My 600 Lb Life Mercedes update: Will she be back for a Where Are They Now episode?

Mercedes Cephas’ first My 600 Lb Life episode ended with Mercedes short of her weight loss goals, but the Ohio native couldn’t quite call her year in front of the cameras a failure. But, as we’ll explain in our My 600 Lb Life Mercedes update, there’s always room for optimism.

TLC kept information on Mercedes’ episode pretty tightly under wraps before its premiere, leading to hushed speculation about whether something tragic had befallen her. Fortunately, we soon found out that this wasn’t the case — although Mercedes’ situation was indeed dire. Her first words in the episode spoke volumes: “I can’t believe what I’ve let my life become,” Mercedes said. “I’ve gotten so big, it’s hard to do just about anything. And every day, it gets worse.”

Mercedes, who hadn’t been able to stand on a scale in years, was stunned at her first weigh-in. Dr. Nowzaradan’s scale revealed her peak weight was 773 pounds — the highest of Season 7 so far. And, though she did lose weight, by episode’s end Mercedes had only dropped 80 pounds, taking her down to 693 pounds in total. Mercedes sounded pleased that she’d been able to lose any weight at all, and pointed out that 80 pounds was at least a start.

Still, it was tough to ignore the disappointment in her voice as the episode came to a close. Mercedes has also been largely silent on social media since her episode aired. The photo at the top of the article, which Mercedes shared during her weight loss journey last year, is the most recent one she’s made public.

It also served as the image for her official GoFundMe campaign, which Mercedes began last year and closed shortly after her episode aired. Though the description disappeared when Mercedes closed the campaign, we managed to get a copy of it beforehand. Curiously, the $10,000 goal appeared to be for travel; the name of the fundraiser was “Help Mercedes Get To Texas For Weight Loss.” Here’s Mercedes’ explanation in full:

My name is Mercedes Cephas i am 37 years old single mother of 2 and I have been struggling with weight issues for most of my life and started to gain more weight during and after the births of both my children. I had csection with both and got infections both times leaving me with big open wounds that had to be closed with a wound vac machine and I couldn’t really get a round with the machine attached to me. I’m just so tired of not being able to be a regular mom like not being able to take my kids to the park or to just have family time with them or take them out or go to school plays or parent teacher conferences or to just check up on them at school also tired of missing family functions and gatherings birthdays and my family I’m ready to get my life back and start living again and my son want to go to the beach and I want to be the one to take him. That why I’m taking these steps to better my life for me and my children any donations will greatly appreciated I know its not goin 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

Mercedes ended the campaign having raised $175.

Until we find out whether Mercedes will film a Where Are They Now update, you can revisit her story here, via TLC.

(Photo credit: My 600 Lb Life Mercedes update via GoFundMe)

John Sharp is Starcasm’s chief editorial correspondent-at-large. Tips: E-mail john@starcasm.net or Twitter @john_starcasm.