What Mercedes Cephas From My 600-Lb Life Is Doing Today

My 600-lb Life is equal parts life-affirming and devastating, depending on the individual episode and person involved. As TV Shows Ace notes, many of the reality show's participants are struggling with some kind of buried trauma, typically to do with grief or their childhood. Take June McCamey, for example, who was struggling following the loss of her son to gun violence. Many other My 600-lb Life stars were simply neglected by their parents, leading to overindulgence in food to fill the gap.

In the case of Mercedes Cephas, her trauma came from an assault she suffered at the hands of her father, who had also abused her siblings. Now a mother herself, Cephas relied heavily on her own kids to help get her through life as a morbidly obese person. At the top of the show, Cephas weighed 773 pounds. She ultimately lost 81 pounds, which was a considerable amount for her but less impressive in the general context of My 600-lb Life. But, how has Mercedes Cephas done in the intervening time?

Unlike many other My 600-lb Life participants, Mercedes Cephas didn't qualify for weight loss surgery because she didn't lose enough weight overall, after refusing to take Dr. Now's advice and consistently making excuses for her lack of progress. Unfortunately, it seems she's still got the same attitude, as recent updates on her Facebook page showcase how the mother-of-two has kept most, if not all, of the weight on. Following her appearance on the show, Cephas launched a GoFundMe page, which noted, "I'm taking these steps to better my life for me and my children any donations will be greatly appreciated I know it's not going to be easy I have a long road ahead of me but this is my start to a healthy life and journey for me and my children." 

She ultimately raised just $175 of her $10,000 goal. According to Facebook, the My 600-lb Life star is currently based in Cincinnati, Ohio and appears to be a stay-at-home mother. She's committed to her children above all else and frequently posts photos with them. Hopefully, Cephas is following a healthier lifestyle and using some of the lessons she learned from Dr. Now accordingly.