Janelle Brown Says Late Son Never Showed ‘Sad Feelings’

After six months of grieving and multiple tributes, Janelle Brown is finally ready to shed more light on her son Garrison’s death.

The “Sister Wives” star recently addressed her son’s suicide, revealing that she and the Brown clan were shocked by his decision to end his life. She claimed there were no signs of depression or hints of his heartbreaking plans.

Garrison was the fourth oldest of Janelle’s six children with Kody Brown. He passed away in March at the young age of 25, with his mother believing his “substance abuse” issues played a significant role in his death.

Garrison’s death by suicide blindsided his family for multiple reasons, with the biggest being the absence of mental health struggles. “We just had no idea that he was in that place,” Janelle confessed in a new interview.

The TLC star noted that Garrison’s “substance abuse” likely influenced his state of mind before his death. However, she stressed that “he didn’t ever express any kind of extreme sad feelings.”

“In fact, he was very funny, very upbeat. He had a career path that he was excited about. He had a life, he had friends,” Janelle recalled. She noted her son frequently checked in on loved ones and even adopted another cat towards the end of his life.

The heartbroken mother revealed Garrison was “really excited” about his career prospects, telling PEOPLE, “We actually were having conversations. He had all the resources that he could have needed.”

Janelle doubled down on there being zero signs of Garrison’s devastating plan to end his life, given the way he seemed to have a handle on things. “This was just such a shock. We just never expected this,” she said, adding:

“I really actually had sort of thought like, ‘Okay, maybe he’s finally starting to get his momentum.‘” 

“It’s hard in your twenties to find your path. And I was really excited, so it was such a shock because there was just no indication at all,” Janelle lamented.

She noted that Garrison’s death opened her heart to other men his age suffering from hidden mental health struggles, saying: “We should be speaking more, especially about mental health for men, and that there’s no shame in getting help and seeking help.”

Mental health awareness has become a significant part of the Brown family, with Janelle revealing that Garrison’s death inspired them to check in on loved ones. “We’re very real, and we assess,” she began, adding:

“Life situations come up, and we’re always like, ‘Okay, so what about mental health?’ We actually say the words, and we wait to hear what’s really happening, not just kind of gloss over it.”

“I think we’re definitely putting more stock in mental health in our family,” Janelle continued. While Garrison might have benefited from this form of “real check-ins,” the mother of six understood that she couldn’t change the past.

While reflecting on the family’s relationship with Garrison, Janelle confessed, “I don’t know what we could have done differently. We were definitely—and I would encourage everybody to be that way—having real conversations with him.”

“We were offering resources, 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. He couldn’t seem to get over,” she stressed.

“It just wasn’t for lack of love or lack of anything. And all I can do is think… we always ask ourselves, could we have done something more, but I don’t know,” Janelle continued, noting:

“I think that’s a grief trap because I think, ultimately, everybody is responsible for their own actions and their own decisions. But we did everything. We really did everything that we could have done.”

Days before her new interview, Janelle reflected on Garrison’s death in a poignant post on Instagram. She shared a picture of her late son wrapping his arms around her and placing a kiss on the side of her temple.

“6 months ago today, you went away. You come up in my photo memories almost every day. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like you’re gone,” the heartbroken mother penned in the caption, adding:

“And then I remember I won’t be getting a call or text from you, and it all comes rushing back. I know you fought hard, but in the end, you just couldn’t stay.”

“I love you so much and will see you again when my journey is done,” Janelle concluded. Her words received thousands of condolences from fans, with some resonating with her grief.

Janelle Brown will return to fans’ TV screens on Sunday, September 15, for the new season of TLC’s “Sister Wives.”