Kody Brown Breaks His Silence on His Estranged Son Garrison’s Death: “We Could Have Done So Much More”

Trigger Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide.

Sister Wives star Kody Brown is opening up about his son Garrison’s death, six months after the 25-year-old died by suicide.

While other members of the Brown Family have spoken out about Garrison’s death since the tragedy, Kody has not given any interviews about it and has not publicly spoken about Garrison since announcing his death on Instagram in March.

On Thursday, Kody broke his silence to People, telling the magazine that he regrets not spending more time with Garrison before his death. (As The Ashley previously reported, family members confirmed to the police following Garrison’s suicide that he and Kody were still estranged at the time.)

“I can’t reconcile that he’s not here,” Kody said, adding that he regrets putting off trying to better his relationship with Garrison. “…We could have been talking more.

“We could have done so much more…It was kind of like, ‘we’ve got forever,’” Kody added. “It was more like it was a convenience of time that I felt like I had. Retrospectively, there would’ve been more of a regular catching up and touching base.”

As ‘Sister Wives’ fans know, Garrison was just one of many of Kody’s adult children with whom he is estranged from. On the most-recent season of the show, Garrison often spoke out about his strained relationship with Kody. During one episode that aired in October 2023, Garrison spoke to family members about how Kody’s (now only) wife, Robyn, had caused Kody to become estranged from many of his kids.

“Robyn’s mad that she can’t have this effect on our lives anymore because we just don’t care anymore,” Garrison said in the Season 18 episode. “…. ‘You know what Robyn? Have him. Because we don’t care anymore. We’re all grown adults that don’t need a father figure anymore.’”

In his interview with People, Kody did not mention Robyn or the role she did (or didn’t) play in Kody losing touch with his kids. He did, however, that he would take “advantage of the time” he had with Garrison, if he had it to do over again.

“I want to go out to dinner [with Garrison] again. I want to sit down. I want to have a beer,” Kody said. “I want him to try and make me laugh because he was kind of that way. The only regret is just, gosh, I would just do that more often. The only regret is that you didn’t do something. You didn’t take more time.”

Kody also reflected on his own grief.

“It’s strange having your child pass,” he said. “The wave of grief is different than any wave of grief I have ever had with a best friend passing, with a relative passing. It’s different. And it is different in the idea that it’s irreconcilable — the future that we missed with him.”

Garrison’s mother Janelle Brown and sister Maddie Brown Brush recently opened up about how they are dealing with the six-month anniversary of Garrison’s death. In an Instagram post, Maddie stated that she and her family were “blindsided” by Garrison’s suicide and unaware of how badly he was struggling.

“My brother, Garrison, had his struggles, but this was not something any of us saw any signs for,” Maddie wrote. “We were truly blindsided. We talked regularly, and my mom’s kids have always been close-knit, even as life changed around us. Garrison was sarcastic and witty, and in moments of seriousness, he seemed almost uncomfortable with it–like it was hard for him to be vulnerable.” 

The 19th season of ‘Sister Wives’— which premieres on Sunday— will address Garrison’s death, although it is currently unknown how it will play out on the episodes. Garrison’s sister Mykelti Brown Padron recently expressed her fears about how the show’s editors and producers will choose to incorporate it.

“I’m so nervous about how they handle all the Garrison stuff,” Mykelti revealed last month on her YouTube channel. “I’ve heard a couple of stories about how they address [his death in Season 19], talk about it, share it, and I don’t love any of their ideas on it.” 

Mykelti went on to say that she hopes the show’s producers and editors will cover her brother’s death in a respectful way and not focus on the turmoil within the Brown family. 

“It’s very unlikely I will like any of it, but I guess we’ll find out what happens with it all,” Mykelti said. “But I do hope whatever they do, it’s respectful and it’s about him. It’s not about petty grievances, or about anybody else or anybody else’s relationship. [I hope] it’s just about him. I hope they do him that courtesy and that honor. But, we’ll find out.” 

Season 19 of ‘Sister Wives’ premieres Sunday, September 15 on TLC. Click here to watch a trailer for the season. 

RELATED STORY: ‘Sister Wives’ Star Mykelti Brown Says She No Longer Supports Stepmom Robyn Brown; Gives Her Thoughts on Robyn & Kody Selling Their Home