Larry Myers Jr., My 600-Lb. Life Star, Dead At 49

The following article includes mention of depression.

Larry Myers Jr. of "My 600-Lb. Life" has tragically died at the age of 49. Todd Darell, who stated he is a cousin of Myers', shared the saddening news in a Facebook post on June 17. "It's with great sorrow that we announce the passing of my dear cousin Larry Myers," Darell wrote. He added, "Larry has fought the good fight. He has overcome some of the biggest Challenges he has ever had to face. Rest well Junior, you will be missed." 

A heart attack was Myers' cause of death, a family member told The U.S. Sun on June 20. Myers, who was nicknamed Mr. Buttermilk Biscuits, was a "My 600-Lb. Life" cast member for the 10th season of the TLC reality series, per Us Weekly. The news site added that Myers died in the days following his birthday.

Larry Myers Jr. was open about his health journey. The late reality TV star became known through a January 2022 episode of "My 600-Lb. Life," per TMZ. The news outlet added that, prior to this appearance, Myers had been through weight-loss surgery before putting weight back on. As Sportskeeda noted, Myers kept working toward dropping enough weight for another weight-loss surgery.

Myers detailed his struggles with weight in a 2022 "Rickey Smiley Morning Show" interview. "I used to be 940 pounds," Myers said. He added, "I was bedbound at one point in my life. I went all the way down to my threes and then put back on 200. I got depressed, fell back into my old ways... Now I'm going to be having surgery soon and getting my life back together." Myers previously revealed on the TLC series that singing was an outlet for him. "My faith is what saved me because it was through my faith that I found singing," Myers said. Since his tragic death, Myers' god-sister, Sonya Hines-Hall, has organized a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his funeral service. "His struggle with weight gain/loss never dimmed his drive to show love and kindness to all he met," Hines-Hall said. "As a family we want to bring our beloved Larry home one more time so we can lay him to rest with dignity and respect."

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.