Whatever Happened To Angie J From My 600-Lb Life?
Angie J, whose full name is Angela Marie Dunham-Johns, was one of the most controversial people ever to appear on the TLC show "My 600-Lb Life." Coming from a sexually abusive upbringing and having fought a drug addiction as a young adult, Angie's path certainly was not easy. When she joined the show in Season 7, Angie weighed in at 643 pounds (via The Cinemaholic) and she reached out to Dr. Nowzaradan (or Dr. Now as he's known on the show) for help. She and her family made the trip from Ohio to Texas only to learn that she would need to lose a significant amount of weight in order to even qualify for weight-loss surgery.
Angie was obstinate in the face of Dr. Now's recommendations and repeatedly called his diet plan "bull****." Even more frustrating for viewers was that Dr. Now discovered Angie had essentially been sabotaging her own weight loss by abusing drugs while under his care. Angie J's episode ended with the 39-year-old having only lost 49 pounds in eight months, leaving fans wondering what would happen to this young wife and mother in the months and years to come. Here's what we know about Angie J.
Angie J lost the weight
When Angie's episode of "My 600-Lb Life" ended, she had made almost no progress towards her weight loss goals and was not cleared for surgery with Dr. Now. But, according to Starcasm, it appears she finally got serious, stuck around with Dr. Now, and ultimately lost enough weight to qualify for weight-loss surgery. Unfortunately in the meantime, her husband Justin (whom we met on the show) left her. The following day, her home in Texas was reportedly burglarized.
In February of 2019, shortly after these discouraging events, Angie started a GoFundMe to help her afford to stay in Texas and see her journey through. The fundraiser stated, "I have been [through] the mud I don't need no extra negativity because thru this all I'M STILL HERE TRYING! I finally got approved for my surgery! I'm doing the 2nd episode now!" Angie does receive a ton of negativity on social media and her frequent attempts at crowd-sourcing money are often met with nasty criticism. That doesn't stop her from pursuing her goals, though.
Angie J is raising funds for skin removal surgery
Despite everything she's been through, Angie J evidently was successful in receiving her weight loss surgery and is now in need of skin removal surgery, according to a new GoFundMe she established on September 8th. As usual, haters chimed in on Facebook, calling the reality TV star "trash" and "a scammer." Angie is not here for it though and lets critics know they can simply stay off her page. She's clearly on a new path and even appears to have a new man in her life, whom she refers to in her Facebook live videos as her "mister."
So, will we ever see that second episode Angie J mentioned filming for the TLC series? So far, it appears not. Starcasm reports Angie J claims to have quit the show ... even though she stated in June 2020 on Facebook that she was still under a non-disclosure agreement. We're confused, too. For now, we're not holding our breath for an Angie J episode on TLC anytime soon, but certainly hope this controversial character continues making positive changes for herself.
Angie J wants her full story to be told
In April 2021, Angie J finally made her long-anticipated return to "My 600-lb Life," appearing on a "Where Are They Now?" episode that showcased how much better she's doing (via Twitter). The former reality star uses her Facebook page to keep fans updated on her impressive progress, and there's evidently a massive amount of support on there for her, too. In a Facebook post shared on April 25, 2021, Angie J opened up about her journey on "My 600-lb Life" for what she advised would be "the LAST time." The reluctant reality star explained succinctly, "I am not a celebrity at all ... I was a person who was desperate for help to get my health in order and unfortunately I reached out to the wrong help (megalo media) ... I allowed this company to come in and film my life and basically exploit me for monetary benefits for themselves."
However, the Ohio native acknowledged she doesn't regret the decision because, through her "love hate relationship" with Dr. Now, she got the requisite help. The former reality star has conquered her addiction issues for the most part. Overall, As Angie J sees it, "The story was about me but wasn't told by ME. it was edited and somewhat twisted to do exactly what it did ... GOT PPL TALKING."
Angie J moved to Iowa and is living her 'best life'
In a message posted to Facebook, in December 2021, Angie J shared that her life is finally on the up and up. Confirming she's doing "amazing," the former reality star revealed that she'd recently relocated to Iowa and gotten engaged to "the most incredible man ever." The happy couple even shares a dog. Her weight loss journey continues too, with Angie joining a gym for the first time in her life, as well as regularly attending church. Moreover, she's fully sober, even ditching her marijuana habit. "I am doing the best I can ever remember!!!" Angie gushed, acknowledging, "Living my BEST LIFE!!! I have so much more to do and I am so excited."
The "My 600-lb Life" star thanked fans for their ongoing support, with many well-wishers in the comments congratulating her on her sobriety in particular. Angie is also on Cameo, where fans can request personalized video messages from her. She's willing to spill the beans on her reality show experience, especially since Angie confirmed she's no longer under contract with TLC. The outspoken star has no plans to return to the show that made her famous, however, telling followers simply, "I'm going to document my own story." Fans will have to wait and see how the project materializes, but suffice to say they're excited for what's to come.