Audiences have seen Meri Brown go through some tough times on Sister Wives, usually related to her dying, polygamous relationship with Kody Brown. But this year Meri experienced a different kind of heartbreak when her mother, Bonnie Ahlstrom, unexpectedly passed away in March, a couple weeks after celebrating her 76th birthday. Bonnie had lived at the bed and breakfast that Meri owns in Utah, and her welcoming spirit was beloved by guests. After her mother’s passing, Meri temporarily closed down the bed and breakfast to take time to mourn. She recently made an announcement on Instagram about reopening.
Meri Brown is best known for being Kody’s first wife and the one many viewers think will leave Kody first, though she hasn’t talked about her other relatives as much as her biological mother. Meri herself hasn’t been happy in her polygamous marriage and hasn’t had the idealized sisterhood with the women she has to share her husband with, Season 15 of Sister Wives showed how unhappy all of the wives seem to be and how unwilling Kody is to do anything to fix his relationships.
Since her mother’s death, Meri has posted many tributes to her mother and shared how hard the mourning process has been for her. Losing a loving mother is difficult at any age. Her mother was her main support system since she can’t depend on her husband for emotional support. In one Instagram post, she referred to her mother as “This woman who was strong, resilient, compassionate. This woman who was a safe place to land, no matter where, no matter when. This woman, this beautiful woman, my mom.”
In another Instagram post, Meri explained her plan for going forward. She said, “Getting the B&B ready to open up again after taking some time to grieve the passing of my sweet mom. Honoring her in the Grandma Room, of course!” The Grandma Room is one of the four rooms available for rent in the bed and breakfast. The post includes a framed photograph of her mother that is hanging as a tribute, presumably in the Grandma room.
On Instagram, people have shared support for Meri through this difficult time in her life. Guests to the bed and breakfast, which Meri financed herself since Kody refused to help, shared how enjoyable it was for them to hear family stories from Meri’s mother during their stay. Viewers of Sister Wives shared their love for Meri and sympathy for her loss. Fans are glad to hear Meri is ready to open the bed and breakfast again, honoring the memory of her mother, who Meri says “brought this home to life.”