LaTonya Pottain, who appeared on the eleventh season of the TLC reality show My 600-lb Life, has died. She was 40.
She passed away Saturday, May 17, at CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.
A spokesperson for the Natchitoches Parish Coroner’s Office told The New York Post no autopsy was performed, but her preliminary cause of death was found to be congestive heart failure.
Pottain’s brother told TMZ that family members had visited her at her home on Saturday morning and noticed she was having trouble breathing and was “extremely uncomfortable.”
Later that day, Pottain called an ambulance after she went into cardiac arrest.
Pottain was born on September 1, 1984. She became a well-known figure through her appearances on My 600-lb Life.
She regularly consulted with Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, also known as Dr. Now, who told her that he was unable to help her because she had failed to stay on her weight-loss program. Every time she met with the doctor, she learned she had gained weight. She lost weight on only one occasion, after she was hospitalized due to her heart issues.
When she first saw the doctor, she was 482 pounds. She returned five years later, and weighed 631 pounds.
She attributed her difficulty losing weight to a succession of mental health issues. "When I eat, it takes the stress away," she said in one episode. "That's what I do to help me cope with things.
"I know the food is unhealthy and not good for me. But with the habit that I have for long, it's hard to change it. I'm disappointed in myself for getting to this place."
After she left the show, Pottain continued to share her attempts to lose weight on TikTok.
A year ago, she wrote on Facebook: “Y’all pray for me my heart not working right and there is nothing more the doctors can do here in Louisiana please keep me lifted.”
On social media, several users paid tribute to her. One wrote: “RIP to Latonya Pottain, 40, who appeared on TLC's 600lb Life Latonya was still working on her weight loss journey, sharing her story on tt. Prayers to her family & friends.”
An obituary posted on the Winnfield Memorial Funeral Home site reads simply: “Please join us in prayer for this dear family as they complete final care arrangements for their deceased loved one.”
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