Another member of the My 600-lb. Life family has died.
Charity Pierce, whose weight-loss journey was first documented on Season 3 of the TLC series, passed away on Tuesday surrounded by loved ones, TMZ reports. She was 50 years old.
A source told the outlet that prior to her death, Charity had been in hospice care for at least a month due to ongoing medical issues, including lymphedema and fluid buildup in her lungs– the latter of which, the source said, may have contributed to Charity’s death. Charity was also diagnosed with kidney cancer in recent years, which required her to undergo surgery; however, no official cause of death has been released.
Charity’s daughter, Charly Jo, confirmed the news of her mother’s passing this week on Facebook, telling followers that her mom is “finally at peace.”
“ … fly high momma,” Charly wrote. “I hope you know how much I love you and how grateful I was to be by your side while you took your last breath.”
When Charity made her debut on Season 3 of ‘My 600-lb. Life,’ she was 39 years-old and weighed 778 pounds. During her episode, Charity opened up about her difficult childhood and how she began turning to food for comfort at a young age.
“I had a pretty bad childhood, my father was a drunk,” Charity recalled. “I was so scared of him, I remember running when it was time for him to get off work. He would throw the dishes out of the cupboard, and he would punch us in the back of the head and it felt like my whole life was in panic all the time. Every night after he passed out, my comfort was to go in the kitchen and eat and remember I used to love those times in the kitchen by myself. I was okay as long as I was eating. My only comfort was food … .”
Charity went on to explain during the episode that while this habit began as a way for her to find comfort, it “ended up an addiction.”
Charly– who helped care for Charity at the time along with Charity’s then-fiancé, Tony– shared with viewers at the beginning of the episode that she believed her mom had given up on herself, claiming that Charity had even admitted at times that she didn’t want to live anymore.
Despite Charity’s struggles, she was able to successfully undergo gastric bypass surgery and at the end of her episode, it was revealed that she had lost 282 pounds within a year.
“I’m so thankful for my life today,” Charity said. “Everything I’ve done in the past year-and-a-half, all that pain and struggle has been worth it.”
When cameras returned more than four years later for an update on Charity’s weight-loss journey on My 600-lb. Life: Where Are They Now, it was revealed that Charity was turning to food for comfort again, as well as alcohol. She also explained that she had distanced herself from loved ones, claiming that being around them reminded her of her past struggles.
Throughout the episode, Charity worked to reconnect with Charly, who ultimately encouraged her mom to stop drinking alcohol. Charity told viewers that the conversation with Charly had also motivated her to “get [her] life together,” which she did by exercising daily and resuming the diet that Dr. Nowzaradan had her follow years earlier.
“Almost five years ago, I was close to death and barely able to do anything,” Charity said. “But now I have my life back and a chance at the future I want, as long as I stay focused and work hard to prove to Charly and myself that I can do this and make it to where I set out to be.”
Charity is reportedly the 22nd cast member from the ‘My 600-lb. Life’ franchise to die after (or while) appearing on the TLC series and is the third cast member from Season 3 to pass away.
Watch Charity’s journey on ‘My 600-lb. Life’ Where Are They Now’ below.
(Photos: TLC; YouTube)
