There’s no shortage of tragedies featured in TLC’s “My 600-lb Life”. Although the show mostly gives a realistic insight into the journey of dozens of morbidly obese people who want another chance at a healthier life, some of these stories don’t end well for participants and their loved ones.
That can be said about Robert Buchel, a Season 6 participant who passed away in 2017 as his episode was filmed. The loss left “My 600-lb Life” viewers flabbergasted and sad, yet many can’t help but wonder what happened to Robert to lead him to such an unfortunate outcome, and whether there was something behind the scenes that the audience didn’t get to see.
So what actually happened to Robert Buchel? Keep with us to learn all about him!
What Happened To Him?
When Robert Buchel was introduced in the sixth season of “My 600-lb Life” , he was 41 years old and weighed 842 lbs, close to 400kgs. He lived in Forked River, New Jersey, and was engaged to Kathryn Lemanski, with whom he’d been together with since their early 20s.
Unfortunately, the “My 600-lb Life” audience only got to know very little about Robert’s life outside of his weight loss journey, as his debut episode in the show was also his last; he died on 15 November 2017 while at a Houston hospital. Some of his last moments were featured in the show, and it was also confirmed that Kathryn was with him on his final night.
As reported by The Washington Post, health professionals tried to revive him for hours before he was declared dead. Later reports confirmed the cause of death as a heart attack. According to Kathryn, Robert told her that he wouldn’t ‘make it through the night’ hours. It was a sad episode through and through, on top of being the first episode in the show’s history to feature a participant who died while filming.
Controversy
Although Robert Buchel’s weight loss journey and unfortunate passing were thoroughly featured in “My 600-lb Life”, many viewers were left with many questions regarding the cause of his demise, regardless of the official reports. This uncertainty wasn’t the only controversy that arose from Robert’s case, as his fiancée Kathryn Lemanski was the subject of cruel accusations and harassment online, following the revelation of his passing.
As Kathryn commented in an interview with Starcasm, fans of the show accused her of murdering Robert, on top of receiving other demeaning remarks which not only involved her but Robert as well. Another shocking revelation by Kathryn was the fact that she was sent dozens of unwanted sexual pics on social media.
While it isn’t strange for “My 600-lb Life” to become interested in the show’s participants’ and their loved ones’ personal lives, the situation became so unbearable for Kathryn during the months following Robert’s episode premiere, that she ended up taking a break from social media altogether in late 2018.
Regarding the murder accusations, fans on Reddit discussed that the notion that Kathryn was responsible for Robert’s death came from the fact she provided some of the food for him, even though this didn’t immediately turn her into an enabler.
Funding Campaign
A huge part of the audience who got hold of the controversy surrounding Robert Buchel’s death didn’t take part in it. As seen in online fan communities about “My 600-lb Life”, the accusations thrown at Kathryn Lemanski were condemned by many, and as Kathryn herself admitted to Starcasm, she also received loving and supporting messages during that devastating episode of her life.
That said, months before Robert’s “My 600-lb Life” episode aired, a friend of his and Kathryn started an online funding campaign to help her cover the costs of his funeral. As it was later revealed in the episode and through the media coverage given to it, Kathryn wasn’t in a good financial situation by the time of Robert’s death, as she’d incurred heavy debt to keep herself afloat while helping her late fiancé to get healthier. It was also revealed that Kathryn left her old job to move in with Robert to help with his treatment ,while also dealing with her own health struggles.
While the situation was visibly difficult for Kathryn beyond the emotional struggle of losing a loved one, it took months and the revelation of Robert’s struggles on TV for the funding campaign to reach its $6,000 goal. Nonetheless, the funding campaign was also distrusted by fans of the show, leading Kathryn to take to her social media to confirm that it wasn’t a scam.
What Happened To Robert’s Fiancée?
Besides the financial and emotional struggle that Kathryn Lemanski experienced before and after Robert Buchel’s death, she was also dealing with other issues.
As she confessed in a 2018 interview with Asbury Park Press, Robert’s “My 600-lb Life” episode was an edited and cut-short version which failed to cover the path he and Kathryn had walked. One important detail not covered by the show was her own ealth struggles, as she was misdiagnosed with cardiomyopathy while moving Robert to Houston to receive treatment from Dr. Nowzaradam.
According to the Mayo Clinic, cardiomyopathy can lead to serious health issues as it affects the heart’s capacity to pump blood. The disheartening news led Kathryn to panic while driving Robert. When she arrived in Texas, Kathryn was examined by an emergency unit which determined that she was misdiagnosed, though she was indeed suffering from long-term heart problems.
Following Kathryn’s break from social media in late 2018, she went back to her Facebook page in mid-2019 to inform her friends that she was in a relationship. She tied the knot in October 2020, though there’s no information about her partner.
As she revealed during her “My 600-lb Life” appearance, Robert and she had plans to marry in Disneyland in 2018, and accomplish their dreams together, thus this positive turn of events in her life is heartwarming to see, after her going through so many unfortunate happenings.
