Sister Wives’ Gabe Brown Reveals He Cut Ties With Dad Kody Brown After He Forgot His Birthday

Hard feelings. Sister Wives star Gabe Brown said he no longer talks to his dad, Kody Brown, after the patriarch forgot his birthday.

During the Sunday, December 4, episode of the TLC show, Kody, 53, reached out to Gabe, 21, on October 11, 2021, after he and his fourth wife, Robyn Brown, contracted COVID-19. While Kody asked his son about his symptoms when he had COVID-19 earlier that year, the father of 18 seemingly forgot that the call took place on Gabe’s birthday.

“I didn’t remind him that it was my birthday because I wanted to see if he remembered,” Gabe said during a confessional. “And he didn’t. So to him, it was just a phone call just asking me about COVID.”

Janelle Brown and Kody’s son wiped tears from his eyes as he added, “It was a lot worse than just a phone call for me.”

He noted that Kody tried calling him back hours later to apologize and wish him a happy birthday, though Gabe said the gesture came too late. 

“That’s the last time I ever talked to my dad,” he said of the moment.

Gabe cut ties with Kody following tension that was created around their conflicting views regarding COVID-19.

During part 2 of the Sister Wives tell-all in February 2022, Janelle, 53, revealed that Gabe and their son Garrison Brown have “strained” relationships with their father.

Kody noted things were “not good” with his sons during the tell-all, adding, “It’s like one of those relationships where we’ve gotta do a lot of work.”

“I make rules, you guys abide by them. I understand that these two needed their social lives,” he continued. “I totally get it. But in this case, COVID is different. It changed everything for everybody, and they want it all to be the same.”

In an episode that aired in January 2022, Gabe argued that he should be able to see his girlfriend, Peyton, during the pandemic because she was self-isolating. However, Kody said he didn’t feel comfortable with the idea because he wasn’t sure that Peyton was following COVID-related protocols at the time.

Kody then told Gabe he had to choose between seeing him or Peyton. “Why?” Gabe asked. “Why was I made to make that decision?”

“I’m tired of it. It’s literally ruining our family,” Gabe said in a confessional about Kody’s rules at the time.

In October 2022, Janelle seemingly suggested that Gabe and Kody were still not on good terms when the businessman was absent from Gabe’s 21st birthday celebration.

The TV personality shared a video of her son out to eat at a restaurant as he blew out a candle. “My Gabe is 21! Where does the time go ! Had so much fun celebrating at @cucina_rustica_sedona last night,” Janelle wrote alongside the clip via Instagram. “Happy Birthday honey! I wish all the best for you.”