Where Is Abi Ruiz From 'My 600-lb Life' Now? An Update on His Health

During Season 12 of My 600-lb Life, we meet Abi Ruiz, an Austin, Texas resident who is originally from Puerto Rico.

In 2014, Abi was involved in a tragic car accident that changed the trajectory of his whole life. While he had struggled with his weight since he was a child, this accident cost him his mobility. "I lost feeling from my chest down," Abi, who has been bedridden for the last seven years, said during the episode. He added: "I've developed bed sores and lymphedema."

Abi's journey on My 600-lb Life was definitely not like most we've seen. While many people featured on the show relocate to Houston, Texas, where vascular and bariatric surgeon Dr. Now's office is, Abi could not even stand on his own, making a trip to his office seem out of the question.

When Dr. Now first connected with Abi on a video call, he started Abi with a physical therapist and put him on a special diet. But it wasn't until Dr. Now traveled to Austin and met with Abi in his apartment that he realized how serious Abi's condition was.

That said, Dr. Now then decided that the best way to treat Abi would be to bring him to the hospital, where he would be in a controlled environment and had to stick to the special diet. When Abi checked into the hospital, he was 728 pounds. In just one month, he was down to 605 pounds. Given Abi's progress, Dr. Now performed bariatric surgery on him the following month. He was then released a few weeks after his surgery as he neared the 400-pound mark, losing an impressive 325 pounds since starting his weight loss journey.

While Abi's weight loss was substantial, he still couldn't stand up and seemed only to have mobility in his arms. He was told he needed to be down to 350 pounds if he wanted to be considered for leg and hip surgery and have the possibility of walking again. The episode ended before we got a chance to see if Abi was able to get orthopedic surgery and walk again; however, he seemed very determined to keep up his good work. So, where is Abi now? Here's what we know.

It's unclear where Abi from My 600-lb Life is right now as he isn't very active on social media. However, a recent post from his wife, Brenda Michelle Ruiz, provides some optimism.

In March 2024, Brenda posted a picture of Abi and their two dogs with the caption, "The boys are so happy that Daddy's home."

From the looks of her post, it appears that Abi had just returned home after some sort of procedure or operation. Although it's uncertain what he was away for, there's a good chance it could have been a procedure related to mobility, which would mean that he had lost enough weight to qualify.

In the photo, Abi is smiling larger than ever. He is still bedridden, which makes sense as it is unlikely that he would regain his mobility after just one operation and would likely have to spend several months in physical therapy before being able to stand. Fingers crossed, Abi is still moving in the right direction.

Watch My 600-lb Life on TLC on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST.