Dolly Martinez, who appeared on Season 10 of TLC's My 600-lb Life and openly shared her battles with food addiction and mental health, has died at the age of 30, according to her family and her mother.
"It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my beautiful sister, Dolly," Cooper wrote. "Dolly had the brightest personality—she could light up any room with her laughter, her kindness, and her loving spirit. She had a way of making everyone feel special, and her warmth will stay with us forever."
Her health declined rapidly in late March. According to Thurman, Martinez was admitted to the hospital on March 29 with fluid around her heart and lungs. The following day, doctors placed her in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator. She never regained consciousness.
Appearance on TV Reality Series
Martinez came to public attention through her appearance on "My 600-lb Life," the long-running TLC reality series that follows individuals with severe obesity as they seek medical help and attempt weight loss surgery. During her episode, Martinez weighed 593 pounds, relied on supplemental oxygen, and required assistance with basic daily activities.In one instance on the show, Martinez spoke openly about the emotional roots of her relationship with food.
"The only thing powerful enough to distract me from darker thoughts is food. Food is my go-to drug that takes my pain away," she said during her episode. "Food is more than just a pleasure. It's my reason for existing."
She also reflected on the cycle she felt trapped in. "Food has caused all of the things I hate about my life, but it is the only thing I have ever had to help me feel good, and I don't know where to even begin to change that," she said. "Ever since I can remember, food was just a coping thing, I guess. It just made me happy. It still does. Food just makes me happy."
In hopes of qualifying for weight loss surgery, Martinez relocated from Fort Worth to Houston to be closer to her treating physician. She lost approximately 40 pounds during her time on the program but was ultimately not approved for the procedure.
In a follow-up Facebook post on April 12, Cooper pushed back against online criticism directed at her family in the aftermath of her sister's death, asking that the public remember Martinez as a full person beyond her television appearance.
Cooper asked that anyone reaching out do so through herself or her wife, rather than through their mother, who she said needs privacy during the grieving period.