It is a heavy show. Honestly, "My 600-lb Life" isn't just about the numbers on the scale; it's about the sheer fragility of the human body when it's pushed to the absolute brink. If you've spent any time watching Dr. Nowzaradan’s patients, you know the stakes aren't just "getting healthy." They are literally fighting for their next breath. People often search for who died on 600 lb life because they want closure, or maybe because the reality of the show hits so close to home.
The truth is stark. Since the show premiered on TLC in 2012, more than a dozen cast members have passed away. Some died during filming, others years later after seemingly succeeding. Every time a name pops up in the news, it sends a ripple through the fan base. Why? Because we watched their most vulnerable moments—the showers, the breakdowns, the first time they walked without a walker.
But when we talk about who died on 600 lb life, we aren't just looking at a list of names. We're looking at a systemic failure of health, the complications of rapid weight loss, and the mental health toll that surgery can't fix.
The Faces We Lost: A Reality Check
Henry Foots was the first. He was in Season 1. He was such a success story, dropping from 715 pounds to 275. He actually died on the operating table during a skin removal surgery, was revived, and famously said he saw the light. He lived for a while longer before passing away in 2013 from undisclosed causes. It was a wake-up call for viewers. Even when you "win" the weight loss battle, the damage done to the heart over decades of morbid obesity doesn't just vanish.
Then there was Robert Buchel. His story was devastating. Robert passed away in 2017 while filming his episode. He had a massive heart attack. Watching his fiancée, Kathryn, try to navigate that grief on camera was one of the rawest moments in reality TV history. Robert had lost over 200 pounds, but his body just gave out. It highlights a nuance most people miss: weight loss is a massive strain on an already weakened cardiovascular system.
The Heartbreak of James King and Kelly Mason
James King became a recurring figure on the show, mostly because of his struggles with the diet and his relationship with his wife, Lisa. He died in 2020 at the age of 49. His cause of death involved septic shock and kidney failure. It wasn't just the weight; it was the secondary infections and the way the body starts to shut down when it can no longer process the toxic load of extreme obesity.
Kelly Mason’s death felt different. She was a standout in Season 7. She was hardworking, motivated, and genuinely seemed to be turning a corner. She died in her sleep from heart failure just one day before her 42nd birthday. Dr. Now was visibly shaken. He told her grieving father that she was no longer in pain, but the loss felt like a gut punch to everyone watching because she was doing everything "right."
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Why Does This Keep Happening?
It isn't just about the food. When you look at who died on 600 lb life, you see a pattern of late-stage intervention. By the time these individuals reach 600, 700, or 800 pounds, their internal organs are essentially operating in a state of constant emergency.
The liver is fatty. The heart is enlarged (cardiomegaly). The lungs are compressed.
- Sean Milliken: Passed at 29. He had a massive infection that led to cardiac arrest.
- L.B. Bonner: A fan favorite who took his own life. This opened up a massive conversation about the "transfer addiction" or the depression that follows when you can no longer use food as a coping mechanism.
- Coliesa McMillian: Died following complications from her weight loss surgery.
These aren't just statistics. They are people who were desperate.
The medical reality is that bariatric surgery is a tool, not a cure. The mortality rate for the "super-obese" (those with a BMI over 50) is significantly higher during and after surgery than for the average gastric bypass patient. When Dr. Nowzaradan tells a patient they are "one bite away from a heart attack," he isn't being dramatic for the cameras. He is stating a physiological fact.
The Mental Health Variable
We have to talk about L.B. Bonner and Destinee LaShaee. Their deaths weren't caused by physical heart failure in the traditional sense. Destinee was the show’s first transgender star and was incredibly open about her struggles with depression. She passed away in 2022. L.B. Bonner’s death in 2018 shocked the community because he had been such a vocal advocate for health after losing half his body weight.
