Sister Wives’ Janelle Brown Shares Message to Late Son Garrison During 1st Christmas After His Death

Janelle Brown kept her late son Robert Garrison Brown’s spirit alive while celebrating Christmas for the first time since his death by sharing a throwback family photo via Instagram from the Christmas prior.

“Miss you so much sweetheart. I am so beyond grateful we were all together last year and got pictures,” the Sister Wives star, 55, wrote over the photo on Tuesday, December 24.

In the photo, Janelle stood in the middle of her six kids, Logan Brown, Madison Brown, Hunter Brown, Garrison, Gabriel Brown and Savanah Brown, whom she shares with ex Kody Brown. They split in 2022 after almost 30 years of spiritual marriage. The family matriarch’s grandkids, Axel, Evangalynn and Josephine, were also included in the picture alongside Madison’s husband, Caleb Brush, and Logan’s wife, Michelle Petty.

Janelle shared a follow-up photo of Garrison holding her in and kissing her cheek while she visibly laughed with excitement.

The TLC star previously opened up about celebrating the holidays without Garrison after she and her family reunited for Thanksgiving. After everyone packed their bags and left Janelle’s house, she dedicated an Instagram post to her late son alongside a photo of him as a child.

“First of the ‘big’ holidays without you sweetheart. We all gathered in NC to celebrate together and kept your photo close by,” Janelle captioned the December 1 post. “We laughed about your silly sense of humor and told so many stories honoring you. We ate, played games and enjoyed each other’s company. Everyone is returning home now and normal life resumes tomorrow. But I feel you close by.”

Garrison died by suicide on March 4. Gabriel, 23, found his brother the following morning in his Flagstaff, Arizona, home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Janelle and Kody, 55, broke their silence with a shared statement posted to each of their Instagram accounts.

“Kody and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown,” the statement read. “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.”

Later that month, the Nevada National Guard held a funeral service for Garrison, where his family and loved ones said their final goodbyes. Despite their separate estrangements, Janelle was surrounded by Kody, his wife Robyn Brown and former sister wives Christine Brown and Meri Brown at different sections of the first row.

Janelle has been open about her experience being a parent with a deceased child, including the state of Garrison’s mental health leading up to his death.

“I think for him, I would say the substance abuse was really probably one of the biggest factors. I don’t know what we could have done different[ly],” Janelle told People on September 11, sharing that “resources” were offered to Garrison for treatment.

“We were always talking to him, we were loving him. All the things were there. It really just was something he could not – like the demon he couldn’t get on top of the battle,” she later told the outlet. “He couldn’t seem to get over [it]. And it just wasn’t for lack of love or lack of anything.”