How Is 'My 600-lb Life' Star Mercedes Cephas Doing Now?

We were worried about Mercedes Cephas' episode on My 600-lb Life before it even started. Here's why: TLC kept alarmingly quiet about the star, and when that happens, it's usually cause for concern.

TLC was completely mum when Kelly Mason died in Dr. Now's care earlier this season. She became the second person to die while filming the show, and the sixth My 600-Lb Life star to lose the battle against obesity and its related complications.

On My 600-lb Life, viewers learned that Mercedes struggles with severe lymphedema. This means her lymph glands don't work properly, and Mercedes accumulates fluids in her extremities — which is terrible for the heart, liver and other organs.

Mercedes could barely stand on the show, and she spent most of her day bed-bound, which is quite common for patients who appear on the show. However, it was not just her own life she was putting in peril with her poor health and disordered eating habits. Mercedes also had two small children, who she was unable to care for.

What's more, the roles in Mercedes' family are completely reversed, and the burden falls on her two little kids to take care of her. Mercedes also gets help from her extended family in caring for herself and for her children, since her weight became too much to deal with on her own.

Unfortunately for those wondering how Mercedes is doing now, she hasn't been publicly active on social media since appearing on My 600-lb Life. There are only a handful of photos she's posted on Facebook, and her Instagram account is empty.

Mercedes' lack of updates may have something to do with her time on My 600-lb Life, during which she failed to make significant improvements in her weight loss journey.

Throughout the course of the show, she was only able to lose around 80 pounds and had a myriad of reasons to give Dr. Now each weigh-in for why she hadn't dropped more. Ultimately, she wasn't able to get the weight-loss surgery because she didn't lose enough weight and after returning from Houston, she began a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the procedure.

"My name is Mercedes Cepha.s I am 37-year-old single mother of two, 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," the GoFundMe began. "I had a C-section 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 around 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 an my family I'm ready to get my life back and start living again and my son wants to go to the beach and I want to be the one to take him," she continued.

"That's why I'm taking these steps to better my life for me and my children any donations will be greatly appreciated I know it's not going 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' GoFundMe concluded. In total, she only raised $175 of her $10,000 goal; the campaign is no longer accepting donations at this time.

Hopefully, Mercedes was able to turn things around in regard to her health and is thriving today. We'll keep you updated if we learn more!

New episodes of My 600-lb Life air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on TLC and on Discovery Plus.