Sister Wives: Kody Brown travels to North Carolina to apologize to Janelle amid family fractures

In a dramatic turn on Sister Wives, patriarch Kody Brown has begun what the show frames as an “apology tour.”

The first stop: a long-overdue face-to-face in North Carolina with former wife Janelle Brown.

In the December 7 episode, Kody arrives seeking reconciliation, admitting past anger and bitterness, and offering remorse to his ex-wife of nearly 30 years.

Janelle’s reaction — deeply personal and painful — signals that the wounds from the family’s breakup may be far from healed.

Sister Wives Season 20: Apologies, land sales, and fractured relationships

This season of Sister Wives charts the aftermath of the family’s plural-marriage collapse, spotlighting difficult confrontations and uneasy attempts at closure.

Key among them is the sale of their shared Arizona property known as Coyote Pass — once envisioned as a compound for the entire family.

The sale has forced bitter reflections and awkward encounters between Kody, his current wife, and his former spouses.

In one episode preview, Kody explains to his current wife, Robyn Brown, that he felt compelled to “set [his ex-wives] free,” owning up to the bitterness that contributed to the family’s dissolution.

He states that no one deserved the anger he unleashed during the years of separation. Kody arrives at Janelle’s North Carolina home with a simple but heavy message: 

“I just wanted to come and say that I apologize. … The first thing is … I want to apologize for being so angry and so bitter over the family breakup.”

Sitting opposite him, Janelle hears every word - yet makes no effort to mask her hurt. Near the marriage’s close, she said that he wasn’t someone she knew anymore.

In her confessional, she reflects that the person in front of her is “different” — someone who made choices she can no longer reconcile with. She grieves not only the end of their bond but also the dream of a tight-knit, big family she used to hold dear.

The backdrop — Coyote Pass sale and emotional fallout

The land sale of Coyote Pass looms large over the reunion. Bought in 2018 as a future family compound for Kody and his four wives, the property never served that purpose.

After the group wedding ended, they offloaded the property in April 2025 at $1.5 million. Though they had hoped it would settle things, the deal stirred up past pain.

When the group gathered to finalize the paperwork, the tension was palpable. Kody, Robyn, Janelle, and another former wife, Meri Brown, met — but none greeted the others or left their cars.

No warmth. No acknowledgement. Just silence. Janelle later described the moment as a “standoff,” full of unspoken shame and regret. That scene made it clear how emotionally distant they were.

It was in the wake of that icy exchange that Kody reportedly began internal work: therapy sessions, self-reflection, and ultimately a decision to reach out to those he hurt.

His apology tour – starting with Janelle — represents his attempt to close a painful chapter, or at least face the fallout directly.

Now living in North Carolina on a farm with her daughter and family, Janelle appears to be seeking stability and distance from the chaos of the past.

But even as she tries to rebuild, the apology from Kody forces her to confront old wounds.

Her kids have talked openly about how tough it is to get close to him again, as there’s still doubt, and years feel lost, which won’t just vanish overnight.

For Janelle, the apology may open one door — but whether it leads to genuine healing, or remains another painful reminder of what was lost, remains uncertain.

Stay tuned for more updates.