With her admirers and following, Meri Brown has some heartbreaking news to offer. The 52-year-old Sister Wives star honored her older brother Adam Barber, who passed away on Thursday, October 5, two months short of turning 55, by sharing a heartfelt and poignant tribute on Instagram on Friday, October 6.
Meri, who expressed her feelings in a lengthy post, stated that he passed away about five weeks after he made the decision to “not continue his chemo treatment, due to the rapid progression of his cancer & deterioration of his body.” She conveyed her gratitude for all of her memories—both happy and unhappy—with him.
“Something hit me like a ton of bricks shortly after I found out that Adam’s disease was incurable and that he might only have weeks or months to live. “I would be the only one left from the original four after his passing,” she said, referring to herself and her three eldest siblings, Teresa, Mark, and Adam, as the “original four.”
The youngest of the “original four,” Teresa Barber Kunz, passed away from cancer in 2006. The eldest of the “original four,” Marc Barber, passed away in 2015 from cardiac issues. And now, only a few days ago, Adam, who was a few years older than Meri, passed away from cancer. Meri is the last one remaining, according to this.
“I realize now that I’m not the only one. Three of my younger sisters are still with us; the seven of us are only mom’s kids. plus many other siblings from our vast family structure,” she says, adding that, now that she is the only one left, she is unsure of why Adam’s death is affecting her in the manner that it does.
She continues by giving her reasoning for believing that they called themselves the “original four.” They were the only four who were living before her mother and father moved to Utah and established a multiple family there, in addition to being the only four who were born in California “and have memories of our young childhood there.”
“I don’t know what it is, but there’s always been something about the original 4. Not better, just different. Not closer, just different,” she writes in the caption. “Maybe because we were born in closer succession, with only 1-1/2 to 2 years between us all? Even still, Elaine, child number 5, was only 3 years later.”
Meri Brown Will ‘Move Forward Living, Loving, Forgiving, Remembering’
Meri Brown doesn’t know if she’ll ever figure out why Adam’s death is hitting her so hard, but she does know one thing. She’s going to move forward and honor her siblings through the many good, bad, funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking memories she has with each of them – starting with her brother, Adam.
“Regardless, (and you have no idea how bad I want to type in ‘irregardless’ there, in honor of [Adam] & our many arguments about whether that is even a word) I will move forward living, loving, forgiving, remembering,” she wrote – referring to one of the many brother-sister arguments they had growing up.
“The relationship I had with him taught me many things, and I have no doubt will continue to teach me things. I remain open to those lessons & look forward to them with anticipation. For now, I remember him with honor, kindness, & love,” she concluded. “PS Adam, I have the last word. And that is REGARDLESS”
