My 600-lb Life is a show about giving cast members a second chance, and a new lease on life. Sadly, however, not every journey on the show results in a happy ending. Here’s a list of TLC celebs that tragically passed away.
Not Every My 600-lb Life Story Has a Happy Ending
James King
James King, who debuted in Season 5 of the TLC hit show in 2017 and made a number of subsequent appearances over the following few years, was 49 years old when he passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, on April 3, 2020. His cause of death has not been made public.
James was 791 pounds when My 600-lb Life fans first met the father of six on the show. He was up to 840 pounds when a follow-up episode was shot in 2018. James King left behind his wife, Lisa, his six children, and his 19 grandchildren.
Destinee LaShaee
Destinee LaShaee was the first trans person to appear on My 600-lb Life. Destinee, who debuted on Season 7 of the show with a starting weight just under 700 pounds, dropped more than 500 pounds and inspired viewers to follow in her footsteps.
Destinee was always a strong advocate for mental health, talking openly about their experiences with depression both on the program and online. On February 8, 2022, the reality star, who also went by the name Matthew Ventress, sadly passed away.
Meanwhile, even though Destinee’s cause of death has not been officially released, it is believed to be suicide.
Gina Krasley
In Season 8, Gina and her wife Beth saw Dr. Now in his clinic – traveling all the way from New Jersey to hopefully change her life. Surprisingly, Gina revealed that she had lost 300 lbs in March 2021, despite the fact that she had struggled to lose the weight previously when it came to the target weight Dr. Now set for her.
But unfortunately, by April 2021, Gina updated her My 600-lb Life fans from a hospital room, revealing that she had issues with her mobility, a potential infection, and an eating disorder.
It turns out, Gina passed away on August 1, 2021, at the age of 30. In her obituary, Gina was described as having died “surrounded by her loving family,” although no formal cause of death was given.
My 600-lb Life Shows the Harsh Reality
Coliesa McMillian
Coliesa, from Season 8 of My 600-lb Life, passed away in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on September 22, 2020, at the age of 41. Coliesa’s difficulties after weight-loss surgery, from which she regrettably never fully recovered, caused her to pass away naturally, according to the East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office, as reported by TMZ.
In the show, My 600-lb Life fans saw Coliesa receive treatment from Dr. Now, in addition to talk therapy in order to reach her objective of undergoing a gastric sleeve procedure. And perhaps most heart-wrenching of all, at the conclusion of her episode, she remarked that she was “doing better than ever”.
Kelly Mason
One of the most dramatic episodes of the year was Kelly Mason’s My 600-lb Life episode from 2019. Kelly was 724 pounds when she made it to Dr. Now’s office, but in only a few short months, she was able to significantly reduce her weight. Dr. Now and Kelly frequently cracked jokes, which gave the impression that he had a soft spot for her. He also demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting Kelly at every turn.
Sadly, she died in her sleep from a heart attack around the ninth month of filming. And, making this turn of events even more tragic was the fact that she was on the cusp of achieving all the goals she set out to. In addition, she passed away one day shy of her 42nd birthday to boot.
Sean Milliken
Sean Milliken, who weighed more than 900 pounds at the start of his My 600-lb Life episode, successfully shed more than 400 pounds under Dr. Now’s supervision. But unfortunately, at the age of 29, he passed away in February 2019.
Sean experienced a string of catastrophes in the years following the filming of his My 600-lb Life episode. His mother died suddenly, and then he found out that Hurricane Harvey had flooded his Houston condominium.
In addition, Sean’s father claimed that infection-related problems caused his death. According to Sean’s dad, his son was having breathing problems. And even though they were able to resuscitate him, a short time later, “his heart stopped”.
More Tragic My 600-lb Life Deaths
Lisa Fleming
Three TLC cast members from Season 6 have tragically passed, with Lisa Fleming being one of them. When viewers first met her, she weighed over 700 pounds and needed seven paramedics to transport her outside of the house.
Despite the fact that Dr. Now was able to assist Lisa in losing 200 pounds through weight-loss surgery, she got sick, and her body couldn’t recover. Lisa was 50 at the time of her passing.
James “LB” Bonner
One week before fellow cast member Lisa Fleming passed away in August 2018, LB from Season 6 took his life. Many fans were shocked by this because they loved LB for his positive attitude and his success with weight loss. LB was able to reduce his initial body weight of 650 pounds by more than half.
However, LB battled with depression, and declared on August 2, 2018, that it was time for him to face his demons “head on”. The following day, LB committed suicide at the age of 30.
Robert Buchel
My 600-lb Life Season 6 cast member Robert Buchel was the first cast member to pass away while filming. The native of New Jersey sought the assistance of Dr. Now when he weighed 840 pounds. And with the celebrity bariatric surgeon’s assistance, he was able to lose 340 pounds.
However, Robert also struggled with a painkiller addiction, and when Robert was filming his TLC episode, he passed away from a heart attack. Season 6, Episode 8 of his narrative aired four months after his passing.
Henry Foots
Fans who have been watching My 600-lb Life on TLC since the beginning adored Henry, who was the second cast member to ever appear on the program. He was attempting to lose weight in preparation for his high school reunion when he made an appearance on the show at 750 pounds.
Henry reached a weight of 275 pounds after working with Dr. Now to reduce more than half of his body weight. Sadly, a little more than a year after his episode aired, he tragically passed away. Henry, according to his obituary, “went home to be with the Lord”.
Laura Perez
Laura Perez clocked in at close to 600 pounds and was wheelchair-bound by the time she sought Dr. Now’s My 600-lb Life help in Houston. And by the time it was all said and done, Laura clocked in at an impressive 182 pounds, and it looked like she was finally getting her life back.
Unfortunately, in November 2021, My 600-lb Life fans got the shocking news that Laura passed away at the age of 48. However, that update didn’t disclose the cause of her passing.
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