Former My 600-Lb Life participant Amber Rachdi has issued a powerful call for compassion, honouring the lives of her late peers from the TLC series and urging viewers to reconsider harsh judgements. The 35-year-old, who underwent a dramatic transformation, shared an emotional video on Instagram following a thoughtless comment about her past.
A Survivor's Story and a Stark Warning
Amber Rachdi's journey on the show began in 2015 when she was 24 years old and weighed 657 pounds. At that time, a doctor had told her she was unlikely to live past the age of 25. After undergoing gastric bypass surgery that same year, Rachdi embarked on a decade-long journey, ultimately shedding over 470 pounds.
However, her story is one of rare success. Rachdi now highlights the tragic fates of many other participants. "I have peers and friends who have died," she stated solemnly in her video, posted on December 11. She proceeded to name over twenty individuals from the series who have passed away, either during filming or after their appearances.
The Catalyst: A Cruel Comment and a Compassionate Response
The video was prompted by an online comment that questioned why someone perceived as "intelligent" and "normal" like Rachdi had allowed herself to become so large. Rachdi revealed the message had been living in her head "rent free" for days, compelling her to speak out.
She expressed that the worst outcome of her own survival would be for others' struggles to be unfairly compared to her success. "That is not who I want to be to other people," she asserted. Rachdi emphasised that her continued life at 35 is a "intense privilege," one not afforded to many of her contemporaries.
List of Late Peers Honoured by Amber Rachdi
In her tribute, Rachdi named the following individuals from My 600-Lb Life: Henry Foots, Rob Buchel, L.B. Bonner, Lisa Fleming, Kelly Mason, Sean Milliken, James King, Coliesa McMillian, Renee Biran, Gina Krasley, Ashley Randall, Laura Perez, Destinee LaShaee, Angela Gutierrez, Larry Myers Jr., Paul MacNeill, Vianey Rodriguez, Latonya Pottain, Dottie Perkins, Lupe Samano, and Pauline Potter.
Rejecting the 'Villain' Narrative and Advocating for Empathy
Rachdi challenged the audience's tendency to cast participants as heroes or villains, noting they are often shown as simplified versions of themselves. "These people are complicated," she reminded viewers.
She attributed her own success partly to luck and better support systems, saying she was "better supported, better educated, better surrounded with care." Rachdi argued that perceiving others as architects of their own misery leads to a dangerous denial of basic human compassion.
"The trouble with this rhetoric is when we start to normalize who does and does not deserve compassion. It leads us to some really dark conclusions," she warned, drawing parallels to denying healthcare to smokers or migrants.
She shared a poignant personal detail, revealing she was one of only four people present at Sean Milliken’s funeral and had only recently learned of Dottie Perkins' death.
From Housebound to Hopeful: Rachdi's Transformation
When Rachdi first appeared on the show, she was virtually housebound in Troutdale, Oregon, reliant on her parents and boyfriend. She described herself as a "nasty monster" and could barely stand for 30 minutes. The gastric bypass surgery reduced her stomach from the size of a football to a baseball, but it was her concerted effort to stop emotional eating that cemented her weight loss.
Today, her life is radically different. "I'm now able to shop for myself," said Rachdi, who has also learned to drive. "I have hope. Now the world is open to me. I'm no longer using food to cope with my anxiety." Her message remains clear: behind every statistic on the screen is a human being deserving of empathy, not scorn.
