Robert Garrison Brown - RIP

[Rabbit Hutch]

1 hour ago, spacefly said:

I donated through PayPal and I think those donations don't show up on the page so there may even be more than that.

I also donated through PayPal and my donation did show up on the donor page withina couple of minutes. However, I don't know if my donation is included in the running total shown, so you pose an interesting thought.  Either way I'm sure they can use it.

I did receive a very nice thank-you form letter the next day,  which I thought was quite the quick turnaround considering how recent this all happened and that they're probably are a tiny organization.  For me, that's class.  💯

Edited March 9 by Rabbit Hutch

[General Days]

Madison posted a beautiful tribute to Garrison on her Instagram account.

Here's the text, in case you're using a text reader and can't access it on Instagram:

Quote

 

madison_rose11

39m

“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give but cannot. All the unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hallow of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.” ~Jamie Anderson
.
My words seem to fall short. Our hearts our broken and we are now swallowed with the love now left behind for this beautiful brother. 🩵 God be with you till we meet again. I’ll see you at the gates of Valhalla, feasting with our ancestors who battled before you. Until then, we must live in a more gray world without the light you brought.

 

I can't stop crying. These poor kids.

Edited March 10 by General Days
link correction

[Gramto6]

That is beautiful and it made me cry again. I do feel sorry for the littles that don't understand what has happened and wonder where did their loving Uncle go? Another heartbreak in this so sad situation.

 

Um, @General Days, that link that says "her insta acount" takes one to a McCormick Spice ad for Ginger???

Edited March 10 by Gramto6
typo

[xwordfanatik]

I made a small donation to the animal shelter.  

It's just so damn sad.  How the family must be hurting right now, without the shining star that was their brother, son, and uncle.

[General Days]

23 minutes ago, Gramto6 said:

Um, @General Days, that link that says "her insta acount" takes one to a McCormick Spice ad for Ginger???

That's so weird. I was looking at a recipe on McCormick. I must have clicked when I thought I clacked. Thanks for the heads up, Gram! Link corrected.

[cereality]

The sad thing here is despite how dysfunctional the family got with Kody and Robyn and Kody using covid as a reason to stop seeing the rest of the family and divorce the other wives and just be with Robyn, Garrison and Gabe STILL wanted the larger family in tact and still wanted to see everyone.

I feel like lots of 22 and 25 year old guys would be like - whatever - we have our mom, our siblings, our girlfriends/future gfs/future wives - dad can split and go be with whomever he wants. But in reality Kody apparently wasn't a dysfunctional dad to his kids until Robyn came along + he decided he only wanted to be with Robyn and would force all the other wives/kids out. So these kids had YEARS of a family with mom + dad and then that started to fizzle and suddenly got taken away when they were 18 and 21 years old. It's much different than someone whose dad goes off and has an affair when the kid is 12.

I keep thinking back to the fights they had about covid. In one episode Gabe and Garrison are out on the property with Kody who is basically coming up with any reason for the family not to gather and when Kody goes "well you have rules at work, why can't you have covid rules at home" - Gabe or Garrison (I can't remember who) scream out BECAUSE WE'RE A FAMILY.

I know Covid was divisive for lots of families but it's heartbreaking that the Brown family - where the kids seemed like they WANTED to gather - did not gather for Thanksgiving or Christmas for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023. That's EIGHT holidays all the kids could have spent with their brother and he would have enjoyed their company too. I feel like we saw 1-2 Christmases that were just Janelle's kids but IIRC it seems like the majority of the holidays were spent with Christine + Janelle + their kids together - which I'm sure Christine/Janelle/all the siblings will take some comfort in since Janelle's kids have always been super close with Christine and her kids.

