Christine Brown Defends Using Social Media After Garrison’s Death
Sister Wives star Christine Brown tearfully addressed her continued social media presence in the wake of Garrison Brown‘s death.
Two weeks after Janelle and Kody Brown‘s son died at age 25, Christine, 51, opened up about how she’s navigating her grief. “I have to keep working, because it’s what I understand, it’s what I know. It’s what I know I need to do,” she explained in an emotional Instagram video on Wednesday, March 20, adding that posting on social media is sometimes part of her job.
Christine acknowledged that not all the comments she’s received have been negative. “Those of you that have understood it’s just what I have to do to keep moving forward, thank you so much,” she said. “It’s a terrible thing to lose your son. Terrible.”
Insisting that the Brown family would be missing Garrison “all the time, every single day, for the rest of our lives,” Christine added that trying to regain some normalcy hasn’t been easy.
“We’ve got to keep moving forward,” she said. “‘Cause otherwise I would just want to stay in bed all day.”
She went on to thank fans for their condolences since Garrison’s death. “All of the love and support that we have received from people means so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she continued. “Please, start reaching out to people that you love and let them know. If you feel like calling somebody you’ve got to call them. Just reach out and continue doing it. Thank you so much.”
In the caption of her video, Christine added the hashtags, “#grieving #gottakeepgoing #thankyou #misshimsomuch.” Comments on the post were limited.
Us Weekly confirmed Garrison’s death on March 5. Police arrived at his home in Flagstaff, Arizona, where Garrison was discovered with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Foul play was not suspected, and the death was investigated as an apparent suicide.
Kody, 55, addressed the family’s loss via Instagram that same day. “Janelle and I are deeply saddened to announce the loss of our beautiful boy Robert Garrison Brown,” he shared. “He was a bright spot in the lives of all who knew him. 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.”
Janelle, who split from Kody in 2022, issued a nearly identical statement. Garrison was one of the former couple’s six children along with Logan, 29, Maddie, 28, Hunter, 26, Gabriel, 21, and Savanah, 18.
Before Garrison was laid to rest on March 9, Christine and several other members of the plural family honored him with heartfelt messages.
“Garrison was a wonderful, caring brother who understood [my daughter] Truely’s need for a hobby and built her a flowerbed,” Christine captioned an Instagram tribute on March 7. “We’ll miss him forever. #gratitude #missyou #loveyou #tellthoseyoulovethatyoulovethem.”
His sister Maddie later revealed that mental health played a role in Garrison’s death while detailing the lessons she’s learned since losing her younger sibling.
“Mental health is so important,” she said in an Instagram video on Monday, March 18. “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.”
Along with Janelle, Kody was previously in spiritual unions with Christine and Meri Brown. He remains legally married to fourth wife Robyn Brown.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.