Another alum of My 600-lb Life has passed away.
Dolly Martinez was only 30.
She was even younger when she appeared on Season 10 of the TLC reality series.
What happened? Here’s what her family has shared. …
It was her own sibling who broke the tragic news
Her sister, Lindsey, shared the sad news on a Saturday, April 11 Facebook post.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my beautiful sister, Dolly,” her mournful post began.
“Dolly had the brightest personality,” Lindsey praised.
She elaborated: “She could light up any room with her laughter, her kindness, and her loving spirit.”
Lindsey affirmed: “She had a way of making everyone feel special, and her warmth will stay with us forever.”
“While our hearts are broken here,” Lindsey continued, “I find comfort in knowing she is now reunited with our dad in heaven.”
She added: “I can only imagine the joy of that reunion.”
Lindsey wrote: “Rest peacefully, Dolly. You will always be loved, always be missed, and never forgotten.”
She concluded her tribute to her dearly departed sister by asking loved ones to contact her or her wife and not others, as some people require peace and quiet as they mourn.
(We have, for obvious reasons, not chosen to republish private phone numbers here.)
What was her cause of death?
We do not yet know what Dolly’s official cause of death was.
She was only 30 years old.
When Dolly appeared on Season 10 of TLC’s controversial series, My 600-lb Life, she weighed 593 pounds.
Different people carry weight in different ways. In her case, being this size meant that she relied upon supplemental oxygen.
She also required assistance with daily tasks.
While on the show, Dolly discussed how food provided her with emotional support that she was unable to derive elsewhere.
This began in early childhood. Her father’s addiction led to her parents’ divorce, and as she spent more time on her own, she sought comfort from food.
Most people can relate to the joy that food brings. Balancing that with making safe and healthy choices for ourselves is a balance to which many relate.
According to her mother’s statements on My 600-lb Life, Dolly experienced stigma as a child, which led to her turning to food. This became an ingrained behavior and a self-perpetuating cycle.
Over the course of Season 10, Dolly lost about 40 pounds, but never received approval for the weight loss surgery that she sought.
Some are quick to blame the TLC series, but …
My 600-lb Life is a controversial series.
(The best that one can honestly say about it is that it’s better than The Biggest Loser, which many cite as a true reality TV atrocity.)
Some of the alums have sued. Some surviving family members have also sued.
Taking a group of vulnerable people who are in need of help and turning their struggles into entertainment is always going to be off-putting to many. Especially because many believe that the rapid weight loss that people undergo puts added strain on their health.
For now, though, we have no idea whether Dolly’s death was related to her previous weight or to any degree of weight loss. Our hearts go out to her loved ones at this time.