These tragedies point to a massive gap in the treatment of extreme obesity. You can cut the stomach, but you can't "cut" the trauma that led to the eating disorder in the first place. When the weight drops, the protective layer of fat is gone, and the person is left staring at the same trauma they tried to bury under 10,000 calories a day.
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The Full List of Cast Members Who Have Passed
It is a long list now.
Henry Foots (Season 1) died in 2013. Sean Milliken (Season 4) died in 2019. James "L.B." Bonner (Season 6) died in 2018. Lisa Fleming (Season 6) died in 2018, just months after her episode aired. Rob Buchel (Season 6) died in 2017. James King (Season 5) died in 2020. Kelly Mason (Season 7) died in 2019. Coliesa McMillian (Season 8) died in 2020. Renee Biran (Season 6) passed in 2021. Gina Krasley (Season 8) passed in 2021. Ashley Randall (Season 1) died in 2021. Destinee LaShaee (Season 7) died in 2022. Larry Edwards (Season 10) died in 2022.
Every single one of these deaths is a tragedy. Some were caused by the very complications the surgery was meant to prevent. Others were the result of the long-term damage already done to their hearts and kidneys.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Risks
People think the surgery is the "easy way out." It's actually a high-risk gamble. When you are 600 pounds, anesthesia is a nightmare. Intubating a patient with that much neck tissue is a technical challenge that can turn fatal in seconds. Then there’s the post-op risk of blood clots. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolisms are the silent killers in this community.
Furthermore, the "refeeding syndrome" or sudden shifts in electrolytes can trigger arrhythmias. The body is an ecosystem. When you change the inputs as drastically as Dr. Now demands, the body sometimes revolts.
Actionable Insights and Reality Check
If you or someone you love is struggling with morbid obesity, the show provides a few hard-learned lessons that are backed by clinical data.
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- Don't wait for the "perfect" moment to start. Most of the cast members who passed away had waited until they were completely bedbound. The earlier the intervention, the higher the survival rate.
- Mental health is the foundation. Weight loss surgery fails or leads to dark places if it isn't accompanied by intensive therapy. Transfer addiction (moving from food to alcohol or drugs) is a documented risk.
- The "Goal Weight" isn't the finish line. Many of the deaths occurred after significant weight loss. The focus must remain on cardiac health and metabolic stability, not just the number on the scale.
- Support systems matter. Look at the difference between patients with enabling families and those with supportive ones. Enabling literally kills.
The legacy of who died on 600 lb life shouldn't just be a trivia list. It should be a somber reminder that obesity is a complex, multi-faceted disease. It’s a combination of genetics, environment, and often, profound psychological pain. Dr. Nowzaradan's "tough love" might seem harsh, but in a world where your heart is struggling to pump blood through miles of extra tissue, "harsh" is often the only thing that keeps you alive.
To truly honor those who lost their lives after appearing on the show, we have to look past the "shock factor" of their weight. We have to see the humans who were trying to find a way back to a life they felt they had lost. Their stories serve as both a warning and a desperate plea for better early-stage intervention in the global obesity crisis.
If you're following the show, pay attention to the success stories too, like Justin McSwain or Brittani Fulfer. They show that while the path is dangerous, it is possible. But it requires a total overhaul of the soul, not just the stomach.
Next Steps for Understanding Bariatric Health:
- Research the "Staged Approach": Many high-risk patients now undergo a sleeve gastrectomy first to lose enough weight to safely handle a full bypass later.
- Audit Support Networks: If you are helping someone with weight loss, learn the difference between helping and enabling.
- Focus on Non-Scale Victories (NSVs): Prioritize mobility and respiratory function over the aesthetic of weight loss, as these are the primary indicators of longevity.
- Consult Specialists: Extreme weight loss requires a team—cardiologists, therapists, and dietitians—not just a surgeon.
The journey doesn't end when the cameras stop rolling. For the cast of My 600-lb Life, every day is a tightrope walk between a new beginning and the heavy toll of the past.