Tragic news today out of the world of reality television.
Matthew Ventress — the first transgender cast member on My 600-Lb Pound Life, who was known as Destinee LaShaee during his time on the show — has passedd away.
The awful development hhas been confirmed by LaShaee’s brother, Wayne Compton, on Facebook.
“I’m sorry bro, I accept you for who you are, I accept every flaw that come with you,” Wayne wrote in a tribute to Matthew on Tuesday.
“I’m sorry you felt alone, I’m sorry you felt you had nobody else to turn too, I’m sorry you felt you had no other option.”
Prior to his passing, Destinee shared a number of troubling messages on social media, all of which suggested she was struggling.
“If I was surrounded by all my tears I’d be floating in the ocean,” he wrote on Friday, for example.
Continued the former TLC personality a day later:
“To everyone who genuinely love and support me I love you and I’m grateful to have touched millions of lives and hearts around the world.
“Living my life with so much pain for so long I’ve come to realize that God makes no mistakes.
“I’m grateful for my journey and all I’ve been through. I don’t regret a single moment. Love you all.”
To be clear, no cause of death has been announced.
Lashaee, however, appeared on Season 7 of My 600 Lb. Life, which first aired in 2019.
During his episode, Matthew — then known as Destinee and presenting as a woman — tipped the scales at 669 pounds.
“I’m just 27. I have so much that I want to do and need to do. I can’t believe this is my life now. Where I lay here all day and wait for food,” Destinee told the cameras during her time on the series.
“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.”
Following this appearance on My 600 Lb. Life, Matthew joined a lawsuit with other previous cast members.
In legal documents filed in 2020, Matthew accused Megalomedia (the production company behind the show) of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud and more.
“The filming of her shaving was so painful that it was not made part of the show,” these court documents alleged.
“The stress led Plaintiff to have a breakdown in which she kicked the producers out of her home and threatened to kill them and herself.”
In his lawsuit, Matthew — who dropped down to 500 pounds in the years after filming — claimed that Megalomedia had also promised to pay for mental health counseling, yet failed to do so.
“I told the show I was Gonna be one of the biggest success stories they ever seen tho that experience messed me up mentally n with everything else I was dealing with I kept pushing I’m still pushing,” wrote the star once he accomplished this feat.
“Somebody wants to Give up Today.
“Please don’t definitely take breaks there important but please never give up you are strong and you are beautiful at any size and any gender be your true self walk your truth n watch how strong n powerful you’ll be.”
Concluded Lashaee back then:
“I thank god for guiding me till this day and never leaving my side I’m beyond grateful n can’t wait to get rid of all this skin so I can truly be my authentic self.”
We send our condolences to all the loved ones of Matthew Ventress.
May he rest in peace.
