1000-lb Sisters star Tammy Slaton inspires me because she’s overcome so many challenges to become who she is today, and I think her plans will help her to grow as a person and really love herself. Sometimes, when I think about Tammy and just how much rain has fallen in her life (and how she keeps trying to make things better), I find it moving. It reminds me of a Kate Bush song, Cloudbusting, where the inventive and gifted singer/songwriter feels sure that “something good is gonna happen.” No matter what she’s up against, Tammy looks for the silver lining, and it’s almost always there.
In the Cloudbusting video, Kate wants to make rain, but for Tammy, more than enough of it has already fallen.
When did the rain fall? It began when she was a young girl. Her mother, Darlene Rednour, was often out of the home, trying to support her children. When she was home, Darlene wasn’t the most nurturing woman. Tammy and her sister, 1000-lb Sisters star Amy Slaton, have talked about turning to food in order to soothe themselves. They may have believed that they only had each other. The bad eating habits they developed were the byproduct of kids trying to take care of themselves but not knowing exactly how to do it. When Tammy and Amy gained weight, society judged them.
Tammy Hasn’t Had An Easy Life
She’s Reinvented Herself
Down came the rain, and the sisters tried their best to cope… to make lemons out of lemonade. To a certain degree, they succeeded. They took to YouTube, entertaining fans. They did little stunts, like a Chubby Bunny challenge, as seen below, via Amy Slaton-Halterman, where they ate candy in front of cameras. Maybe it wasn’t Tammy’s dream life, but she was taking baby steps towards empowerment. She was trying to leverage her own experience into success that might make the sun finally come out.
Now, 500 pounds lighter, Tammy still has her dark moments, but the glimmers of light break through, making her a sunnier presence. In fact, on Instagram and TikTok, Tammy is generally a fun person. Her enhanced mobility is one reason why the sun sometimes shines in her heart. Instead of feeling hindered by her own body, she’s able to move around with ease – she can even dance.
These changes are profound – on a soul level, losing weight freed Tammy up to be who she is. It helped to lighten all of that oppressive darkness.
Now, Tammy’s mulling over another life change – she may go and live with her brother, 1000-lb Sisters‘ Chris Combs. I believe that this change would be good for her. At this stage in her life, living with other people might make her really happy. She can sit and laugh with Chris and his wife and play with their kids. They can all eat healthy meals together. It would be good to know that someone was always there for her to talk to. Yes, she has her friends and fans online, but in real life, there may be times when she’s alone and the darkness creeps back in.
Also, a potential skin removal surgery would be a logical last step in a fitness transformation that has, quite frankly, been jaw-dropping. I’ve had a transformation myself, getting a cochlear implant that restored some of my hearing. I am planning to get another cochlear implant, on the left side, in the foreseeable future.
Tammy Is Tapping Into Her Personal Power
She’s Finding Herself
I understand how changing the body can change a life – do I ever! However, Tammy’s journey is different because it shows on the surface. She worked hard to qualify for weight-loss surgery. She’s been a sweeter, gentler person since she began losing a lot of weight. It’s all been so good for her. See Tammy show off her sunflower tattoo (an homage to her late husband, Caleb Willingham) in the TikTok clip above.
So, both of us have tried to make the sun come out. We’ve changed our bodies to change our lives. This is why I am a fan of hers – I understand the hardships that come before the transformation. They can be severe, long-lasting…grueling. When the sun comes out, it’s like a miracle.
Now, Tammy may be planning skin removal surgery. She’s been cleared for this procedure, and it’s really going to finish her transformation. She may lose more weight, or gain a little, or whatever, but she won’t need to live with the loose skin that she is so sensitive about. They’ll be able to remove it, giving her a boost of confidence that helps her to enjoy her life.
It’s so hard to fight the darkness and the rain, but it can be done. Tammy’s developed a lot more patience over the years. She’s less bombastic – a warmer person. She’ll still fight, but it seems like she enjoys other things more than battle. If she calls out a troll, it’s because they’ve gone too far, but she’d probably rather be dancing.
For the 1000-lb Sisters star, I believe living with the loving family man Chris and getting skin removal surgery will be beneficial and life-changing decisions. These choices might not solve every problem, but they’ll help her. She’ll be around family, she’ll appreciate her body more, and hopefully, she’ll feel a sense of inner peace, which is ultimately the goal of any transformation. This kind of peace can’t be experienced every single moment, but when it’s there, it really is like the sun coming out.
