'My 600-lb Life': How James Bonner's incredible weight loss journey ended with one gun shot
James "LB" Bonner appeared on the show weighing 642 lb and unlike some of the patients, he had the will and determination to change his life around. Bonner had been struggling with his weight ever since he was young. He grew up in a loving home and was also close to his uncle and aunt.
His aunt would often bring him treats that put a bright smile on his face. However, when he was nine, she passed away and this loss had hit Bonner emotionally, as reported by The Cinemaholic. He then turned to food as a coping mechanism and before he knew it, he was putting on weight. As he reached high school, his way of living changed and he turned towards a lifestyle that was centered on parties and alcohol. Before he knew it, Bonner had developed an alcohol addiction. His lifestyle became worse when he lost his foot in an ATV accident in 2013. Boner had made countless attempts to turn toward healthy eating but they had not been successful.
He finally decided to take matters in his hands when he set up an appointment with Dr Younan Nowzaradan. Bonner knew he had to work hard if he wanted to lose the weight. To make sure he is losing the required amount, Bonner stuck to the diet that was given to him and regularly exercised. As the episode progressed, the viewers became certain that Bonner's story would be a success story.
Dr Nowzaradan was also happy with Bonner's progress and seemed content to see how all the rules were being followed. As the episode came to an end, Bonner had lost an incredible amount of weight and also gained a large fan following. People were quick to follow him on social media as his dedication made them curious to know how his weight loss had been going even after the show ended.
Looking at this, TLC knew they had to bring him back for the 'Where Are They Now?' episode. Unfortunately, before that could happen, it was reported that Bonner shot himself and died by suicide. Before the news was announced, Bonner had taken to his social media to thank his fans and left them confused as it looked like a cryptic message.
"I've realized a few things over the last few days and its time that I face my demons head on...No matter what you change or the efforts you put forth in life, sometimes you just have to take it on the chin and deal with things your way...Again, thank y'all so much. Please don't ever let people you care about not know how you feel," he wrote, as reported by The Sun.
Bonner also tried to call 911 ahead of the incident, as reported by Extra. Unfortunately, the receiver could not hear Bonner clearly and when they tried calling him back, there was no answer. After Bonner's death came to light, his family accused the production of failing to provide him right mental health care and pushing him to continue the journey even though he had been vocal about the difficulties.
The family claims Bonner reached out to one of the production assistants via text that read “I am a f**ked up wreck right now,” one of the texts he sent allegedly read. In others, LB revealed, “I’m not in a good place right now it’s dark” and “I had a breakdown," as reported by The Ashley Reality Roundup. Unfortunately, he did not get the answer he was hoping to get as his family alleges he received a reply saying, "Fake it till you make it.”
TLC had expressed their condolences to the family and shared the statement when the show was airing.