"We were truly blindsided" — Sister Wives stars Kody and Janelle Brown's daughter Madison reflects upon brother Garrison's demise

TLC premiered Sister Wives season 19 on Sunday, September 15, 2024, which focuses on the Brown family members. The show's storyline revolves around Kody Brown and his four "Sister Wives," including Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn. Additionally, the show features their 18 children.

The first episode shared how the Browns have faced the unexpected loss of a family member, Robert Garrison. Reflecting upon his demise in March 2024, Garrison's sister, Madison Rose, shared a heartfelt post on Instagram.

In her September 5 post, Madison emphasized how she has been feeling since Garrison's demise. She described the unfortunate event as the family members, including herself, were "blindsided" by Garrison’s sudden demise. She captioned:

"My brother, Garrison, had his struggles, but this was not something any of us saw any signs for. 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."

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Sister Wives cast member Madison shares an emotional post dedicated to her late brother Garrison

Sister Wives season 19 episode 1 depicted the ongoing grief of the Brown family over the recent death of Kody and Janelle Brown's son, Robert Garrison, who died on March 5, 2024, at the age of 25.

Robert, born on April 10, 1998, was found dead, and the cause of death was later revealed as "suicide." Since the police investigation confirmed it, the Brown family was shocked and is still grieving.

Referring to the six months since Robert's absence from their lives, Kody and Janelle Brown’s daughter, Robert's sister, Madison, shared an emotional post on September 5:

"Six months. It's been six months since this beautiful soul left us, and not a day goes by that I don't think about him. In some ways, it feels like he crosses my mind even more now, which might be a sad truth for many who’ve lost someone in this way."

She continued:

"I am constantly reminded just how many people are touched by this kind of loss. Every day, I hear from people who, like me, were blindsided by the sudden absence of a loved one. Sometimes it's bullying, sometimes it’s loneliness, and sometimes it’s mental health, which I don't think we fully understand."

Before the show premiered, Sister Wives star Kody shared in his September 15 interview with People Magazine that he shared the "regret" he has now. Kody opened up about how he had not taken "advantage" of spending more time with his son, Robert Garrison.

While Garrison's parents have been grieving, his sister, Madison Rose, 28, has also been going through a lot. In her Instagram post, she shared how she misses Garrison "dearly" and doesn't know "how to talk" about it.

The post also shares how Madison has been wondering whether, had they all been talking about mental health "more openly," things might have been different.

"It leaves me wondering—if we talked about mental health more openly, could something have changed? I'll never know for sure. But what I do know is that the hurt doesn't go away. It just transfers. And sometimes, it feels amplified," shared Madison.

Madison concluded the post by reaching out to anyone who had undergone "this kind of loss." She added that those "in the pain" are not alone and that it is "okay" not to have all the answers.

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Fans can stream Sister Wives season 19 on TLC every Sunday at 10 p.m. ET.