TLDR: Over 20 participants from My 600-lb Life have died since the show began in 2012. Causes include heart attacks, sepsis from surgery complications, organ failure, and suicide. Some deaths occurred during filming, and recent years have seen an alarming increase in fatalities among former cast members.
My 600-lb Life has documented some incredible transformation stories over the years, but the reality behind the cameras is much darker. More than 20 people who appeared on the TLC show have died, many at shockingly young ages.
The deaths highlight the brutal reality of super-morbid obesity. Even with Dr. Nowzaradan‘s help and weight loss surgery, many participants faced decades of damage to their hearts, kidneys, and other organs that couldn’t be reversed.
Here’s what we know about the My 600-lb Life deaths and what happened to these cast members.
Two People Died While Cameras Were Still Rolling
The most shocking deaths were Robert Buchel and Kelly Mason, who both died during active production of their episodes.
Robert Buchel appeared in Season 6 weighing 842 pounds. He lost an incredible 340 pounds but struggled with a severe addiction to painkillers. Reports say he would tear his own stitches to get more pain medication. On November 15, 2017, Buchel died of a heart attack at age 41 while in a skilled nursing facility in Houston.
Kelly Mason’s death in Season 7 was even more heartbreaking because she did everything right. At 41, she worked hard and lost over 300 pounds despite severe congestive heart failure and thyroid issues. In her final days, she was optimistic, saying “It feels like the first day of a new life.”
On February 15, 2019, she died in her sleep from heart failure. The show actually aired footage of Dr. Nowzaradan receiving the call from the coroner, driving home the point that sometimes weight loss can’t reverse the structural damage done to the heart.
The Tragic Suicides of LB Bonner and Destinee LaShaee
The psychological toll of the show has been devastating for some participants.
James “LB” Bonner from Season 6 was a fan favorite who lost significant weight and seemed to be turning his life around. But his social media posts hinted at deep depression. On August 2, 2018, Bonner died by suicide at age 30.
His family sued the production company Megalomedia for gross negligence, claiming they pressured Bonner to film despite his unstable mental state, failed to provide promised medical coverage, and ignored warning signs. The lawsuit forced the industry to reconsider its responsibility toward vulnerable participants.
Destinee LaShaee, the show’s first transgender star, appeared in Season 7 and lost over 500 pounds. But her mental health didn’t improve along with her physical health. She also sued the show for emotional distress.
On February 8, 2022, LaShaee died at age 31. While the official cause wasn’t always listed as suicide, her brother’s statement said “I’m sorry you felt like you had no other choice,” strongly suggesting she took her own life.
Deaths from Surgery Complications and Sepsis
Weight loss surgery is risky for anyone, but it’s especially dangerous for people carrying 600+ pounds. Several participants died from complications.
Coliesa McMillian from Season 8 started at 643 pounds and had already suffered a heart attack at age 39. After her weight loss surgery, a suture on her gastric sleeve failed, allowing stomach contents to leak into her abdominal cavity. This caused severe sepsis.
She was put on a ventilator and in a coma for over two weeks. Although she woke up, the damage was done. She went into acute kidney failure and died on September 22, 2020, at age 41.
Ashley Randall from Season 1 was initially a success story, dropping to 253 pounds. But her father’s death in 2011 triggered a relapse. Years later, even though she’d renewed her weight loss efforts, her body couldn’t fight off a simple infection. In October 2021 at age 40, she contracted pneumonia that turned into sepsis and killed her.
Heart Attacks and Organ Failure
The heart of someone weighing 600+ pounds is under constant extreme stress. For many participants, the heart simply gave out.
James King from Season 5 is remembered as one of the show’s most difficult cases because his family kept enabling his eating. His weight fluctuated wildly, reaching nearly 840 pounds. Dr. Now eventually dismissed him from the program for not following the rules.
On April 3, 2020, King died at age 49 from multiple organ failure. His kidneys and liver shut down from septic shock. To maintain 800+ pounds requires eating over 10,000 calories daily, which destroys your organs.
Sean Milliken from Season 4 weighed over 1,000 pounds and had a deeply codependent relationship with his mother Renee. When she died in 2017, Sean’s world fell apart. He regained hundreds of pounds in a short time.
