Amy and Tammy Slaton first rose to fame as the stars of TLC’s fan-favorite reality show 1000-Lb. Sisters.

The series, which debuted in 2020, followed the Kentucky-based sisters as they grappled with life-threatening obesity and worked towards bariatric surgery. When it premiered, Amy weighed 406 lbs. while Tammy was 605 — bringing the sisters’ combined weight to more than 1,000 lbs.

Their weight gain, which had been a problem since childhood, had led both Amy and Tammy to a dark place — mentally and physically — and the sisters were determined to make a change.

Related: All the Ups and Downs of 1000-Lb. Sisters‘ Tammy and Amy Slaton

Since then, the hit reality show has chronicled Tammy and Amy’s weight loss journeys over six seasons, sharing every health hurdle and victory along the way. But the Slaton sisters have also let viewers into their personal lives, showcasing their ups and downs over the years — from marriages and childbirth to divorces, deaths and arrests.

Tammy and Amy have no regrets about letting reality television cameras into their lives. “By putting our stories out there, we’re helping others see they can lose weight too. They’re not alone,” Tammy told PEOPLE in 2023.

While season 7 of 1000-Lb. Sisters premieres on TLC on April 15, here is a look back at Amy Slaton and Tammy Slaton’s rise to fame — and where the beloved sisters are today.

Who are Amy and Tammy Slaton?

Tammy and Amy grew up in rural Morganfield, Ky., with three siblings: Chris, Misty and Amanda.

The sisters, who were raised by a single mother, have struggled with their weight since their childhood. Amy told PEOPLE in 2023 that their mother, Darlene, worked three jobs meaning she and Tammy were often in charge of their own diets.

The sisters’ weight struggles worsened after the death of their grandmother in 1999 when they were still young. “[We] took it hard and turned to food for comfort,” Tammy told PEOPLE, with Amy adding, “I started eating my feelings.”

As adults, Tammy and Amy’s weight began to cause health issues and made it difficult for them to leave the house. They began posting YouTube videos in 2014 as a way to meet new people — and as their following grew, the sisters caught the attention of TLC producers.

1000-Lb. Sisters then debuted in January 2020 chronicling Amy and Tammy’s attempts to lose enough weight to qualify for bariatric surgery.

“We were already trying to lose weight before the show even got a hold of us, so it was like the perfect opportunity,” Amy told PEOPLE.

Did Amy and Tammy Slaton have weight loss surgery?

Both Amy and Tammy eventually qualified to have bariatric surgery — but their roads to the procedure looked very different.

Amy, whose highest weight was 406 lbs., learned she had lost enough weight to qualify for bariatric surgery at the end of season 1 of 1000-Lb. Sisters. She underwent the surgery in 2019, and, by December 2023, had dropped 176 lbs.

“I can go to the store and not worry about my looks because I feel good about myself regardless of what other people say about me,” Amy told PEOPLE in 2019. “I’m beautiful the way I am.”

During and after Amy’s dramatic weight loss, she welcomed two children, sons Gage Deon and Glenn Allen.

Related: Amy Slaton’s 2 Kids: All About Gage and Glenn

Tammy, however, struggled to lose enough weight through diet and exercise to be able to safely undergo bariatric surgery. After being denied by her doctor in season 1 of 1000-Lb. Sisters, Tammy continued to battle weight and health struggles over the next three years. She bounced in and out of rehab for food addiction, was hospitalized on more than one occasion and hit her heaviest weight of 725 lbs.

But in 2022, Tammy lost 180 lbs. while at a weight loss facility in Ohio — which dropped her weight to 534 lbs. and made her eligible for bariatric surgery. She had her surgery, which was chronicled in season 4 of 1000-Lb. Sisters, in the summer of 2022.

As of August 2024, Tammy has lost a staggering 500 lbs. Her weight loss has been nothing short of life-changing — allowing her to fit in a regular car seat without the use of a seatbelt extender and walk without the aid of a wheelchair or walker.

“I’ve done more in the last nine months than I’ve ever done in my life,” Tammy shared with PEOPLE in 2023. “I have my life back.”

Did Tammy Slaton have skin removal surgery?

As Tammy shed massive amounts of weight — surpassing her and her doctor’s goals — she set her eyes on a new target: qualifying for skin removal surgery.

Tammy’s bariatric surgeon, Dr. Eric Smith, told PEOPLE in October 2024 that patients are not typically eligible for skin removal surgery until they’ve achieved the majority of their weight loss and maintained a stable weight for three to six months. However, in Tammy’s case, he was willing to consider an accelerated timeline.

