Why fans are angry at Kody Browns refusal to attend daughters surgery Mon 20 December 202

May 2024 · 4 minute read

Sister Wives viewers were extremely angry when Kody Brown refused to attend his daughter Ysabel’s surgery, especially when things didn’t quite add up. We explored why fans are raging about his decision.

The TLC star’s relationships with multiple women, including Robyn – his legal wife – Meri, and Janelle, has been followed for years, detailing their life as a polygamist family.

He has 18 children across his four relationships, which went back down to three when Christine left him. One of those kids is his daughter Ysabel, who has been on quite an intense journey with back surgery.

When she went to the hospital for the procedure, her father Kody chose not to go along with her. And fans aren’t happy about it: let’s look at why.

Ysabel Brown’s scoliosis journey

Ysabel has scoliosis, which is a sideways curvature of the spine that usually happens during the growth spurt just before puberty.

She was diagnosed with the condition in 2017, which aired on the series. Ysabel has been seen wearing a brace, which applies pressure to the back.

Her father Kody was recently seen suggesting that she travels to get scoliosis surgery by herself, which fans gave him backlash for. Ysabel has shared some Instagram photos following the surgery, so it looks like the procedure went well!

She underwent a 12-hour major back operation in October 2020, after her mother Christine launched a $50,000 campaign towards the procedure.

As reported by The Sun, she was seen shopping by herself and looking healthy three months after the surgery.

The procedure aimed to fix a severe curve in Ysabel’s spine.

#SisterWives Kody complaining about Janelle and Christine "going on vacation" when the reality is they are going to the hospitals while their kids/grandkids are in surgeries. pic.twitter.com/grGqlnvm4V

— Candy Corn For All Seasons (@SafaBrown) December 13, 2021
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Why fans are mad at Kody’s decision

Kody’s reasoning for not going to hospital with Ysabel was because of Covid-19 restrictions. It isn’t just Sister Wives fans who are mad, but Ysabel too. She was “frustrated” with her father for not being by her side during the procedure.

When she got the spine surgery, Kody was fearful of travelling during the pandemic. He said:

I’m not traveling with Christine and Ysabel on the way to surgery, I’m not going, I think it’s very risky. I also feel like a total hypocrite if I’m not keeping the rules that I’m asking – begging, literally begging – everybody to keep.

However, the majority of viewers believe Kody should have done a Covid test before going, and think it would have been right to place supporting his daughter before his fears.

His daughter Ysabel revealed she was “nervous” before the procedure, before Christine told the camera that their daughter really relies on him when she is in pain.

Christine also said: “But when it comes down to it, I need him there, and he’s not putting his daughter above the fear that he has of the pandemic.”

Kody’s decision also confused fans when it was revealed that a nanny has been entering his house and looking after his and Robyn’s children, despite his fears of the pandemic.

Kody is wild. Take a damn Covid test and hug your child! Also, if you can have a damn nanny come in and out of your house, your other kids can be visited and come over too. I knew Kody & Robyn were on some bull 💩.#sisterwives

— What, Like its hard? 🤓 (@RevereRomance) December 19, 2021
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Kody literally pushes Christine away when she got to close to him and won’t go to his child’s surgery because of Covid and the need to socially distance. Meanwhile, Kody and Robyn are practically sitting on each other’s lap on the picnic table😂#SisterWives pic.twitter.com/2WDogHkxIj

— sportsgirl30 (@sportsgirl302) December 20, 2021
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Who is the Sister Wives nanny?

The nanny seen on Sister Wives is called Mindy Jessop.

Mindy is Robyn’s “step-niece”, whose mother is Lisa Sullivan. Lisa is the daughter of Paul Howard Sullivan Sr (Robyn’s stepfather) and Robyn’s “other mother” Carol Sullivan.

Based in Las Vegas, she has been babysitting Robyn’s children for several years now. She said on the show:

Robyn is my aunt. She is my mom’s sister, from a different mother. I was raised in a plural family. I’m open to living a plural marriage, but the family bond would have to be really strong, otherwise it would just be not worth it to me.

She appears to be a Christian, as she quotes the following in her Twitter bio: “God if I am wrong right me if I am lost guide me if I start to give up revive me lead me in light & love.”

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