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“My 600-Lb Life” is an American reality television series that focuses on providing both medical insight and awareness about the United States’ growing problem – obesity. The series documents the journey of numerous patients as they seek surgical aid on their weight loss journey, sharing their emotional stories with the cameras.
Airing on the TLC network, “My 600-Lb Life” is hosted by Houston-based doctor and surgeon Younan Nowzaradan, known mononymously as Dr. Now, and who is also known for providing surgery to patients who do not qualify, albeit in kindness towards those who really need surgery.
Of course, Dr. Now earned appreciation among viewers for his strict approach towards his patients, as he requires that they lose an amount of weight before he performs bariatric surgery, by placing his patients on a strict diet and exercise plan.
With obesity affecting nearly half of the American population, there are no doubt many viewers who can relate, and judging by “My 600-Lb Life”s popularity, the series has provided ample entertainment, and perhaps encouragement .
The first season, filmed over a period of seven years, aired in January of 2012, and was a smashing success that created a demand for additional seasons, which would be filmed over shorter periods. Now in its eleventh season, with several spin-offs also airing, “My 600-Lb Life” has proven its worth on reality television, and seems to remain popular with TLC’s audiences.
With so many patients coming in and out of Dr. Now’s surgery, regular viewers no doubt met many faces on the show, some whom they liked and others they disapproved of, as over the course of its time on air, the series created many stars. Unfortunately, some of the patients featured on “My 600-Lb Life” don’t succeed on their journey, and the show has also lost many former stars, a few during but most after the procedure.
Obesity is a serious affliction that requires medical attention – the perspective the series wants to clarify for its audience, and the deaths of late patients act as proof of the risks associated with obesity. Though sad as it is, “My 600-Lb Life” ‘s viewers have possibly grown used to hearing the news about another patient who passed away.
Coliesa McMillian became one such patient when she passed away in 2020, following her appearance on the show. However, it seemed that TLC aired McMillian’s story providing a deceiving narrative that Coliesa’s remaining family pointed out on social media. With odd circumstances surrounding McMillian’s passing, viewers and fans of “My 600-Lb Life” no doubt have plenty of questions, but as can be expected, TLC remained silent about Coliesa, offering only their condolences to the McMillian family.
‘My 600-lb Life’ Star Coliesa McMillan’s Recovery, Weight Loss Surgery Complications Put Her On Life Support https://t.co/seVd1tpUBz pic.twitter.com/l2Z13pNYrH
— Healthy Fresh Recipes (@healthyfreshre1) April 29, 2020
What To Expect
Considering that there are many people interested in knowing the truth about the mysterious circumstances surrounding Coliesa’s passing, it seems only fitting that we seek out whatever answers are to be found. In our search, we will briefly revisit Coliesa’s appearance on “My 600-Lb Life”, and give an account of what is known about her life.
Following this, we will take a look at what happened to Coliesa, specifically clearing up the details about her death, including into how she actually died, before addressing the misleading feature TLC published about McMillian.
A Fatal Appearance
Coliesa McMillian appeared in the 8th season of “My 600-Lb Life”, aired in 2020, at the age of 41, although already facing numerous health issues related to her obesity. Coliesa shared her tragic story with Dr. Now’s audience, telling of how she suffered a heart attack at the age of 39, two years before appearing on the show.
Unfortunately, McMillian’s heavyweight prevented her from undergoing surgery, and her heart was never properly fixed. Sadly, following Coliesa’s health scare, her fiance, known only as Melvin, passed away in a car accident, the tragic event leading McMillian to seek the comforts of food, subsequently ignoring her declining health.
As McMillian admitted on the show, she eventually became confined to her bed, and incapable of normal everyday tasks. However, she was still a mother, and for the sake of her family, when the opportunity came, McMillian accepted an invitation to appear on “My 600-Lb Life”.
Hoping to lose weight, and perhaps seeking to tend to her health problems, Coliesa’s brave journey aired on TLC network, as she began losing weight in preparation for bariatric surgery. Unfortunately, following Coliesa’s passing, TLC has since pulled her episode from “My 600-Lb Life”s archive, so is no longer watchable.
Viewers who happened to have seen Coliesa’s episode would remember her brave journey as she met with Dr. Now. However, as Dr. Now is known, he insisted on operating as soon as possible, suggesting that McMillian’s underlying heart problems could lead to serious consequences, were he not to operate immediately.
Sadly, Coliesa’s surgery did not quite go as intended, and although Dr. Now successfully performed the bariatric surgery, Coliesa suffered complications afterward that would cost her her life. According to Wikipedia, Coliesa died of kidney failure and other effects related to the weight loss surgery she received, dating her death on 22 September 2020. However, conflicting reports suggest that Coliesa passed away in 2022.
The Truth About Coliesa McMillian’s Death
According to in-depth reports done by the gossip publication Starcasm, McMillian’s condition quickly worsened following her operation, as a suture from the surgery ruptured. Subsequently, Coliesa was hospitalised for a month, but while remaining in medical care, McMillian developed Sepsis and was in need of urgent surgical care.
It was reported that Coliesa passed away while doctors were working on helping her, though a closer look revealed that Hannah, McMillian’s daughter, stated several weeks later that she survived. According to Hannah, Coliesa’s condition was improving, but, in August of 2022, Coliesa was readmitted to the hospital and passed away a month later.
Starcasm also reported that conflicting reports exist about Coliesa’s exact cause of death, and took to further inquiry. According to the gossip publications, the documented cause of death seemed inaccurate, especially following consultation with McMillian’s niece, Blair Shelton. Shelton is a practising nurse and presumably stated on social media that Coliesa’s gastric sleeve surgery was simply too much for the late reality star.
Shelton shared some details in a lengthy statement, in which she accuses TLC of not following the correct timeline in the portrayal of Coliesa’s episode. According to Blair, McMillian did not fully recover from the surgery and spent two months on a ventilator in a local Houston hospital.
Shelton explained that Coliesa was partially paralyzed and confined to a hospital bed, which caused her to develop bedsores, and a urinary tract infection, along with septic wounds from the surgery. Shelton also explained that Coliesa was afraid of going to the doctor, hoping to protect her daughter and unborn grandchild from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, Coliesa’s condition worsened when her kidneys began failing, resulting in McMillian being rushed to the emergency room. Coliesa was placed on antibiotics, but sadly it was ineffective, and a week after being rushed to hospital, Coliesa passed away.
Despite the conflicting reports and the accusations of McMillian’s family, TLC has remained quiet about Coliesa’s death. Dr. Now has faced scrutiny before about his considerably unethical medical practices, though, of course, Dr. Now, the network, and the team behind “My 600-Lb Life” have not taken any responsibility in the matter.
Dr. Now and the show’s producers faced legal charges in 2022, filed against them by a collective of representatives, mostly made up of family members and previous patients. However, the case was dismissed in the Appellate Court of Texas, but so far neither the doctor nor the show has faced any serious consequences.
Conclusion
Obesity is not a small matter, and as can be seen on “My 600-Lb Life” the health risks can clearly be extremely fatal. While no one has taken any certain responsibility for Coliesa’s death, her story, and her life, became one element of proof that America is facing a medical catastrophe.
The circumstances surrounding McMillian’s passing certainly seem to point fault at both the complications of obesity, and perhaps the immoral practices of reality television, but Coliesa will certainly be missed, and always remembered by her friends, family, and the viewers familiar with her journey.
To learn more about the American health struggle, “My 600-Lb Life”, among numerous other titles, provides everything there is to know in documented details. Feel free to catch the latest episodes of “My 600-Lb Life” or any of its spin-offs.
