans of ‘Sister Wives’ know, Kody and ex-wife Janelle Brown’s son Garrison died by suicide in March 2024. He was 25 years old.
The moments following Garrison’s death have played out on the two latest episodes of the Brown family’s TLC series, with Kody taking a moment during Sunday’s episode to explain how the grieving process has been for him, personally.
“Grief hits you in waves,” he told viewers. “When it hits me, I can’t run from it. If I cry it out or if I sob it out, I can cut it short, but when that wave comes, I cannot prevent it from affecting me.”
Later in the episode, Kody– who was estranged from Garrison at the time of his death– shared some of his fondest memories of his son, including Garrison’s great sense of humor. Kody also recalled being the first person who got to hold Garrison after he was born, as well as the times he rocked Garrison to sleep as a baby.
“This is part of my mourning process,” Kody explained to viewers. “But sometimes out of the blue, out of the blue it’ll overcome me, almost like some kind of anxiety attack. Just a deep, overwhelming feeling that I’ll never see him again.
“There’s so much left unsaid, so much left undone,” he continued.
Kody later made a similar comment while referring to the large photo of Garrison that he now keeps in his garage, claiming that he will “always see it and wonder what was missed in the future that would have been.”
“ … and it’s a game of consciousness to move with grief, to make your blood sweet instead of bitter from the pain,” he added.
In addition to the Brown family funeral and the military funeral that were planned following Garrison’s death, Kody shared on the show that he was setting out on a “pilgrimage” to Wyoming to put Garrison’s ashes to rest near his grandparents. Members of the Brown family went on to explain how Kody’s birthplace was sentimental to their family, as they often visited Kody’s father’s ranch while growing up. Janelle– whose mom was married to Kody’s dad– also has family buried in the area and noted that she wanted to be “buried right next to Garrison” when her time comes.
The “pilgrimage” for “Garrison” did not go over well with many ‘Sister Wives’ viewers, however. After the episode aired, viewers took to social media to express their disbelief over what some called “disrespectful” scenes featuring Kody, Robyn and their kids frolicking through the cowboy town of Cody, Wyoming— taking in a Wild West show, riding in a stagecoach and talking about Kody’s career— on a trip that was supposed to be a journey to bury Garrison’s ashes.
“It was disgraceful to see them make this trip about themselves,” one person wrote on X after the episode aired. “Not once did you hear Kody say Garrison would have liked this or Garrison’s favorite ice cream was. They only talked about Kody and his memories of his own life during this pilgrimage.”
“TLC, what the hell is up with this Kody and Robyn vacation? This is the most disrespectful s**t ever,” someone else tweeted.
Viewers also watched on Sunday’s episode as Janelle and her daughter Savanah Brown visited the High Country Humane Society in Flagstaff, Arizona, to see the cat adoption room that had been dedicated to Garrison, complete with a commemorative plaque featuring a photo of Garrison and his three cats.
Janelle explains that after Garrison’s friends asked how they could pay tribute to their late friend, she suggested donating to the local organization in Garrison’s name. An employee of the organization revealed to Janelle and Savanah on Sunday’s episode that they had received $25,000 in donations following Garrison’s passing. The employee also shared that, in addition to naming the adoption room after Garrison, the donations had allowed the organization to waive all of the adoption fees in March 2024 and that 36 cats had been adopted in honor of Garrison.
Janelle called the outpouring of donations “overwhelming,” later claiming that Garrison’s cats were “what kept him in a good place.”
“ … If he were somehow able to observe this, I think he would get such a kick out of this,” Janelle said. “Like, he would, for sure.”
New episodes of ‘Sister Wives’ air Sundays on TLC.
If you are struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
(Photos: TLC; Instagram)
6 Responses
There are many days that my cats are the only reason I’m still on this planet.
I can’t believe Robyn said she hopes Garrisons death doesn’t change Kody. Girl, his kid died. Of course this is going to change him! He would be a monster if it didn’t.
GARRISONS POSTER WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY GARAGE
WTF AM I WATCHING
Right. That struck me as very odd too. If it were a pic of them working on cars together. That would be understandable. This is just weird.
But if Garrisons photo were in the main house then where would all the massive horrible paintings in the main house go?!
And how would Kody care for the little ones when all he would be doing is grieving his other son… No no no the garage is best
I hate to say this, because it’s a horrible thing to say about a bereaved parent. Cody doesn’t particularly care that his son died. He didn’t care about him in life. He won’t in death. This is just another ploy by Kody to be the center of attention. How he “hurt.” Did you ever stop to think about how your son felt? Did you ever even try that call him and tell him that you loved him? I’m guessing no.