And in that episode where he bought his first house and had Janelle, Christine and siblings over for dinner where Garrison is saying "Robyn and his kids can have him, we don't need a dad, we don't need a father figure, we're grown," it breaks my heart that Christine in her interview clearly said she didn't believe him and that she's 50+ and still needs her dad. I mean it just shows how deeply Christine knows Janelle's kids - who she raised like her own - that she knows immediately when they are saying things to convince themselves etc.

Edited March 10 by cereality

[ladyscorpio]

6 minutes ago, cereality said:

The sad thing here is despite how dysfunctional the family got with Kody and Robyn and Kody using covid as a reason to stop seeing the rest of the family and divorce the other wives and just be with Robyn, Garrison and Gabe STILL wanted the larger family in tact and still wanted to see everyone.

I feel like lots of 22 and 25 year old guys would be like - whatever - we have our mom, our siblings, our girlfriends/future gfs/future wives - dad can split and go be with whomever he wants. But reality Kody apparently wasn't a dysfunctional dad to his kids until Robyn came along + he decided he only wanted to be with Robyn and would force all the other wives/kids out. So these kids had YEARS of a family with mom + dad and then that started to fizzle and suddenly got taken away when they were 18 and 21 years old. It's much different than someone whose dad goes off and has an affair when the kid is 12.

I keep thinking back to the fights they had about covid. In one episode Gabe and Garrison are out on the property with Kody who is basically coming up with any reason for the family not to gather and when Kody goes "well you have rules at work, why can't you have covid rules at home" - Gabe or Garrison (I can't remember who) scream out BECAUSE WE'RE A FAMILY.

I know Covid was divisive for lots of families but it's heartbreaking that the Brown family - whether the kids seemed like they WANTED to gather - did not gather for Thanksgiving or Christmas for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023. That's EIGHT holidays all the kids could have spent with their brother and he would have enjoyed their company too. I feel like we saw 1-2 Christmases that were just Janelle's kids but IIRC it seems like the majority of the holidays were spent with Christine + Janelle + their kids together - which I'm sure Christine/Janelle/all the siblings will take some comfort in since Janelle's kids have always been super close with Christine and her kids.

And in that episode where he bought his first house and had Janelle, Christine and siblings over for dinner where Garrison is saying "Robyn and his kids can have him, we don't need a dad, we don't need a father figure, we're grown," it breaks my heart that Christine in her interview clearly said she didn't believe him and that she's 50+ and still needs her dad. I mean it just shows how deeply Christine knows Janelle's kids - who she raised like her own - that she knows immediately when they are saying things to convince themselves etc.

I agree 100%, the abandonment was 1000 times worse because Kody did used to spend time with all his children pre-Robyn and the old Kody is the dad and husband that Meri, Christine, Janelle and all his kids knew and loved.  They never would've imagined being replaced. It  would've been easier for all of the children if he was never there for them from day one, it's so much harder having a father all these years and one day just be abandoned for a new wife and new kids. It's absolutely heartbreaking,  I feel so bad for his kids. 

[laurakaye]

I see that many in the Brown family are posting the same pictures of Garrison at the same time, either on their IG page or on IG stories.  They are clearly talking to each other and coordinating that, which I think is nice.

Madison's tribute was especially beautiful and many of her siblings re-posted it as well.

 

[Yeah No]

I deliberately haven't read any of the SW threads in a few days because every time I did I got sad and teary-eyed.  I still can't get over how Garrison's death has affected me.  For a few days I put it out of my mind and then yesterday while driving and listening to Sirius XM Chill, a song came on and for some reason my thoughts turned to him and I saw his face in my mind's eye.  It was a melancholy song with a beautiful melody.  I then looked at the screen and the song title was "The Joy You Once Felt".  Well, that said it all and the tears started up once again. 

This is not the first time I've had a similar experience with a song on that station.  A few months ago I had almost the same thing happen except the person whose face popped into my head was my Dad's and I suddenly started thinking about the last phone call I had with him before he died, after which I never spoke to him again.  I then looked at the screen and the name of the song was "One Last Call".  I couldn't believe it and the tears were unstoppable.

