Pauline Potter, who rose to national attention after appearing on the reality series My 600-lb Life and was once recognized as the heaviest living woman in the world, has died, according to her son. Dillon Brooks shared the news in a YouTube video posted Nov. 29, explaining that his mother passed away on Nov. 27, Thanksgiving Day, more than a week after entering hospice care. Brooks said Potter had been hospitalized for months leading up to her death, first entering medical care in August and later moving between a rehabilitation facility and family members’ homes as her health continued to decline. Doctors eventually told the family there was nothing more they could do, and she was transferred to hospice. Brooks said his mother had been dealing with serious medical complications, including signs of heart and respiratory failure, and that physicians had warned she likely did not have much time left.
Potter’s health struggles had intensified over the past year, including complications from a car accident earlier in 2024 that left her with broken ribs and other injuries. She was later hospitalized again after being unable to keep food down, when doctors discovered a blockage in her esophagus. During that hospitalization, she also battled COVID-19, spent time in intensive care, and developed a severe infection from a wound on her back. Potter first appeared on My 600-lb Life in 2015 and later returned for follow-up episodes, though she was open about her frustration with how her story was portrayed. In 2011, she was listed by Guinness World Records at 643 pounds, a title she said left her feeling deeply embarrassed but hopeful that public attention might help her find medical support. Over the years, she continued documenting her weight-loss journey and shared in 2020 that she had reduced her weight to 223 pounds. Following her death, Brooks launched a fundraiser to help cover cremation expenses, marking the end of a long and very public battle with severe health challenges.