A star from My 600-Lb Life has sadly passed away at just 40 years old.
The reality show follows Americans struggling with extreme weight challenges and has brought many of its stars into the spotlight. While some have found success, others continue to battle their weight despite the help they receive.
The program combines diet, calorie control, and gastric bypass surgery to aid weight loss, but it hasn’t worked for everyone.
My 600-Lb Life has aired 13 seasons, with the latest in January 2025. It features surgeon Younan Nowzaradan, often called Dr. Now, along with therapist Lola Clay and psychologist Matthew Paradise. Since the show began, 18 patients have sadly died.
The most recent loss is Latonya Pottain from Northern Louisiana, who died on May 17.
Latonya opened up about her struggles on a GoFundMe page, explaining she was bedridden. She revealed that after her mother died when she was young and her father left, she was raised by her older sister until age 15. She turned to food for emotional support.
Her goal in joining the show was to lose weight so she could walk down the aisle and marry her fiancé, Daune. Tragically, her brother died shortly before filming, which affected her journey.
Earlier this year, Latonya shared that she had been bedridden since June 2024 and her weight had increased to 740 pounds.
On her GoFundMe page, she wrote, “I worked extremely hard to get it down. My journey with weight struggles has been a long and difficult one. In 2022, I was featured on My 600-Lb Life, starting at 531 pounds and working down to 505 pounds. However, after the show aired, I faced overwhelming backlash, which led to deep depression. My mental health suffered, and I became fearful of weight loss surgery.”
She also revealed that in 2023 she entered an abusive relationship and that her father was diagnosed with cancer.
Latonya explained, “Unable to handle the emotional and physical toll, I returned home to Louisiana. Sadly, my health worsened, and I developed severe sciatica nerve pain causing extreme stomach cramps.”
She was prescribed fentanyl, but her body rejected the medication, so she started therapy. She added, “Now I am completely bedridden and unable to get to the hospital because EMTs say transporting me would be a fire hazard due to my weight.”
Despite her efforts, Latonya did not get the help she needed and passed away earlier this month. She is the 18th person who appeared on the show to die since it started airing.
A preliminary coroner’s report indicates her death was likely caused by congestive heart failure and was ruled natural. A final autopsy is still pending, according to NBC.
