My 600-Lb. Life’s first trans patient, Destinee Lashaee has died

Destinee Lashaee has tragically passed away. Featured in Season 7 of My 600-Lb. Life, she was the first transgender patient on the show and identified as a woman during the time of filming.

The unfortunate news was revealed on Tuesday when Destinee’s brother, Wayne Compton, confirmed it on Facebook.

In his post, he writes, “I’m sorry you felt alone, I’m sorry you had nobody else to turn too, I’m sorry you felt you had no other option.”

Her death comes one year since her sister also passed away.

Destinee Lashaee had a difficult journey

At her initial appointment, Destinee weighed in at 669 pounds. She told Dr. Nowzaradan she had goals of getting married and having children, which motivated her to lose weight.

When sharing her story, she mentioned the struggles from her childhood. She lost a brother, spent time in foster care, and had a hard time with her sexuality and identity. These situations quickly led to feelings of depression and loneliness that she tried to deal with by using food.

In her episode, she said, “I feel like all I’m constantly doing is trying to escape my depression and pain at this point. Food is the only thing I can turn to to do that. I can feel it killing me. There is no way I’m going to survive for much longer.

Destinee took her weight loss goals seriously, moving to Houston and doing the work needed to be approved for surgery.

In the time since the show aired, Destinee went on to lose close to 500 pounds. She documented much of her transition on social media.

What happened after My 600-Lb. Life?

In 2020, Destinee participated in a lawsuit against Megalomedia, the production company for the show. The lawsuit accused producers of the show of intentionally inflicting emotional distress, negligence, fraud, and more.

Other cast members joined the lawsuit, making claims that the producers ignored their concerns, took advantage of them, and failed to pay for mental health services after promising to do so.

Unfortunately, Destinee is not the first former cast member to pass away. Most recently, Gina Krasley from Season 8 died at the age of 30. In the lawsuit, some cast members stated they were in a dark place after appearing on the show, and nothing was done to help them.

Destinee openly talked about her struggles with body dysmorphia and trying to find a place where she belongs. She concluded her final Facebook post by saying, “I’ve realized that God makes no mistakes, I’m grateful for my journey and all I’ve been through, I don’t regret a single moment.”

We are sending our deepest condolences to Destinee’s family and loved ones.

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, or worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK], or text TALK to 741-741 for free confidential emotional support 24 hours a day 7 days a week.