Kumari Shreya
TLC’s ‘My 600-Lb Life’ is a show where each episode focuses on the journey of physical transformation of one particular individual. Season 12, episode 3 of the show, titled ‘Delana’s Journey,’ introduced Delana Boyer, whose determination to lose weight stemmed not only from her desire for better health but also to mend the broken bridges within her family. With various ups and downs, Delena’s time on the show was far from easy, which only made the end results that much more satisfying.
Delana Boyer Was Determined to Achieve Her Goal on the Show
Hailing from Greenville, Tennesse, Delana Boyer opened up on the TLC show to talk about how her past struggles contributed to her current health issues. The then-46-year-old reality TV star actually grew up under the care of her first cousin-turned-adopted mother, Mary Ann, after her biological mother, Sharon, had to give her up. However, Sharon had allegedly kidnapped Delana from her grandmother’s house when she was seven. Delana had stayed with her mother for about a year before Sharon returned her to Mary Ann. She confessed that Mary Ann had felt quite guilty about the whole situation and hence would give Delena many treats, which her younger self had enjoyed.
However, it was not until middle school that Delana seemed to realize that her weight might be an issue, especially when it came to fitting in with others. She described that time period in her life as a “lonely” one. Years passed, and a pregnant Delana decided to leave her partner at the age of 20 because of domestic abuse. However, the child she was looking forward to was a “full-term stillborn,” which broke Delana’s heart. After the tragedy, Delana married a man who she claimed had “no issues” with her weight. The two even had a son named Lee, but then the husband decided to apply for a divorce shortly afterward and took full custody of Delana’s son.
Delana got married once more, this time to the father of her daughter Savannah. However, she left that relationship, stating the reason behind it to be her partner’s abusive nature. Unfortunately, Delana’s relationship with her daughter, Savannah, was fraught with issues. In fact, the young girl ended up running from her mother to Delana’s brother’s home at the age of 12 after a fight. At the time of the production of the TLC show, Delana shared that her daughter was now 19 years old and had not returned home. She added that Savannah was apparently very embarrassed about her weight.
After Delana and her daughter started living separately, she met her current husband, James, through the internet. Not long after Delana had met James, she faced a major health issue. A scab had formed on one of Delana’s legs, which the doctors suspected to have been due to Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). Throughout her 5-day stay in the hospital, James had remained by her side and had even taken up the role of a caretaker in the aftermath. This only seemed to have solidified the bond between them as they soon got married in a beautiful ceremony by a lake in Black Mountain, North Carolina.
As for Delana’s weight loss journey on the show, she had started off at 646 pounds, with Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, AKA Dr. Now, setting up a goal of losing 50 pounds in two months to show her dedication. He even assigned her a 1200-calorie diet and gave her some exercises to do. Due to her car breaking down and further complications, Delana ended up missing her first appointment at the local clinic and ended up contacting Dr. Now. However, During her next weigh-in, it was revealed that she had actually gained five more pounds. Not giving up, Delana agreed to Dr. Now’s next challenge of losing 55 pounds to make herself viable for the surgery. She and James even moved to Houston, Texas, to make the whole process easier.
The fact that Delana ended up weighing in at 578 pounds during her second appointment highlighted just how much she was adhering to the plan. Dr. Now told her that he was scheduling her for surgery a week later but would only do so if she had lost 40 more pounds by then. Delana did end up going for surgery after ten months into the regimen, having lost an additional 39 pounds. The bariatric surgery was seemingly a success, following which Delana would be on track to lose about 20 pounds per month, allowing her to slowly but surely lose more and more weight as time went on. By the end of a year-long journey, Delana seemed to be doing well and was seen enjoying a night out with James.
Where is Delana Boyer Now?
It seems like Delana Boyer continues to be doing well in life. She had moved to Newport, Tennesse, on June 18, 2023, but is now seemingly based in Hendersonville, North Carolina. On social media, the reality TV personality did give an update about her life. Talking about her on-screen appearance, she urged the viewers to “please remember that I am a real person, that this is really my life, that this was the lowest point in my life, and that I am beginning to live again! I am still a work in progress. I’m not where I want to be, but I’m not where I used to be, either!”
Delana earned much praise from the public, with many wishing her the best for the years to come. She also seems to have mended the bridges with her daughter, who now goes by the name Nikki Holland. Not only did Delana share a touching birthday post for her 21st birthday, but Nikki herself nominated her mother for a Facebook challenge. Given the better relationship between the two women, we are hopeful that Delana has also been able to spend more time with her granddaughter, something she had openly wished for during her time on the TLC show.
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