'My 600-lb Life' star Latonya Pottain dies at 40 after becoming completely bedridden

SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA: 'My 600-lb Life' star Latonya Pottain, who appeared on Season 11 of the TLC show, died after suffering a cardiac arrest on Saturday, May 17, at CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center in Shreveport, according to TMZ.

Pottain first appeared on the TLC show in 2023 when her weight left her mostly bedbound. The preliminary autopsy report found that Pottain died from congestive heart failure, per the outlet.

Latonya Pottain was hospitalized after having difficulty breathing

Latonya Pottain's brother told TMZ that he and other family members had visited her at her home on Saturday morning and saw that she was having trouble breathing. She told them she was "extremely uncomfortable". Her brother added that she did not "look well."

A nurse later called Pottain's brother to tell them that the reality show star had called an ambulance to bring her to the hospital because she was going into cardiac arrest, which ended her life, per the outlet.

In harrowing scenes from the show in 2023, Pottain, who weighed around 632 lbs (287 kg) at the time, proclaimed that food "took the stress away" as her carer brought her breakfast in bed, according to the Daily Mail.

She said in the show, "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."

Notably, Pottain had visited with the show's Doctor Younan Nowzaradan five years before, when she weighed 482 lbs (194 kg), but had left the weight loss program, per the outlet.

Despite being determined to change after battling with her weight her whole life, the reality show star struggled with the strict new diet and was seen eating fried food before gaining weight at her next weigh-in.

Latonya Pottain sought financial help for medical treatment

Latonya Pottain made a GoFundMe page in February seeking financial support after being bedridden since June 2024 due to severe health issues, and weighing 740 pounds, according to USA Today.

She wrote in her GoFundMe page, "I worked extremely hard to get it down.... My journey with weight struggles has been a long and difficult one. In 2022, I was featured on 'My 600-lb Life,' where I started at 531 pounds and worked hard to get down to 505 pounds."

"However, after the show aired, I experienced overwhelming backlash, which sent me into a deep depression. My mental health suffered, and I became fearful of undergoing weight loss surgery," she added.

Moreover, she revealed that she moved to Houston in 2023 for a "fresh start" but found herself in an abusive relationship while coping with her father's cancer diagnosis.

"Unable to take the emotional and physical toll, I returned home to Louisiana. Unfortunately, my health continued to decline, and I developed severe sciatica nerve pain, which caused extreme stomach cramps," Pottain wrote.

She added, "I was prescribed fentanyl, but my body rejected the medication, leading me to begin therapy. Now, I am completely bedridden and unable to get to the hospital because EMTs say transporting me would be a fire hazard due to my weight."

Internet reacts as Latonya Pottain dies at 40 from congestive heart failure

Netizens shared their condolences after the news of Latonya Pottain's death emerged. 

A X user wrote, "RIP to Latonya Pottain,40, who appeared on TLC's #600lbLife Latonya was still working on her weight loss journey, sharing her story on tt. Prayers to her family & friends," while one added, "RIP Latonya Pottain."

A person said, "My prayers to the family," whereas someone else mentioned, "This is sad. My dad passed away from the same thing and he wasn’t a big man."

One more wrote, "Very sad. Her heart couldn’t take the demand, all the pressure to carrying the weight. May she rest in peace."

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