My 600-Lb. Life star Dolly Martinez has died at the age of 30. On Saturday, April 11, Martinez’s sister, Lindsey Cooper, shared the news in an emotional Facebook post, tagging family members as she paid tribute to her late sister.
“It is with a heavy heart that I share the passing of my beautiful sister, Dolly. Dolly had the brightest personality she could light up any room with her laughter, her kindness, and her loving spirit,” Cooper wrote about Dolly Martinez (as per People Magazine)
Cooper continued her tribute by reflecting on the lasting impact Dolly Martinez had on those around her, emphasizing how she made people feel special.
“She had a way of making everyone feel special, and her warmth will stay with us forever…While our hearts are broken here, I find comfort in knowing she is now reunited with our dad in heaven. I can only imagine the joy of that reunion. Rest peacefully, Dolly. You will always be loved, always be missed, and never forgotten,” she wrote in her tribute.
According to TMZ, which was first to report the news, Martinez’s cause of death was initially unknown. However, on April 13, the outlet cited her mother, Staci Thurman, who confirmed that the 30-year-old died of congestive heart failure at a hospital in Fort Worth.
As per the report, Dolly Martinez had reportedly been dealing with ongoing medical issues for some time.
She was admitted to the hospital on March 29 after experiencing fluid buildup around her heart and lungs, and was later placed into a medically induced coma and put on a ventilator. Despite medical efforts, she did not recover.
Her mother also shared that Dolly was surrounded by loved ones in her final moments, including close friends and family members such as her half-sister and best friend, Cooper.
More about Dolly Martinez, her food dependency, and weight struggles
Dolly Martinez’s journey on My 600-Lb. Life offered a deeply personal look into her struggles with weight, trauma, and emotional dependency on food.
At just 25 years old, Martinez weighed 593 pounds and required oxygen support when her episode aired in 2022. Seeking a life-changing transformation, she turned to Dr. Now for help and managed to lose 40 pounds. However, despite her efforts, she did not meet the qualifications for weight loss surgery.
During the episode, Martinez openly addressed the emotional turmoil that shaped her relationship with food, describing it as her primary escape from distressing thoughts.
She explained that eating served as a powerful coping mechanism, revealing:
“Food is my go-to drug that takes my pain away… (it is) more than just a pleasure, it’s my reason for existing,”(as per a Daily Mail report dated April 13).
She further elaborated on the intensity of this dependence, expressing how food became both a source of comfort and conflict in her life. Reflecting on the cycle, she admitted:
“I can’t wait for the first bite of something that will make me forget about all the misery of my life…Food has caused all of the things I hate about my life but it’s the only thing I’ve ever had to make me feel good.”
Martinez also traced these habits back to her early years, emphasizing how food “was just a coping thing” that “made me happy” and continued to do so.
The reality star also revisited her difficult childhood, explaining that she was raised by her single mother after her father left due to drug addiction. She recalled feelings of isolation during that time, stating:
“I was left alone a lot and that’s how it started, my relationship with food.”
As per the Daily Mail report, Martinez’s mother, Staci, also appeared on the show and provided additional context about her daughter’s upbringing.
She described Dolly as being different from other children and noted that peers could be “harsh and cruel,” which led her to become an overprotective parent. Staci further shared that her daughter was often labeled “the fat girl,” a characterization that made her “quite uncomfortable.”
Following her television appearance, and before her death, Dolly Martinez appeared to be making progress in her personal life. In the visible portion of her now-private Instagram profile, she had stated that she was no longer “homeless” and had described herself as “living day by day” and expressed her love for “God and Family.”
Edited by Shayari Roy
