Facebook Chuck Turner turned to food to cope with the devastating loss of his wife in 2006; he weighed nearly 700 pounds when he first appeared on "My 600-lb Life."
Chuck Turner weighed 693 pounds when he first appeared on TLC’s popular reality series My 600-lb Life during Season 2 of the show. The reality star began gaining weight rapidly after his wife was murdered in 2006; he turned to food to cope with the loss of his wife as well as his depression, which worsened after he developed a 40-lb lymphedema mass on his leg.
TLC is airing a re-run of Chuck’s episode at 8 p.m. ET tonight, so fans might be wondering where he is today and what he’s been up to since his episode aired. The (unusually short) description of the episode, titled “Chuck’s Story,” reads, “at almost 700 pounds, Chuck faces the loss of his business and marriage.”
The network will also be airing Chuck’s followup episode after his Season 2 rerun, so fans will get a double dose of Chuck on August 19. Here’s what we know about the reality star, his experience with Dr. Now, and where he is today. (Warning: some spoilers on Chuck’s story ahead! Turn back now if you don’t want anything ruined for you before the episode airs!):
Chuck’s Wife Nissa Feels Like a ‘Servant’ & a Caregiver to Her Husband
When viewers first met Chuck during Season 2 of the show, his second wife Nissa was on the verge of leaving him. Due to Chuck’s massive lymphedema, he was largely immobile and solely dependent on Nissa to help him around the house. Although Nissa loved Chuck, the two were no longer intimate because of his weight, and she admitted that she felt like Chuck’s “slave.”
“When I met Chuck, he was around 600 pounds,” Nissa says in the clip above. “He was very shy and didn’t want to get out of the truck and introduce himself properly because of his size. I felt that I should give him a chance because I felt that all of my relationships had failed because of my weight, and I didn’t wanna judge him for his weight.”
Chuck explains that his weight was becoming a deep burden on Nissa and impacting the time he was able to spend with his son, which motivated the reality star to seek out celebrity bariatric surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzaradan to help regain control of his life. “I always wanted a son, and we had the opportunity to adopt Nathan, and he’s the best thing in the world. I’d like to go outside with Nathan and play, but I can hardly walk without getting winded.” He adds that “the thing that upsets [him] the most” is the toll it’s taking on his wife.
Nissa admits during a confessional that she feels like Chuck’s “servant,” instead of his wife. “Marriage is extremely difficult when you’re married to somebody who is 600 pounds. We don’t have an intimate relationship, our marriage is much more ‘caregiver-patient.’ I just feel like a servant.” She tearfully notes that “being a single mom is one thing, but being a single mom when there’s another human being there is much harder.”
Chuck Lost an Impressive 433 Pounds by The End of His Episode
Unfortunately, the strain of taking care of Chuck did become too much for Nissa, and the two split shortly after his episode was filmed. Although Chuck was was devastated by the end of his second marriage, he worked incredibly hard with Dr. Now in Houston, and by the end of his first episode, Chuck was able to lose enough weight to qualify for weight loss surgery. The reality star dropped a staggering 433 pounds, and had a final weigh-in of 260 pounds.
Despite Chuck’s incredible success with Dr. Now’s strict diet program, the reality star still struggled with food cravings, on top of having to adjust to his new body. “I thought the surgery would take away my cravings, but it hasn’t been that simple,” Chuck said at the time. “I’m eating less, but I still like good food that tastes good.”
So where is Chuck today? Judging by the reality star’s Facebook page, he has been able to keep the weight off over the last few years. He occasionally updates fans on his life today, but primarily posts links to articles about COVID-19 stimulus checks, the occasional political post, his support for law enforcement officers and miscellaneous thoughts about life. You can follow Chuck on Facebook by clicking here.
My 600 Lb Life airs Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. EST on TLC. You can find more coverage and updates on the cast and subjects here.
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