Ontreon Shannon's Struggle With Obesity Was Documented on 'My 600-lb Life' — Where Is He Now?

Arguably one of the most powerfully moving reality shows on television, My 600-lb Life focuses entirely on the lives and struggles of certain individuals who each weigh more than 600 pounds. Throughout the TLC-helmed series, crews document how obesity impacts the cast and their families, and any attempts that the afflicted individual is making to lose weight.

One of the individuals spotlighted on My 600-lb Life was Ontreon Shannon. He is introduced to viewers with his weight as an unknown figure. So, who exactly is Ontreon, and where is he now? Keep reading to find out.

Ontreon appeared on Season 10, Episode 11 of My 600-lb Life in January 2022. At the time, he was living in Plano, Texas, and explained that on top of his weight, he has numerous health issues that include congestive heart failure and advanced diabetes.

In one of the show's earliest moments, he shares a bleak prognosis: "I have two or three different doctors that said that I would be lucky to even see 40. The worst has already begun to happen, it's definitely no way to live."

On top of that Ontreon shares that he takes 13–14 different medications to ensure that his heart doesn't fail.

He seems to have a lot of pretty upsetting things going on in his life, but Ontreon maintains that his reasoning for keeping going every day is that he has a wife and a mother to care for. Fans can see as the episode goes on that there are clear stressors that have spurred his eating habits and a discernible tension between Ontreon and his loved ones. Not so much that they're angered by him, of course, but that they firmly want to help him overcome obesity.

At first, Ontreon is candid with Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, better known as Dr. Now. He explains that although he is unaware of what steps he needs to take to lose weight, he is willing to do what's necessary to make it happen. The doctor believes at first that Ontreon doesn't have the commitment needed to take on such a task, but he pushes on anyway, taking on exercise, therapy, and a variety of other preventative means.

Ontreon faces some difficulties throughout the early days of his process, but he finds solace in his faith and the love and support of those closest to him. Although it appears on many occasions that Ontreon is making at least mental strides towards overcoming the bad habits that led to his obesity, he ultimately seems to come up short even at the end of the episode. His final check-in saw him gain 15 pounds in the two months since his last appointment when he was tasked with losing 80 pounds.

"It feels like no matter what I do it's never going to be good enough," Ontreon exclaims to viewers, clearly upset by his weight gain. The doctor tells Ontreon that it seems as though they've done all they can do for him, which spurs Ontreon to ask him to not give up on him just yet, saying he feels as though some progress has been made.

The doctor remains firm, telling Ontreon that he feels as though it's an emotional display and he doesn't have the conviction to make real change. He adds that time is running out, and that only Ontreon can make the decision to change the trajectory of his life. The episode closes out with Ontreon saying he's "just beginning."

During Season 9, Episode 2 of My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?, which aired on May 8, 2024, viewers are reintroduced to Ontreon. They learn that after the cameras had cut off for Season 10, Episode 11, he continued to fall short of reaching the expectations Dr. Now had set for him. A year and one month after his initial visit to Dr. Now, Ontreon's weight was recorded at 702 pounds, the same weight he was when he first arrived at the office.

At the time, Dr. Now expressed his concern over how much time Ontreon might have left and emphasized Ontreon's lack of effort to make the necessary changes for him to lead a healthier life.

Following that visit, Ontreon appears to have grown tired of his circumstances. He takes a step in the right direction and admits to fellow church members that he has been holding onto grief, one of the possible drivers behind his eating habits. Ontreon asks his trainer to help him with meal choices and prepping.

A year and five months after visiting Dr. Now, Ontreon had finally lost a substantial amount of weight. Dropping down to 639 pounds, Ontreon admitted that therapy has been the most influential factor helping him to lose weight. Sadly, two months later, he disclosed that he had not lost any more weight, attributing it to him and his wife moving into a bigger apartment. He still, however, would continue working towards this goal weight of 600.

Ontreon isn't one to give up without a fight, and it seems as though his conviction has grown as time has gone on. Despite not posting an update on what his weight is now to Facebook, he has shared that he's seemingly getting healthier every day.

Now residing in McKinney, Texas, and still married, Ontreon appears to have a positive outlook on life. It isn't clear whether he's still receiving professional medical guidance on his weight loss, but he appears to still want to do better for himself and his family.

Regardless of his course of action, we wish Ontreon the best in his pursuit to lose weight and become a better version of himself!