TLC’s “My 600-lb Life” is one of those shows that you either hate or love, but never ignore. Season after season, the highly experienced Dr. Younan Nowzaradan treats some of the most complex cases of morbid obesity in the US, letting the audiences see not only his patients’ highs and lows as they take a path to recovery, but also how many of them struggle with personal issues and putting their life back together.
Though there’s a fair number of happy endings in the show, there are also many patients whose weight loss journey doesn’t have pleasant results. That’s the case of Coliesa McMillian, whose participation in the eighth season caused controversy for her tragic demise at a young age and the fact that her episode was removed everywhere from viewing.
So what led TLC to remove Coliesa’s episode? Is there any legal issue going on related to her case, and what happened to Coelisa to push her to such an unfortunate passing? Keep with us to find out!
Why Was Her Episode Removed?
The unfortunate death of Coliesa McMillian in September 2020 left the “My 600-lb Life” audience shocked and disheartened, as her episode had aired only months before her passing. It was also surprising when TLC removed Coliesa’s episode from the show’s eighth season, effectively erasing episode 12 from all the online streaming platforms.
The reason behind this sudden and unexpected move is unclear, leaving the audience no option but to make up theories about it. According to the entertainment site Starcasm, Coelisa’s family was contacted about the episode’s removal, as was TLC, but neither offered an explanation.
The situation was confusing and unheard of, because other “My 600-lb Life” patients such as James King and Kelly Mason, who also died from weight-related illnesses, didn’t have their episodes removed as was Coliesa’s. This rare event gave space for assumptions and rumors to circulate, with the strongest and most likely being that there was a disagreement between TLC and Coliesa’s family about the reasons leading to her worsening condition and eventual death. Further statements from her family about the alleged mistreatment which Coliesa received from the show strengthen this theory.
In the end, it’s unclear what led TLC to take such extreme action as removing Coliesa’s episode, but maybe the truth will come out at last, hopefully.
Into The Controversy
Many things have been said about Coliesa McMillian since her passing in late 2020. These include not only the endless questions regarding her now-unavailable “My 600-lb Life” episode, but also the allegations about her experience in “My 600-lb Life”.
Coliesa’s daughter Kadelynn Lee is at the front of the latter issue. In a TikTok video from February 2023, the teen affirmed that her mother Coelisa had done her best to be there for her kids, despite the accusations of being ‘terrible’ and ‘undeserving of having kids’ that she received from some of the audience during her time in the show.
However, the most serious of Kadelynn’s statements was that Coliesa had died from a ‘mistake during surgery’. As she further alleged in her video’s comments, doctors had ‘cut something they shouldn’t have in the surgery’ which caused the problems which later led to Coliesa’s death. She also complained about the accusations of taking drugs and ‘other disgusting accusations’ made about her mother during her time in the show.
While Kadelynn’s words might reflect Coliesa’s family’s overall negative opinions about the show, there’s no known record of a legal case being filed against the show by Coliesa’s loved ones, making the situation less clear.
Why Did Coliesa Die?
According to her obituary, Coliesa Kay Lee McMillian died on 22 September 2020 at 41 years of age, survived by four daughters and 13 siblings. It’s also worth noting that shortly before appearing in the show, Coliesa’s fiancé was killed in a car accident.
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Regarding her cause of death, TMZ reported at the time that it was unknown, though a later update from Coliesa’s niece Blair Shelton affirmed that she died from kidney failure and sepsis allegedly resulting from bariatric surgery. That said, her family was quite forward and communicative about her health issues during the months before her death.
The first time we knew something wasn’t good with Coelisa was in April 2020, when her daughter Hannah told The Sun that her mother had ‘flatlined’, and her condition ‘wasn’t looking good’. Some months later, a Coelisa support page posted that she had been on life support and ‘almost died’ before making it back home in Louisiana. Another update from August confirmed that Coliesa was admitted to a hospital.
Following her death, Coliesa’s niece Blair complained that the timeline of her aunt’s condition wasn’t shown accurately in her “My 600-lb Life” episode, as she was connected to a ventilator for over a month after surgery.
While it’s worth noting that Coliesa had experienced serious health issues and a heart attack sometime before surgery, the case became more complex once her family spoke out about it.
The Aftermath
Coelisa McMillian’s case is one of the saddest ever to be featured in “My 600-lb Life”, due to the complex situation and allegations surrounding her death. It was also a difficult time for her family beyond the emotional pain of losing a loved one, as they had trouble affording a burial service for her, and had no option but to start a funding campaign.
However, as Starcasm reported in October 2020, the family had received barely any financial help from followers of the show and the community in general. To date, it’s unclear whether the campaign ever achieved its $10,000 goal, as it was eventually deleted. However, it’s known that Coliesa’s loved ones worked hard to collect funds for the cause, doing such things as garage sales and the like.
Despite the years which have passed since Coelisa’s episode, her case still awakens mixed opinions in the show’s audience. For a start, Reddit users have been kept informed with updates coming from Coelisa’s family, but some have openly expressed their doubts about their medical malpractice allegations. On the other hand, Coelisa’s daughter Kadelynn has received mostly supportive messages on her social media regarding her mother’s passing, though her allegations have also been received with some skepticism.
All in all, Coelisa McMillian’s passing was a tragedy, as well as one terrible reminder of all the risks entailed when patients start their path to recovery from an often self-induced state of morbid obesity.
