My 600-lb Life participant dies during filming

TL;DR

Robert Buchel, a participant on TLC's "My 600-lb Life," died of a heart attack while filming his weight-loss journey.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/03/02/a-my-600-lb-life-participant-died-while-filming-his-fight-to-lose-weight)
He weighed 842 pounds at the start but lost 340 pounds in five months before his death on November 15, 2017.[[2]](https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/television/2018/03/02/robert-buchel-forked-river-dies-while-filming-tlcs-my-600-lb-life/391220002)[[3]](https://people.com/health/842-lb-man-dies-heart-attack-weight-loss-surgery-my-600-lb-life)
His story highlights the risks of extreme obesity, addiction setbacks, and family loss despite major progress.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/03/02/a-my-600-lb-life-participant-died-while-filming-his-fight-to-lose-weight)

The story at a glance

Robert Buchel, 41, from Forked River, New Jersey, appeared on season 6 of TLC's "My 600-lb Life" to document his battle against obesity under Dr. Younan Nowzaradan in Houston.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/03/02/a-my-600-lb-life-participant-died-while-filming-his-fight-to-lose-weight)[[2]](https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/television/2018/03/02/robert-buchel-forked-river-dies-while-filming-tlcs-my-600-lb-life/391220002) He moved there with fiancee Kathryn Lemanski and lost substantial weight, but suffered a fatal heart attack on November 15, 2017, at a Houston hospital during filming.[[2]](https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/television/2018/03/02/robert-buchel-forked-river-dies-while-filming-tlcs-my-600-lb-life/391220002) The news broke after his episode aired on February 28, 2018.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/03/02/a-my-600-lb-life-participant-died-while-filming-his-fight-to-lose-weight)

Key points

Buchel started at 842 pounds, felt "blessed and shocked" each morning to be alive, and aimed for weight-loss surgery after strict dieting.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/03/02/a-my-600-lb-life-participant-died-while-filming-his-fight-to-lose-weight)[[4]](https://www.telegram.com/story/lifestyle/health-fitness/2018/03/03/my-600-lb-life-participant-dies-while-filming-his-fight-to-lose-weight/13764659007)
In five months, he dropped to about 502 pounds, a loss of 340 pounds, through Dr. Nowzaradan's program.[[5]](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni61954143)[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_My_600-lb_Life_episodes)
After lymphedema surgery on his legs, painkiller addiction resurfaced; he tore out stitches seeking more drugs and grew depressed.[[3]](https://people.com/health/842-lb-man-dies-heart-attack-weight-loss-surgery-my-600-lb-life)[[7]](https://fox2now.com/news/star-of-my-600-lb-life-dies-during-filming-of-reality-show)
He died during month 9 of filming, the first such death on the show, before completing bariatric surgery.[[6]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_My_600-lb_Life_episodes)[[2]](https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/television/2018/03/02/robert-buchel-forked-river-dies-while-filming-tlcs-my-600-lb-life/391220002)
Fiancee Kathryn Lemanski spoke in the episode's epilogue, mourning her "best friend."[[2]](https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/television/2018/03/02/robert-buchel-forked-river-dies-while-filming-tlcs-my-600-lb-life/391220002)

Details and context

Buchel's family history included heart issues: his father and brother died of heart attacks.[[8]](https://www.reddit.com/r/television/comments/81fcmc/my_600lb_life_star_robert_buchel_dies_during) The show follows morbidly obese patients working with bariatric surgeon Dr. Nowzaradan, requiring initial losses for surgery eligibility; Buchel's progress stalled due to addiction and mental health struggles.[[3]](https://people.com/health/842-lb-man-dies-heart-attack-weight-loss-surgery-my-600-lb-life)

His episode aired posthumously, with TLC expressing sadness; he was cremated and survived by fiancee Kathryn, mother Marlene, and brother Tom.[[9]](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/187689113/robert_louis-buchel)

Key quotes

"Each morning when Robert Buchel woke up, he said he felt ‘blessed and shocked at the same time’ to be alive." — Buchel, via TLC site, as reported in article.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/03/02/a-my-600-lb-life-participant-died-while-filming-his-fight-to-lose-weight)
"I lost my best friend and the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with." — Kathryn Lemanski, fiancee, on the show.[[5]](https://www.imdb.com/news/ni61954143)

Why it matters

Extreme obesity poses life-threatening risks like heart failure, even with treatment progress. Viewers and families see the human cost of addiction and setbacks in weight-loss journeys on reality TV.[[1]](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2018/03/02/a-my-600-lb-life-participant-died-while-filming-his-fight-to-lose-weight) It underscores limits of medical intervention alone for those with family cardiac history or painkiller dependency. Watch for ongoing show episodes, lawsuits against producers over care, though Buchel's case had no reported legal action.[[10]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_600-lb_Life)