In a raw, tear-filled video, Christine Brown made an impassioned plea to cherish loved ones. The urgent message from the “Sister Wives” star came just weeks after the devastating suicide of her former brother-in-law Garrison Brown.
“Life is just so precious. It’s so fragile,” Christine cried in the emotional Instagram clip. “I just want to remind everybody to really love each other hard.”
Her voice cracking, the reality TV personality warned that “we have no tomorrow promised to us.” She drove home the point about the preciousness of life by urging followers to “start reaching out to people that you love and let them know.”
Christine’s Heartbreaking Loss
Garrison, the 25-year-old son of Christine’s former sister wife Janelle Brown and ex-husband Kody Brown, died by suicide on March 5th at his home in Arizona. The tragic news devastated the entire Brown family, who starred for over a decade on the TLC series “Sister Wives” documenting their polygamous lifestyle.
Though Kody and Janelle ended their nearly 30-year marriage in 2022, Garrison remained very close with Christine and her six children with Kody. The mother of six viewed Garrison as one of her own kids.
“This kid was amazing. He was brilliant, he was funny,” Christine rhapsodized about Garrison’s warm spirit and quirky sense of humor in the heartrending video. “He kind of kept to himself, but he always had my back.”
A Prized Life Cut Short
Christine agonized that the world would miss out on all Garrison’s talents and potential after his life was brutally cut short.
“He had so much more to give this world,” she said mournfully, her face contorted with sadness. “Garrison was just a great human being. He really was.”
The spiritual Christine worries that not enough people appreciate the fragility of life and importance of loved ones until it’s too late. “Hold on to those people so closely,” she pleaded through tears, “because you have no idea when it’s going to be ripped away from you.”
Outpouring of Loving Tributes
Since the shocking suicide two weeks ago, Christine has been one of many in the extended Brown family to pay tribute to the vibrant young man they lost too soon.
Garrison’s younger sister Savanah, the daughter of Janelle and Kody, wrote an emotional Instagram post about struggling to “understand” her beloved brother’s absence. She urged anyone grappling with their mental health to get help, stressing “never underestimate how big of a hole their loss would leave.”
The deceased’s aunt Gwendlyn Brown, Christine’s daughter, also honored her nephew’s memory by sharing childhood photos and calling him “one of the funniest people I’ve ever known.”
A Harrowing National Crisis
The tragedy has renewed discussions about the harrowing rise in suicide rates across the nation, particularly among young adults like Garrison.
According to the CDC, suicide is currently one of the leading causes of death for Americans between 25-34 years old. Experts point to a variety of potential factors like financial pressures, relationship stresses, substance abuse issues and lack of access to mental health resources.
For Christine and the Browns, Garrison’s suicide has left a profound void of sadness and lingering questions about what deeper turmoil he may have been battling alone.
“If there’s anything I could ask, it would be why?” Christine wondered aloud in anguish about her former brother-in-law’s state of mind. For now, all the grieving family can do is cherish Garrison’s memory and follow Christine’s heartfelt advice: “Love your people.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please seek help by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visiting https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