[Yeah No]

Here's a link to the official video of the song on YouTube.  I needed a box of tissues near me to watch it.  The comments below it were also moving:

 

[ginger90]

[xwordfanatik]

Michelle's post is so poignant and personal.  She's a beautiful soul, and loves Logan's family very much.  

[ginger90]

Garrison’s funeral took place, just wanted to update.

[GeorgiaRai]

I know several of you probably got this same email, but for those who didn't, I thought I'd share part of the message from High Country Humane.  While it's a form letter, I feel like it was thoughtfully written.

Thank you for your support by making a donation ... in loving memory of Garrison Brown. This contribution is a testament to the impact Garrison has had on our lives and the cats he so deeply loved. Your thoughtful contribution not only honors Garrison's memory, but also makes a significant difference in the lives of cats in need at High Country Humane....

It is kindness like yours that enable us to continue the work of saving animals, a cause that was very close to Garrison's heart.

Please know that our thoughts are with you during this time of remembrance and reflection. Garrison's memory and the joy he brought into our lives will forever be cherished.

Edited March 12 by GeorgiaRai

[DeeReynolds]

https://people.com/sister-wives-garrison-brown-laid-to-rest-at-funeral-8604895

[Denize]

45 minutes ago, DeeReynolds said:

https://people.com/sister-wives-garrison-brown-laid-to-rest-at-funeral-8604895

This is what passes for journalism these days?  Stalk people on SM and slap together some quotes with no consideration of the feelings of the family?

[LotusFlower]

8 minutes ago, Denize said:

This is what passes for journalism these days?  Stalk people on SM and slap together some quotes with no consideration of the feelings of the family?

I agree that the report was a compilation of social media posts, but can I ask why you thought it was disrespectful? 

[Denize]

21 minutes ago, LotusFlower said:

I agree that the report was a compilation of social media posts, but can I ask why you thought it was disrespectful? 

The tributes of family members are very nice,  but kids read People and there are softer ways to start off an article than with “found dead ... in his house” and quoting the officer’s unofficial comment “an apparent suicide” which some other content creator got from stalking police scanners. Is Emma Brown, an assumed cousin, really the family spokesperson?  It reads like vulture Katie Joy was the main source for which people's SM sites to troll. 

Edited March 12 by Denize

[General Days]

12 minutes ago, Denize said:

The tributes of family members are very nice,  but kids read People and there are softer ways to start off an article than with “found dead ... in his house” 

 

I've seen a few fans and creators react strongly to the use of "dead." I am wondering if some of the objection is just a regional/cultural difference. I wouldn't expect an article to not use those words. 

That's typically the language media uses, and they'll only move on to euphemisms, after using dead, died, death, or the like. 

 

Quote

and quoting the officer’s unofficial comment “an apparent suicide” which some other content creator got from stalking police scanners.

 

Last week, police officers made statements to the press and gave their names. It wasn't just people grabbing things off scanners. They've released information to the press. They're treating the case like a suicide, which is why we haven't been inundated with news about a homicide investigation. The circumstances are tragic, but they're not suspicious.

 

Quote

Is Emma Brown, an assumed cousin, really the family spokesperson?  It reads like vulture Katie Joy was the main source for which people's SM sites to troll. 

 

I don't like when the media just quotes people's socials, either. It's cheap and lazy.

Typically, People has an arrangement with the show, but I'm sure the family has no interest in talking yet, so I can understand why, since there was a funeral, they would report on that. 

At least they didn't sneak into the funeral.

[LotusFlower]

15 minutes ago, Denize said:

The tributes of family members are very nice,  but kids read People and there are softer ways to start off an article than with “found dead ... in his house” and quoting the officer’s unofficial comment “an apparent suicide” which some other content creator got from stalking police scanners. Is Emma Brown, an assumed cousin, really the family spokesperson?  It reads like vulture Katie Joy was the main source for which people's SM sites to troll. 

