My 600-Lb Life fans first saw Thederick Barnes in 2021.
He was 32 years old.
He weighed 740 pounds.
And he relied completely on his mother.
Living in Gretna, Florida, Thederick faced challenges with mobility. He also dealt with binge eating linked to emotional trauma.
Leaving the house felt impossible.
Something had to change.
Dr. Now Pushes Him to Lose the Weight
Thederick traveled to Houston to meet Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, known to fans as Dr. Now.
The plan was strict.
The pressure was real.
Three months in, Thederick dropped to 692 pounds.
By month five, he weighed 615.
The progress surprised viewers.
It even impressed Dr. Now.
Surgery seemed close.
Doctors Discover a Dangerous Heart Condition
Then everything stopped.
Further testing revealed cardiomyopathy.
His heart was too weak.
“He’s in some degree of congestive heart failure,” Dr. Now explained.
“The strain his weight is still putting on him is taking too much of a toll.”
Even after losing more than 120 pounds, doctors said surgery was too risky.
The new goal was clear.
Lose 50 more pounds.
Then test again.
But the episode ended there.
TLC Checks Back In Years Later
TLC revisited Thederick’s story on My 600-Lb Life: Where Are They Now? on Feb. 26, 2025.
This time, there was real progress.
Thederick lost enough weight to undergo surgery to remove a massive growth from his leg.
The clip showed him nervous but hopeful.
“Today I’m getting my lymphedema removed from my leg,” he said.
“I’m glad to finally be getting this huge thing off of me. But I’m scared too.”
Dr. Now reassured him.
The surgery could change everything.
He even told Thederick he could soon weigh under 500 pounds.
That would make him eligible for weight-loss surgery.
How Is Thederick Barnes Doing Now?
Thederick keeps a low profile.
His most recent public Facebook and Instagram posts date back to September 2024.
They appear to be birthday photos.
“Thank the Lord for waking me up this morning and see another chapter in my life,” he wrote.
He has not shared detailed weight updates.
But sources suggest he looks noticeably thinner and healthier.
The silence feels intentional.
This journey is personal.
