Garrison Brown, a son of “Sister Wives” stars Janelle and Kody Brown, died Tuesday at his home in Flagstaff, Ariz. He was 25.
“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,” Brown wrote on Instagram Tuesday. “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.”
Flagstaff Police said in a statement to Variety that Garrison died of “as a result of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
Garrison has appeared on the hit TLC reality series since it first aired on the network in 2010. At the time of its initial airing, Brown was a child. The series chronicles his dad’s polygamous lifestyle in Utah, where Kody has multiple wives. Janelle was married to Kody until they got divorced last year.
As he came of age, Garrison showed an interest in enlisting in the armed services. While he wanted to join the Army, Garrison ended up signing up for the National Guard — eventually moving out of his parents’ home and into his own after the pandemic.
“We are devastated to hear of the tragic loss of Garrison Brown,” a spokesperson for TLC said in a statement. “We extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the Brown family at this difficult time.”
After Janelle spiritually married Kody in 1993, the couple had six children: Madison, Logan, Garrison, Gabriel, Hunter and Savanah. In December 2022, Janelle announced that she and Kody had separated.
Over the years, Kody’s relationship with his children had become strained, something Janelle later expressed in a confessional interview, where she lamented over her children’s rocky relationship with their father.
“I have worried about my boys’ mental health. Gabriel feels everything very, very deeply. But he’s also the kid who doesn’t say anything,” she said, adding that Garrison “just seems angry or sadder, like, he’s not as happy-go-lucky as he used to be.”
In a later acknowledgment that came with the airing of an episode in May 2023, Kody admitted to the rift that had formed between him and his children, stressing his hope that in “time” they’ll be able to “just get over this.”
“I think and hope that in time we’ll just get over this and that we’ll be safe being back around each other. Right now, there’s not really an open door with Gabe and Garrison. They’re they’re not willing to engage me,” he shared.
