The Truth About Ashley Dunn Bratcher From My 600-Lb Life

Ashley Dunn Bratcher from My 600-lb Life is arguably one of the most memorable stars of the TLC show — and that's because her weight loss journey was breathtaking. According to her introduction on the series, Bratcher began gaining weight at a young age, reportedly following a harrowing childhood. Bratcher's mother reportedly had a drug addiction so she was seldom around; meanwhile the husband of Bratcher's babysitter had been abusing her.

On the show, viewers got to know Bratcher and her family of three, which included her husband, Jacob, and their son, Patrick. Despite Bratcher having been dealt a difficult hand in her early life, she's surrounded by the love and support of family today. In fact, she and her husband have been married for a long time, according to her Facebook. "We've been through so much these last 10 years," she wrote in 2019, marking their ten-year anniversary. "It's crazy but I wouldn't want to face it all next to anyone else."

Thanks to some serious willpower and strength and her unwavering commitment to her family, Bratcher seems to have been doing well since she first appeared on My 600-lb Life. Wondering what she's been up to off-screen? Here's the untold truth of Bratcher that viewers didn't get to see on TV.

It's not uncommon for women to gain weight during pregnancy and even after childbirth. In fact, research published in Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America in 2009 suggests that the childbearing years for women may result in substantial weight gain that can even lead to the development of obesity. Nearly half (45 percent) of women are overweight or obese at the start of their pregnancy, and 43 percent of pregnant women gain more weight than what is recommended for their health and the health of their babies while pregnant.

Maintaining a healthy weight during and after pregnancy is a struggle for many women. After giving birth to Patrick, however, Ashley Dunn Bratcher from My 600-lb Life actually lost 95 pounds, according to a tweet from TLC in April 2017. Giving birth to her son inspired her to lose weight and get healthy — she knew she wouldn't live a long life on the path she was on, and she was reportedly determined not to abandon her son like her mother had abandoned her, according to the Daily Mail.

Ashley Dunn Bratcher from My 600-lb Life isn't only a proud mother of her son, Patrick, but she's also a mom to a few fur babies. According to the reality television star's Instagram page, she appears to have two dogs and a cat. At least one of Bratcher's dogs, Brindle, is a pit-mix, according to an Instagram post, and the pup seems to be as comfortable in front of the camera as the reality television star is herself. Bratcher has shared tons of cute photos of her adorable fur friend, calling the one and only Brindle "her [heart]." She doesn't seem to post as much about the other dog, but we're sure that she loves all of her pets just the same.

As for her cat, she's dressed that pet up on at least one occasion, showing the cute ball of fluff in a gold T-shirt in one Instagram photo. And it does not appear that the cat exactly loves being dressed up. In the post's caption, Bratcher wrote, "He's not [too] happy with me lol #pissed #getthisoffofme #furbaby."

When viewers first met Ashley Dunn Bratcher on her episode of My 600-lb Life, her peak weight was 725 pounds. But after two years of filming for My 600-lb Life under the guidance of Dr. Now, as noted by Starcasm, she was said to have lost 350 pounds. That's over 48 percent of her peak body weight. Bratcher underwent gastric bypass surgery on the show to facilitate her weight loss journey. But make no mistake: The experience was far from an easy one, as there's a lot of things people get wrong about weight loss.

"This whole journey has been not only a physical rollercoaster, it's been very a much an emotional rollercoaster," she told People. "I've done fairly decent, but yes, I've had moments where I've broken down. Whoever says weight loss surgery is the easy way out is crazy because this has really been one of the hardest things I've ever done."

It's no surprise that losing as much weight as Bratcher did would be difficult to do. Healthy weight loss is a process that doesn't happen overnight, and changes to one's body can certainly affect someone emotionally, as well. Fortunately now, Bratcher is much healthier and is able to move without pain, according to an episode of My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? in which she appeared (via Inquistr).

Ashley Dunn Bratcher has reportedly kept off most (if not all) of the weight that she lost while on My 600-lb Life with Dr. Now. According to an Inquisitr article in March 2020, Bratcher seems to be "still on the road to success."

Back in 2016, Bratcher posted a photo collage of "then" and "now" photos of herself on Instagram for "Transformation Tuesday." The more recent image showed Bratcher in a red shirt and glasses, smiling. She seemed to be a much healthier version of herself than she was in the other photos, in which she appeared to be at a much heavier weight. In hashtags for the post, she noted she was "proud," "unstoppable," "thankful," and "blessed." She said that she was "getting there," adding that "God works in mysterious ways."

Bratcher shared the same photo on her Facebook page, where her friends, family, and fans chimed in to share their congratulations, warm wishes, and words of love and support. And, according to other photos on the star's social media pages, she looks happier and healthier than the person the world first got to know on My 600-lb Life.

There are tons of ways that Ashley Dunn Bratcher from My 600-lb Life battles emotional eating. One of those ways is through journaling. For Bratcher, journaling is part of self-growth. "I go for a walk. I play with my dogs. I might journal," she told People. "It's a learning experience."

There's a lot of research that suggests just how good journaling is for your health. Research led by psychologist Dr. James W. Pennebaker from University of Texas, Austin, who has led several studies regarding the topic, found that journaling about your feelings may help those writing better process trauma, as reported by Harvard Medical School. Of his research into the healing effects of writing, he shared, "By writing, you put some structure and organization to those anxious feelings," adding, "It helps you to get past them."

So, Bratcher may now be familiar with the relief journaling can provide.