He died almost a week ago.  I think it’s pretty well established that his death was ruled a suicide.  

And yes, it appears this article was written by a “staffer” at People magazine who did nothing but transcribe social media posts.  But I just see that as lazy reporting.  If any of the Brown kids are reading this, it’s nothing they haven’t already read themselves on IG.  
 

 

4 minutes ago, General Days said:

Typically, People has an arrangement with the show, but I'm sure the family has no interest in talking yet, so I can understand why, since there was a funeral, they would report on that. 

I forgot about that; that’s a good point.  Remember all of Christine’s “exclusives” with People?  Like you pointed out, it’s likely the family isn’t talking yet, so they resort to social media posts.

I'm guessing Janelle will eventually give an interview to the magazine.  

[heatherchandler]

On 3/10/2024 at 5:07 PM, cereality said:

But in reality Kody apparently wasn't a dysfunctional dad to his kids until Robyn came along + he decided he only wanted to be with Robyn and would force all the other wives/kids out. So these kids had YEARS of a family with mom + dad and then that started to fizzle and suddenly got taken away

That’s the thing- Kody was a very present, involved dad when the original kids were young.  From what we saw, he was always doing fun VERY corny things with them.  Maybe for show, a little bit, but he appeared to genuinely love his family.  And the kids loved him.  I probably would have rolled my eyes if I was one of his kids especially when he got all manic-fun-dad but the kids seemed to actually look up to him as a good guy, a leader who cared about them.  This is why they are so distraught and confused.  It's so hard to watch now, and see them legitimately sad to not have him want to be a part of their lives.

[Tuxcat]

29 minutes ago, LotusFlower said:

it’s likely the family isn’t talking yet, so they resort to social media posts.

Mykelti is talking on Patreon. But she said the details surrounding Garrison's passing will be kept private. The family is planning several things in the next month "to honor him" ... which I assume (note: I'm guessing) means the interview/content will be shared (exploited?) via social media or TLC in a few weeks.

[LotusFlower]

26 minutes ago, Tuxcat said:

Mykelti is talking on Patreon. But she said the details surrounding Garrison's passing will be kept private. The family is planning several things in the next month "to honor him" ... which I assume (note: I'm guessing) means the interview/content will be shared (exploited?) via social media or TLC in a few weeks.

Thanks for sharing.  It’ll be fascinating to see if/how Kody participates. 

[ginger90]

I’m including two of the pictures that are with Leon’s post.

 

 

 

.

[Denize]

13 hours ago, General Days said:

I've seen a few fans and creators react strongly to the use of "dead." I am wondering if some of the objection is just a regional/cultural difference. I wouldn't expect an article to not use those words. 

That's typically the language media uses, and they'll only move on to euphemisms, after using dead, died, death, or the like. 

As someone whose uncle, an aunt and a cousin completed suicides, I am sure glad these words were not used to describe their deaths by complete strangers on news sources. If you look at how Audrey, Leon and the other siblings describe his passing, it is much more gently.  Journalists used to write like that.

Edited March 12 by Denize

[Elizzikra]

Leon and Garrison look so much alike in that first photo!

[laurakaye]

Leon's tribute was lovely.  Audrey's picture was beautiful.

I keep coming back to the fact that Garrison was a cat dad, and had just adopted an older cat from a shelter.  A young man who is adopting pets to care for is a person with a huge and tender heart.  It's so sad that the world was too painful for him.

[zamp33]

 

Janelle posted on instagram to thank everyone for the donations to the shelters in Garrison's name.  She also said his cats would be going with his siblings.

I cannot figure out how to post it here- maybe someone with more skills than I can. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 12 by zamp33
edited to add I could not figure out how to insert the post

[ginger90]

 

 

.Someone asked, rather rudely, Janelle responded.

