Courtesy of Garrison Brown/Instagram
‘Sister Wives’ Star Robert Garrison Brown Dead by Suicide at Age 25: ‘Such a Big Hole in Our Lives’
Sister Wives star Robert Garrison Brown, the son of Kody Brown and Janelle Brown, has died at the age of 25.
“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,” Kody, 55, shared in a statement via Instagram on Tuesday, March 5, shortly after news of Garrison’s death began circulating. “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.”
Police in Flagstaff, Arizona, confirmed the news to Life & Style, saying, “It is with great sadness I confirm Mr. Robert Garrison Brown was located in his residence deceased, as a result of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
“Flagstaff Police officers responded to a report of a death inside a home. Upon arrival officers met with a sibling, identified as ‘Gabe,’ and discovered Mr. Brown deceased as a result of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” the continued, adding that there was “not any indication of foul play.”
Janelle, 54, gave birth to Garrison, her third son and fourth child with Kody, in October 1998. In September 2010, the polygamist family began sharing their lives with TLC viewers. Five years later, he enlisted in the National Guard at age 17 after showing interest in the military.
“He’s 17 and thinks he’s invincible. At 17 you don’t comprehend that you actually could get shot at, and those bullets might actually hit you,” Janelle said at the time.
In recent years, Garrison and brother Gabriel Brown have had a strained relationship with their father stemming from the patriarch’s strict COVID-19 rules for the large family.
“I have worried about my boys’ mental health,” Janelle admitted during the October 8, 2023, episode of Sister Wives, which was filmed in 2022. “Gabriel feels everything very, very deeply. But he’s also the kid who doesn’t say anything. And Garrison just seems angry or sadder, like, he’s not as happy-go-lucky as he used to be.”
Kody later explained that he and his adult children were working toward “moving forward.”
“There were a lot of things … very difficult issues that we had to deal with. There were no good answers at the time,” Kody said. “I don’t know what happened. All that’s left now is moving forward. Moving forward and hopefully healing these relationships. It is really a story now, moving forward. This is a story about forgiveness. Forgiveness and finding hope and joy after relationships have been severed from the way that’s the norm.”
In December 2022, In Touch broke the news of Janelle and Kody’s split after 30-years of marriage.
“I think if he had truly been watching out for me and my children, he would have figured out a way to make it work for the whole family,” Janelle later admitted. “Instead of having his rules and hanging out with the wife, [he stayed] where he was respected and obeyed.”
