- Janelle Brown tried to save her troubled son Garrison, who was dealing with mental health issues before his tragic death.
- The Brown family from Sister Wives faced dissolution as Kody's divided attention caused resentment among his older children.
- Janelle was left to do all the parenting during the pandemic after a contentious divorce with Kody, as the family faced further strain.
Before the tragic death of 25-year-old Garrison Brown rocked the Sister Wives universe on March 5, his mother, Janelle Brown, tried to rescue her troubled son. Janelle was Kody Brown's second wife and Garrison was one of the six children that the two had together. When the show first premiered in 2010, Kody, his 3 wives, and their many children lived together in one large house in Utah. During season 1, the family left Utah and moved into separate homes in Arizona. The family would never be able to reunite again.
The series was supposed to show viewers that there was such a thing as a happy, functional polygamous family, but ended up chronicling the family's dissolution instead. During Sister Wives season 1, Kody courted and married fourth wife Robyn Brown, who had three children from another marriage. She and Kody would have another two children, bringing the total number of Brown children to 18. With Kody's time so divided, his older kids often felt resentful, as they thought he didn't have enough time for them. Janelle tried to be a mother and father to her children, but, sadly, Janelle couldn't save Garrison.
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"I Miss These Days"
According to E! News, Garrison's mother, Janelle Brown, told police that Garrison had sent a text before he died that read, "I want to hate you for sharing the good times. But I can't. I miss these days." There's been a lot of online speculation about what this message could have meant. It's possible the message was referring to the good old days when his family was still together as a unit, instead of being divided.
The texts worried Janelle because, to her, they seemed to show that he was living with mental health issues.
She tried to text and call Garrison, and when she couldn't reach him, she sent her other son, Gabriel Brown, to check on him. Gabriel was the one who found his brother's body, and the depth of the family's tragedy is almost unfathomable. Janelle tried to save her son, but she could only do so much. Now Janelle has to mourn her son, and worse, she has to do so in public, with the whole world watching her.
Janelle Brown Was The Primary Parent During The Pandemic
A House Divided
After almost 30 years of marriage, Janelle and Kody Brown ended their spiritual union during Sister Wives season 18, and it was a contentious divorce. When Robyn joined the Brown family and the cast of Sister Wives, the big and happy family fell apart. During the COVID-19 pandemic, things got even worse. Kody had strict mitigation rules and, when his older children couldn't follow them, Kody stopped seeing them, leaving Janelle to do all the parenting.
Janelle Brown's Been There For Garrison Through Thick & Thin
A Mother's Love
In 2018, TLC posted a Sister Wives clip in which Garrison comes home from serving in the Nevada State National Guard. He's so excited that he actually sprints from the car to the house and falls into his weeping mother's arms. This was especially moving because Janelle usually keeps her emotions in check. In the clip, Garrison tells producers, "I try not to talk about, you know, possible deployments or stuff like that around her, because she does have a problem with us being away." The comment appears in a different light in the context of Garrison's tragic death.
"So sorry for Janelle and praying for the family. He was such a beautiful soul."
The clip ends with Garrison being hugged by his many brothers and sisters, who will never forget him. Fans of the show will also never forget Garrison. Though this clip was posted over four years ago, fans took to the comment section to send their condolences to the Brown family. "I cannot stop crying," wrote one fan, reiterating a common sentiment. "So sorry for Janelle and praying for the family. He was such a beautiful soul."
If you or someone you know is struggling, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or go to 988lifeline.org.
Sources: E! News
Sister Wives
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