Sister Wives: When Did Meri Brown Drift Away? Janelle Brown Tells All

Janelle Brown’s journey into the world of polygamy was anything but conventional. Long before she became Kody Brown’s second wife, Janelle was introduced to the idea in a roundabout way – through her first husband, Meri Brown’s brother. Yes, you read that right.

“It was very, very short-lived,” Janelle said of her marriage to Adam Barber, Meri’s brother. She described their relationship as a “starter marriage” that fizzled quickly. “I think we might have lived together physically, actually lived together for like six months.

It just didn’t take,” she admitted. Their marriage, which lasted from 1988 to 1990, ended amicably, but Janelle remained in the orbit of the Brown family.

Janelle Brown’s eventual bond with Kody wasn’t love at first sight. Instead, she first knew him and Meri as friends. “I didn’t cross paths with him,” she explained. “I was not at Meri’s house all the time… I just happened to be there when Kody came.”

At that time, she had already become intrigued by the faith Meri’s family practiced, but the transition into plural marriage took years.

Loving Jenn and Meri’s friendship!! #SisterWives 😍😍😍😍😍🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾❤️❤️❤️❤️💕💕💕💕💞💞💞💞

— Colin Brinkley (@cb_yellowjacket) November 4, 2024

Sister Wives: Meri Brown’s Influence and Kody’s Entrance

It wasn’t just Kody who influenced Janelle’s decision to join a polygamist lifestyle.

Meri’s mother, Bonnie Barber, became an important guide for Janelle. “Meri’s mother was a really great resource for me,” Janelle shared. Bonnie was already part of a plural family, and her insights helped Janelle decide to join the faith.

By 1993, Janelle married Kody in a spiritual ceremony. However, she stressed that it wasn’t some romantic sweep-off-her-feet moment.

“It’s not like Kody just cruised up one day and said, ‘Hey…’” Janelle laughed, recalling how she had taken her time making this life-altering decision. What started as curiosity and a gradual exploration of faith became a 30-year-long chapter in Janelle’s life.

Today, after the separation in December 2022, Janelle is happy being single and independent. “It’s kind of nice now to take care of just me,” she said. For the first time, Janelle isn’t burdened by the responsibilities that come with being a sister wife.

Bu gönderiyi Instagram'da gör

Meri (@therealmeribrown)'in paylaştığı bir gönderi

Sister Wives: Meri Brown’s Surprising Exit from the Brown Family

Meri Brown’s departure from the Brown family has been another focal point of Sister Wives.

In a recent interview on the Reality Life with Kate Casey podcast, Janelle Brown revealed new details about Meri’s gradual distancing. When asked when Meri truly began to pull away, Janelle pinpointed the timeline.

“She and Robyn Brown were always pretty close,” Janelle explained. But things shifted when Meri became an empty nester after Leon left home.

“She started to develop a lot more interest outside of the family… I don’t know if she was separate,” Janelle clarified, noting that Meri and Kody Brown had already been estranged for many years. Despite Meri’s friendship with Robyn, her relationship with Kody had soured long before.

In the years leading up to Meri’s departure, the tension was palpable. When Meri finally pursued a “spiritual release” from Kody in January 2023, it marked the end of a long, strained union.

A spiritual release in the Browns’ church functions as a form of divorce. Meri revealed how painful it was: “I really, really felt like that he was just doing everything he could to have me be the one to leave so that he could say, ‘My hands are clean. She’s the one who left.’”

Meri is officially entering her single-woman era! Watch how she adjusts to the change on #SisterWives, TONIGHT at 10/9c. pic.twitter.com/q4Tne6UYzq

— TLC Network (@TLC) November 3, 2024

Sister Wives: Kody Reflects on the Unraveling of His Marriages

Kody Brown’s reflections on his marriages unraveling have been full of contradictions. His hopeful relationship with Meri became strained.

Even light-hearted moments felt strange. “It’s interesting to me that Meri and I are safe enough with each other right now to joke around,” Kody said, puzzled by how a “burden” had seemingly lifted.

“Now is easier than it was three months ago or six years ago. It’s weird.”

The fractures in the Brown family have had a ripple effect, especially on the children. Kody’s strained relationships with his older kids have left deep scars.

Meanwhile, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn struggle to redefine their new family dynamics. Even as grandchildren come into the picture, the wounds are far from healed.

One thing is clear: the journey for this once-unified family is far from over, and fans will be watching every dramatic twist.