Tammy Slaton has been the subject of much fascination after starring on 1000-lb Sisters
along with her younger sister Amy. On the show, the sisters heavily rely on each other
for support as they deal with numerous health complications including their food addiction.
Although the sisters got success and fame in a short span of time, their lives have
been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. When viewers got their first glimpse of Tammy, she
weighed over 600 pounds and hadn’t left her house in over six years except for doctor's visits.
The isolation from the real world and depression caused her to attempt suicide,
but luckily she wasn’t successful. During an interview with People magazine just
before the release of 1000-LB Sisters, Tammy candidly spoke about having suicidal thoughts
after being overwhelmed by her health ailments and morbid obesity.
The incident became an eye-opener for her to get her priorities straight
and work towards reaching a desirable weight so that she could live a normal and healthy life.
The first season showcased Tammy and Amy’s weight struggles as they met with Dr. Proctor,
who agreed to conduct surgery on both if they could meet their weight loss goals. Unfortunately,
the Covid-19 pandemic hit when Tammy was on her way to reaching her goal weight,
and she only managed to lose 18 pounds. Tammy suffered from further health
complications when she was diagnosed with Covid-19 along with pneumonia. In November 2020,
Tammy updated her fans via a YouTube video, saying: “I was in the hospital just about
two weeks. I’m doing great. I mean yes I’m on oxygen. That’s just to keep my lungs sturdy,
strength - I won’t be on oxygen much longer. I was on 15 liters of oxygen and now I’m on three.”
Tammy then thanked her followers and well-wishers for their thoughts and prayers and assured them
she was doing fine. She also addressed her haters through another video. “Some of the comments are
stupid,” she lamented. “There’s people saying I wasn’t in the hospital for Covid. Don’t always
believe everything you read on the internet. It blows my mind that everybody thinks so bad of me.”
As Tammy notes, she struggled to follow her diet during the pandemic and was referred to
another bariatric surgeon near her hometown in Kentucky by Dr. Proctor. But things took
a turn for the worst when the 34-year-old gained 50 pounds in less than one month.
Her morbid obesity isn’t the only unconventional aspect of her life. In an episode during the
show’s second season, it was revealed that she had been dating her boyfriend Jerry for two years
despite knowing that he was already married at the time. The star did receive a lot of criticism for
her unconventional love life, but she defended herself by saying, “Are you aware that I do
know he is married, and his wife is very sick, so you ain’t telling me nothing I don’t know.”
Tammy hit the headlines again when she came out and declared herself a ‘pansexual’ in one of the
episodes in February 2021. Despite her initial hesitation, the Kentucky native opened up about
her sexuality to her boyfriend Jerry. When probed about being a pansexual,
she replied, “It means love is love”. I would date anybody whether they are transgender, straight,
gay.” Talking more elaborately on her status, she said, “I always thought I was bisexual, and then
I started talking to one of my friends and she told me she was pansexual, and I asked her kind
of what it meant. It means you love everybody, not just the same sex. ‘And I was like, “Well, I
guess I’m too.” Because I wouldn’t mind being with someone who’s transgender, or whatever or girl.’
Jerry supported Tammy after her reveal and told her he still loves her. He further explained,
“I’m still trying to figure out what it means, but I’m okay with it. I love Tammy
the way she is.” Tammy was rather pleased with Jerry’s reassuring words and said, “I’m happy
because he took it pretty well. Acceptance of people’s sexuality is important to me.”
However, the relationship between the couple quickly fizzled out after Jerry initiated
the breakup saying he felt guilty about cheating on his terminally ill wife Kia.
He confessed he needed to solve his issues with his wife first before he could fully
commit to the TLC alum. Kia later revealed she learned her husband was cheating on her
when the show aired and labeled Tammy a homewrecker. “I don’t think I can forgive
him anymore. We have seven kids together. They are upset with him,” she told TMZ.