Tragic Details About Brody Jenner's Life

Over Brody Jenner's decades-long career, it's looked like he has it all. We met the then-reality TV playboy in the mid-2000s, hitting hotspots and stirring up drama on the likes of "The Hills" and "The Princes of Malibu." He then started living the high life with his step-family in a handful of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" episodes and reunited with his famous friends on the reboot "The Hills: New Beginnings" — all of which earned Brody some serious cash.

But behind the glitz and glamour of the TV cameras and the filters of social media, life hasn't always been the easiest for this star. "I never really looked at celebrities and fame as celebrities or as being famous. We all do the exact same stuff. Just because our faces are put on a television really doesn't make us any more special than anybody else," he told People in January 2025. "So I never looked at fame as something to be put on a pedestal." From difficult family relationships to the loss of his beloved four-legged friend, Brody has proven that fame doesn't always equal happiness, because he's still faced his fair share of tragedies.

Brody Jenner has made no secret of his strained relationship with his parent Caitlyn Jenner. Brody was born to Caitlyn and her then-wife Linda Thompson (though the Olympian isn't the only famous person Thompson dated), but they split when Brody was young and Caitlyn started a family with Kris Jenner shortly after. Speaking on "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test" in January 2025, Brody shared he didn't see Caitlyn often following her and Thompson's divorce. "Mom would tell me that I would write on cards, 'Why doesn't dad call me on my birthday?' and little things that I don't even remember," he said.

Brody was further hurt in 2018 when Caitlyn was absent from his and Kaitlynn Carter's wedding (though it was later confirmed it wasn't a legal ceremony). Brody made his disappointment clear on "The Hills: New Beginnings" the following year, sharing (via People), "Not having my dad at the wedding, it was a bummer. Honestly, it really did hurt and I would have loved to have had her there. But she had better things to do. Apparently." On the day of Brody and Carter's nuptials in Indonesia, Caitlyn was at an Austrian charity event.

The following year, the "Sex With Brody" star got a little deeper into their relationship on "The Hills: New Beginnings," admitting Caitlyn missed many of his milestones. "[Caitlyn] was just never really around. Every so often, maybe once every couple years — [she] wasn't around for my graduation. [She] wasn't around for most of my birthdays. So yeah, there really wasn't any relationship — it was just very surface," he said (via Hollywood Life), though he revealed they'd started to mend their relationship in the wake of her transition.

Not only does Brody Jenner have a difficult relationship with Caitlyn Jenner, his bond with his half-sisters Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner hasn't been much stronger over the years. The sisters didn't attend Brody and Kaitlynn Carter's 2018 nuptials either, and he claimed they ignored his invitation. "My two little sisters, we never even heard from them. They never even RSVP'd I don't think. We sent them an invite but we just never heard anything back," he told People. "Well, they'll be missed. I would have loved to have had them there."

That same year, Brody spoke to TMZ about his relationship with his famous siblings and confessed he hadn't seen Kylie for two years. "I didn't even know she was pregnant," he said, shortly after "The Kardashians" star and her then-partner Travis Scott welcomed her first child, Stormi Webster, who's growing up fast. "I haven't really seen her that much. She's been incredibly busy," he said. Tragically, Brody suggested he wanted to be closer to his extended family. "They're busy. It is what it is," he added. "I would love to meet the baby."

In 2019, a source claimed Brody was also upset about the state of his relationship with his step-family, the Kardashians. "Brody still holds on to a lot of hurt feelings and resentment towards the Kardashians. Brody still feels like the family never fully accepted him," the insider told Hollywood Life, claiming the reality star never really clicked with his step-mom Kris Jenner. "He'd love to have a relationship with his younger sisters deep down, but it's really hard when he feels the way he does about their mom and dad. It's really sad."

In 2018, Brody Jenner experienced a horrifying emergency when he was forced to fight off wildfires that threatened his and his then-partner Kaitlynn Carter's California home. Brody documented the scary incident on Instagram Stories, telling fans in one clip as the flames got close to his property (via Daily Mail), "F***, that's not good, that's right behind the crib, that's not good." He then gave fans an update on his Instagram grid, posting a video of the fire with the caption, "Fought as long and as hard as I possibly could but the flames were just too intense so I finally had a throw in the towel. Praying my house still there when I get back. Thoughts and Prayers are with everybody going through this tragedy." Fortunately, Brody's home wasn't lost in the fire, but the turmoil of the traumatic incident no doubt left a lasting impact on the star.

The following year, the true extent to which Brody leapt into action to keep the fire at bay came to light on "The Hills: New Beginnings." "I'm just worried about Brody. He's literally f***ing standing on the roof of his house with a f***ing hose," Michael Utsinger said.

Brody Jenner has been open about his relationship with alcohol and how it's affected his life, sharing he underwent a six-month sobriety stint amid the COVID-19 pandemic. "[I'm] kind of admitting that I drank too much ... I always used to think I've got it under control because I don't drink every day or whatever, but you definitely get into a routine and so I took six months off drinking completely," he shared during a 2021 Instagram interview with Madison Brodsky. Brody explained he used that time to take stock of his life and his behavior, including how he was treating others. "I decided to really take a long look at myself and realized that's not really the person I want to be," he said.

Brody also spoke about the reflective period to Entertainment Tonight that year. He shared that although he hadn't given up drinking completely, he'd changed his habits. "I just did a lot of self-reflection and growth and tried to work on myself," he said.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

The death of a pet can be totally devastating, and Brody Jenner learned that the hard way in 2024 when he confirmed the sad passing of his dog Tank in a heartfelt Instagram post. "He was a best friend, a loyal companion, and a joyful spirit who lit up our lives," the TV star began. "Tank had a way of making each day brighter, whether by his playful energy, the comfort he brought, or the companionship and love he gave without question. It takes a special kind of dog to give that kind of joy, to remind us how beautiful the simplest things can be, and to fill a home with so much love," he added.

Brody uploaded several touching photos and videos from Tank's life, including a snap of himself hugging his beloved pet on his lap and a clip showing the pooch watching over Brody and Tia Blanco's then-baby daughter Honey during bath time. He concluded the heartbreaking post, in part, "I love you so much Tank. You made this house a home." The comments section was flooded with condolences from fans. "So sorry. Gosh definitely one of the hardest things to go through in life," one person wrote.

Blanco also shared a tribute to Tank on her Instagram. She posted several other sweet family pictures and clips, many showing Tank interacting with their young daughter and their other dogs. "This home will not be the same without you," she wrote in the caption.