[Denize]

It is nice to see that Catthew & Patches O’Houlihan accepted Ms. Buttons

[Liddy52]

I think that I am all done with the tears for a young man who I never met. And then I read the posts by Leon, Audrey and Janelle above and my eyes fill with tears again. Beautiful tributes for a beautiful young man. 

[IvySpice]

I gave the donation in the hope that we could all give a little comfort to Janelle. It's good to learn that she knows how many people cared about Garrison.

[UnikornRainbowz]

And this is absolutely crushed me I can't quit thinking about him you look just like my son, about the same age and I'm so sad. Thank you for listening and for being here and grieving along with everyone else I appreciate that opportunity to read all the kind words about Garrison the young man I never even knew but watched grow up on TV. 

[Scarlett45]

13 hours ago, ginger90 said:

 

 

.Someone asked, rather rudely, Janelle responded.

I am glad the cats have good homes with Garrison’s siblings. I am sure that helps them feel like they could do something for him, and makes them feel closer to him. I know I feel that way since Cosmo came to me, and Janelle took in her mother’s dog after she died. With everything Janelle is going through now, it was so thoughtful to post and let us know. 
 

Edited to add- I also donated to High Country Humane and my work place will match. The outpour of donations also demonstrates to his loved ones that his presence touched many people. 

Edited March 13 by Scarlett45

[Yeah No]

I was looking at some old photos yesterday and was struck by how much an old college boyfriend of mine resembled Garrison.  I hadn't really even made that connection until now. That may help to explain some of my reaction to Garrison's death.  The old BF is still alive and well.  We stayed friendly.  He even came to my wedding and and we still see each other on Facebook.  

[oliviabenson]

On 3/10/2024 at 3:22 PM, General Days said:

That's so weird. I was looking at a recipe on McCormick. I must have clicked when I thought I clacked. Thanks for the heads up, Gram! Link corrected.

At least it wasn’t x rated !

[ginger90]

Edited March 13 by ginger90

[xwordfanatik]

I love that so much!  Thanks @ginger90!

Wonderful also for Michelle to post it.  ❤️

[ginger90]

They are naming the cat room in honor of him.

[ginger90]

1 hour ago, Rabbit Hutch said:

I wonder if at this point a new, general thread should be created for Sister Wives from this point forward.  I don't know what it should be called; someone more creative than me can do those honors.

I don't feel comfortable discussing upcoming stuff in Garrison's RIP thread as I believe that should be reserved for him, but I think that a new thread may be needed to initiate a reset of forum news, as it were.  

 

 

 

Never mind 

Edited March 14 by ginger90

[Elizzikra]

3 hours ago, ginger90 said:

That's really a lovely tribute to his memory.

[GeeGolly]

The tribute thing made me a little uncomfortable until @ginger90 said they were naming a room after him. What a nice thing to do.

[GeorgiaRai]

Janelle also shared (without comment) this longer message from High Country Humane on Instagram.

[Gramto6]

What a wonderful tribute to Garrison!  I thought I was past the tears of sorrow, but this brought them right back to my eyes!

[MaryMitch]

I counted almost 1800 donations - most were $10-25 but there were 40 for $100, a couple $200, and one $1000!  This is HUGE for a small facility like them. I hope it will encourage others to give to their local shelters.

[ginger90]

 

Edited March 21 by ginger90

[mythoughtis]

So many beautiful tributes from his siblings. I do hope people close to them are rallying around, while those who aren’t are giving them their privacy and space.   

[Quof]

Both Michelle and Logan have private Instagram accounts. So which one of their relatives decided to share this post with the world?  

[ginger90]

1 hour ago, Quof said:

Both Michelle and Logan have private Instagram accounts. So which one of their relatives decided to share this post with the world?  

Michelle shared it on her public Facebook. You can see her name, I purposely didn’t crop it out.

[Quof]

Thanks for the correction, I thought it was from Instagram rather than Facebook.