In February 2019 at age 29, he was hospitalized for an infection that triggered cardiac arrest. He died essentially from grief. Without his mother, he couldn’t maintain any kind of health routine.
More recently, Latonya Pottain from Season 11 died in May 2025 at age 40 from congestive heart failure. The tragedy was made worse by the fact that when she went into cardiac arrest, EMTs reportedly called her transport a “fire hazard” because of her size, delaying her getting to the hospital.
The Alarming Surge in Deaths from 2023 to 2025
The past few years have been particularly deadly for former cast members, suggesting the long-term damage from extreme obesity eventually catches up no matter what.
In 2023 alone, Angela Gutierrez, Vianey Rodriguez, Larry Myers Jr., and Paul MacNeill all died.
Angela Gutierrez from Season 7 died on March 21, 2023 at age 49. She’d left Dr. Now’s program to return to Ohio, unable to handle being isolated in Houston. Before her death, she posted about her oxygen levels being dangerously low “in the 70s.” She died from respiratory failure.
Vianey Rodriguez from Season 7 appeared with her husband Allen. While Allen did well, Vianey struggled. She died November 20, 2023 at age 41 from pneumonia complications. Her body just couldn’t fight off the infection.
Larry Myers Jr. from Season 10 was a gospel singer who charmed viewers with his personality. He died of a massive heart attack on June 13, 2023, just days after his 49th birthday.
Paul MacNeill from Season 10 was actually a success story, but he died in a car accident on September 21, 2023 at age 37 while driving to work. Unlike most others on this list, his death had nothing to do with his weight. He’d been doing well and was preparing to get married.
The deaths continued in 2025 with Dottie Perkins, Lupe Samano, and Pauline Potter all passing away.
Dottie Perkins from Season 4 died June 14, 2025 at age 44. Her story on the show focused on her son who had cerebral palsy. After he died, her health tanked. She spent her final years bedridden.
Lupe Samano from Season 4 died September 12, 2025 at age 50. She’d spent a decade in bed before the show and had a history of diabetic comas. The diabetes likely contributed to her death.
Pauline Potter from Season 3, a former Guinness World Record holder for heaviest woman, died November 27, 2025 at age 62. She’d been in a serious car accident in January 2025 that broke her ribs and caused an esophageal blockage. Then she got COVID-19, and her heart finally gave out. A crash that might be survivable for an average-weight person triggered a fatal chain reaction for her.
Other Notable Deaths
Lisa Fleming from Season 6 was found to have maggots living in the folds of her skin when she came on the show, showing just how severe her hygiene challenges were. She managed to lose 200 pounds after surgery but died August 23, 2018 at age 50. Her daughter said her body was just “tired.”
Renee Biran from Season 6 died May 14, 2021 at age 56 from Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare disorder where the immune system attacks the nerves. It led to respiratory failure.
Gina Krasley from Season 8 died August 1, 2021 at age 30 from an undisclosed illness. She’d been dealing with severe immobility and nerve pain, and was also involved in legal disputes with the show.
Laura Ann Perez from Season 3 died November 17, 2021 at age 48 from an undisclosed cause. She had a history of childhood trauma and was oxygen-dependent.
What This All Means
The death toll from My 600-lb Life tells a story the show’s hopeful editing doesn’t always capture. Super-morbid obesity does incredible damage to your heart, kidneys, liver, and immune system. Even with surgery and weight loss, that damage often can’t be fully reversed.
The participants who start at 600, 700, or 800+ pounds have often reached a point of no return where their organs are already failing. Weight loss can help, but for many, the intervention comes too late.
The psychological toll is also real. Being stripped of your main coping mechanism (food), separated from family to relocate to Houston, and having cameras document your lowest moments takes a serious mental health toll.
The lawsuits filed by families of LB Bonner, Destinee LaShaee, and Gina Krasley have raised important questions about whether the production company does enough to protect vulnerable participants who are trading their privacy and dignity for a chance at survival.
These deaths aren’t just statistics. They’re real people who struggled with an incredibly difficult condition and didn’t make it. The show gives hope to some, but the mortality rate among this population remains heartbreakingly high.
