You’ve seen the photos. They are haunting. A series of mugshots tracking a woman’s physical transformation over years, used by thousands of internet trolls and "scare tactic" websites to illustrate the horrors of drug abuse. Her name is Misty Loman. For a long time, the internet basically treated her like a ghost or a cautionary tale rather than a human being.
But here is the truth: Misty Loman is alive. In fact, she’s been doing a lot more than just surviving. While the world was busy sharing her 2019 "before and after" photos, Misty was fighting a battle that most people couldn't even imagine. It wasn’t just about addiction. It was about cancer, grief, and a system that almost let her slip through the cracks.
The Viral Photos That Lied
When those mugshots went viral, the narrative was simple. People pointed at her gaunt face and hair loss and blamed "meth." It’s a convenient story for a meme, but it’s mostly wrong.
Honestly, it's pretty heartbreaking. Misty was suffering from lupus, bone cancer, and scleroderma. Scleroderma is a brutal autoimmune disease that causes the skin to harden and tighten. It’s what caused the specific changes to her facial structure that the internet mocked.
She also lost three children. Two died at birth, and one died in a tragic accident involving a car. If you want to know why someone spirals into substance abuse, that kind of unimaginable trauma is usually the spark. She wasn't just a "drug user." She was a grieving mother with a terminal illness.
Where Is Misty Loman Now?
As of 2026, Misty has managed to stay out of the legal spotlight and focused on her health. She hasn't just "recovered"—she’s reinvented herself.
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- Sobriety: She has maintained long-term sobriety, a feat many thought impossible given the state she was in during the late 2010s.
- Health Management: She continues to battle her chronic illnesses, but with medical support rather than self-medication.
- Advocacy: She has spent time working with recovery centers, like Wayside Recovery, to show that "anyone can experience recovery."
She looks different today. Not because of the drugs, but because she’s a survivor. She’s had dental work, her hair has grown back at various stages depending on her treatments, and she has a spark in her eyes that was completely absent in those viral police photos.
The Reality of Bone Cancer and Lupus
People see a photo and think they know the whole story. They don't.
Misty’s physical appearance was heavily impacted by chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is poison that we use to kill a different kind of poison. It takes your hair. It thins your skin. It breaks your spirit. When you mix that with scleroderma—which can literally pull the skin tight across your skull—you get the "look" that the internet turned into a meme.
It’s gross, frankly. How we treat people.
She wasn't just high; she was dying. And she chose to live instead.
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The Family Support System
Misty didn't do this alone. Her sister, Treasa Dunning, has been a vocal advocate for her. A few years back, a GoFundMe was set up to help with her medical bills, dentures, and basic housing. It’s a reminder that recovery isn't just about "saying no." It’s about having a place to sleep and the ability to chew food.
The "Prayer Warriors for Misty Loman" group on Facebook became a hub for people who actually knew her. Not the meme version. The real version.
Why the Internet Got It Wrong
The internet loves a villain or a victim. It hates nuance.
If we acknowledge that Misty had cancer and lost three kids, we have to feel bad for her. If we just say "don't do drugs," we get to feel superior. Most people chose the second option. But her story is a masterclass in why we shouldn't judge a book by its (admittedly rough) cover.
She went through the fire. She’s still standing.
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What We Can Learn From Misty
Don't share the memes. Seriously. Every time those mugshots get reposted, a real person with a real family has to see them.
Instead, look at her story as proof that there is no "point of no return." If a woman with bone cancer, lupus, and a decade of addiction can find her way back to her family and her health, then almost anyone can.
Next Steps for Support and Awareness:
- Educate on Scleroderma: Learn how autoimmune diseases affect physical appearance to avoid misidentifying illness as drug use.
- Support Local Recovery: Donate to organizations like Wayside Recovery Center that focus on women’s holistic healing.
- Humanize Addiction: Treat substance abuse as a health crisis rooted in trauma rather than a moral failure.
Misty Loman is a survivor. She’s alive, she’s sober, and she’s a reminder that the loudest voices on the internet are usually the ones with the least information.