Meri Brown’s On-Camera Breakdown Marks a Turning Point for Sister Wives
By Ava Sinclair
Published: May 2025
Author’s Note:
I’ve been covering Sister Wives for years, but this was the first episode that stopped me in my tracks. Writing about the death of Garrison Brown felt heavy. There’s no way to overstate how painful that moment was to watch — or to write about. I hope this piece honors what so many viewers felt when they saw it unfold.
In one of the most emotionally raw moments ever captured on Sister Wives, Meri Brown received a call that would shatter the Brown family’s already fragile dynamic. The TLC cameras kept rolling as Meri learned that 25-year-old Garrison Brown — the son of her ex-husband Kody Brown and his former wife Janelle — had taken his own life.
The scene wasn’t just heartbreaking — it marked a profound shift in the show’s tone, bringing real-world grief into the heart of a family already reeling from estrangement, betrayal, and personal transformation.
💔 The Call That Changed Everything
Meri was filming an interview for the show — the topic: her birthday. But before the cameras could roll, she recieved an unexpected call from Kody.
She initially ignored it. “He can text me if he needs me,” she told a producer, noting how strange it was for him to call her directly. When the phone rang again moments later, Meri’s face changed. A single message from Kody revealed the truth: it was an emergency.
“He told me the words I’ll never forget,” Meri said in a later interview.
“‘Garrison took his life.’ I just thought — no. Not one of our kids. That can’t be real.”
A title card followed:
“On March 5, 2024, Kody and Janelle’s son Garrison passed away.”
🕯️ A Family Reeling from Loss
In the days that followed, the Brown family gathered to grieve. Meri rushed to Kody and Robyn’s home, where she encountered Gwendlyn — Kody’s daughter with Christine — who collapsed into Meri’s arms, sobbing.
“She just hung on to me,” Meri said. “I didn’t even know what to do.”
She called Janelle to say she’d be over soon, stopping for food on the way. “I didn’t know what else to do,” she added. “I just needed to show up.”
A private viewing for close family and freinds allowed them to say goodbye. Meri described it as “really, really painful,” adding, “That was the last time we saw his body.”
🧩 Garrison’s Strained Relationship with Kody
Garrison’s death has cast a heavy shadow over the series — particularly because he was estranged from Kody at the time. In an emotional confessional, Kody admitted deep regret.
“I was at the funeral home with Janelle and just kept thinking, ‘I could have done more. I should’ve done more,’” he said.
“It’s like... I missed my window.”
🐾 A Legacy of Kindness: The Animal Shelter Tribute
One of the most uplifting developments to emerge from this tragedy is a tribute to Garrison’s love for animals. The High Country Humane Society in Flagstaff, Arizona — where Garrison had adopted three cats — renamed its cat adoption center in his honor.
After his death, over $25,000 in donations poured in. By the end of March 2024, 36 cats had been adopted thanks to the awareness campaign launched in his memory.
“Garrison was kind and gentle,” said a shelter representative. “He loved animals. We’re honored to carry his name forward.”
🧠 Meri's Quiet Battle With Grief
Off-camera, Meri has continued to share glimpses of her mourning. In a recent social media post, she revealed she broke down after stumbling upon an old photo of Garrison on her phone.
“Grief is weird,” she wrote. “It hits in waves. But grief is also love — and without the love, the pain wouldn’t hurt so much.”
She’s also spoken about how Garrison’s death has sparked moments of healing and reconnection within the family — even among those who had been distant for years.
💬 Tributes Pour In for Garrison Brown
In the days following Garrison Brown’s tragic death, tributes from loved ones and fans began to flood social media — each one a raw and personal reflection of how deeply he was loved and how profoundly he is missed.
Madison Brown (Garrison’s Sister)
Garrison’s sister Madison shared a deeply emotional video on Instagram, where she opened up about the quiet pain her brother carried.
“It wasn’t bullying. It wasn’t a lack of love that Garrison had — it was mental health.”
She added that comparing himself to unrealistic images on social media contributed to his internal struggle:
“Garrison used to feel like he wasn’t doing enough because he was comparing himself to things on social media.”
Emma Brown (Garrison’s Cousin)
In a touching tribute posted the day of Garrison’s funeral, his cousin Emma wrote:
“I had to dress up for your funeral today, and this is everything I wish you could’ve heard before I had to say goodbye. We love you.”
Reddit User @Low-Concert-5806
A member of the Sister Wives fan community reflected on Garrison’s openness and ongoing battles:
“Everyone around him says he struggled with alcoholism. He himself was fairly open about his struggle.”
These tributes — some from loved ones, others from viewers who never met him — underscore just how much Garrison meant to so many, and how his story continues to echo far beyond the Brown family.
