Sister Wives star Janelle Brown shared a tribute to her late son, Garrison, on what would have been his 26th birthday.
“Happy Birthday Sweetheart,” she captioned an Instagram post on Wednesday, April 10. “We are missing you terribly today. It’s hard to believe you aren’t here anymore.”
She continued: “We talked a lot about you today and even went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner (your favorite place 😀) I still feel you nearby sometimes. And I’m grateful we will see each other again when my journey is completed.”
Her post included a montage showing Garrison on his birthday in years past set to a whistled version of “Happy Birthday to You.”
Us Weekly confirmed on March 5 that Garrison was found dead at his home in Flagstaff, Arizona, due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was 25 years old.
His parents, Janelle and Kody Brown, issued a nearly identical statement via social media at the time. “Kody and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown,” Janelle wrote. “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.”
Garrison was one of the former couple’s six children along with siblings Logan, 29, Maddie, 28, Hunter, 26, Gabriel, 21, and Savanah, 18. Janelle and Kody, 55, were in a spiritual marriage from 1993 to 2022. (Kody was previously in spiritual unions with exes Meri Brown and Christine Brown and remains legally married to his fourth wife, Robyn Brown.)
The Brown family mourned their loss at a funeral on March 9. After he was laid to rest, Garrison was honored by the Nevada National Guard in a ceremony held at the Clark County Armory on March 24. (Garrison was a staff sergeant in the Nevada National Guard and a member of the 1st Squadron, 221st Cavalry.)
In the wake of his death, several of Garrison’s family members have opened up about their loss. His sister Maddie shared an emotional Instagram video last month regarding Garrison’s mental health.
“Mental health is so important,” she said in the March 18 upload. “And I don’t think we talk about it enough. I don’t think we do enough to bring awareness. It wasn’t bullying, it wasn’t a lack of love that Garrison had. It was mental health. And I am going to continue talking about mental health and self-care until I’m blue in the face because I don’t think it’s talked about enough in a way that people understand it.”
Maddie thanked fans for the “outpouring of love” they’ve shown her family, acknowledging that “time is so precious.” She further reminded her followers that what’s shown on social media isn’t always “authentic.”
“Garrison used to feel like he wasn’t doing enough because he was comparing himself to things on social media, and I don’t think that it’s real and I think we need to remember that,” she said.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