“She has a significant amount of loose skin that’s affecting her mobility and contributing to other health concerns,” Smith explained to PEOPLE at the time. “Given this, it makes sense to consider surgery sooner rather than later, even though she will continue to lose weight in the future.”

Tammy also expressed how difficult her excess skin made everyday life in season 6 of 1000-Lb. Sisters.

“I just want to be able to walk around better without losing balance,” she said on the reality series. “It’s hard to walk because of the skin. I walk like a daggone penguin. My belly goes this way and I’m going that way.”

However, as of April 2025, Tammy has yet to receive the skin removal surgery. Though Dr. Peter Rubin, a Pittsburgh-based plastic surgeon, initially approved Tammy for skin removal on her lower stomach and chin, she was ultimately unable to undergo the procedure because of her vaping habit.

“We can’t schedule the surgery now until we can get all these things worked out,” Rubin explained to Tammy in the season 6 finale of 1000-Lb. Sisters, noting that her vaping would “almost 100 percent” cause issues with wound healing and infection post-surgery.

What happened in Amy Slaton and Tammy Slaton’s marriages?

The TLC reality series has not only chronicled Tammy and Amy’s weight loss journey, it has also shown the ups and downs in their personal lives — particularly when it comes to their significant others.

Amy and her husband, Michael Halterman, split in March 2023 after six years of marriage. The couple eloped in 2017 and had a vow renewal ceremony in 2019 that was featured on the first season of 1000-Lb. Sisters.

The reality show captured several milestone moments in Tammy and Halterman’s relationship, including the births of their two sons Gage and Glenn — but cameras were also rolling for the end of their marriage.

Related: Who Was Tammy Slaton’s Late Husband, Caleb Willingham? All About His Life with the ‘1000-Lb. Sisters’ Star

Tammy’s marriage to Caleb Willingham also came to a tragic end, when her husband of just seven months died unexpectedly at the age of 40 in June 2023. The two had met while patients at Windsor Lane Rehabilitation Center in Gibsonburg, Ohio, in 2022.

Willingham proposed in October, and by November, the couple were married. According to Tammy, he was the love of her life — and his death left her heartbroken.

“He was my best friend and I loved him dearly,” Tammy said of her late husband. “When I met Caleb he became my guardian angel and now he really is watching over me.”

Why was Amy Slaton arrested?

In addition to struggles with her weight and marriage, Amy has also run into troubles with the law since appearing on 1000-Lb. Sisters. In September 2024, Amy was arrested at a Tennessee zoo on drug and child endangerment charges.

According to the Crockett County Sheriff’s Department, authorities were called to the Tennessee Safari Park on reports that a guest had been bitten by a camel. But upon arrival at the zoo, police were “immediately overtaken by suspicious odors coming from the guest’s vehicle,” per a Facebook post from the sheriff’s department.

Amy and Brian Scott Lovvorn, who was allegedly in the vehicle with her, were both arrested and charged with two counts of illegal possession and two counts of child endangerment — as Amy’s sons, Gage and Glenn, were also present.

On Dec. 19, 2024, Amy and Lovvorn pleaded guilty to simple possession of marijuana and simple possession of mushrooms. As part of their plea deal, the two child endangerment charges were dismissed.

Amy and Lovvorn avoided jail time and instead were sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and complete a drug and alcohol assessment and state-certified parenting class. They were also banned from Tennessee Safari Park.

The camel bite, arrest and plea deal were all filmed for the seventh season of 1000-Lb. Sisters, as the trailer revealed.

“It was just supposed to be a fun family day,” Amy said in the trailer, “and it turned out to be the worst day of our lives.”

Where are Amy and Tammy Slaton now?

Tammy and Amy’s journey on reality TV is continuing five years after 1000-Lb. Sisters premiered with the seventh season coming to TLC on April 15.

The latest season will not only feature Amy’s arrest, but also chronicle Tammy’s continued pursuit of skin removal surgery, Amy’s new relationship with Lovvorn and the family’s staged intervention with Amy following her arrest on drug charges.

Despite the turmoil in her life — including her divorce and legal trouble — Amy has been focusing on the positive. In 2023 and 2024, she turned her attention from weight loss to improving her mental health, especially after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression and acute stress disorder.

“It’s a relief to know that I’m not crazy,” she told PEOPLE in December 2023. “It was something totally different. I’m not just snapping because I’m snapping. I’m snapping because I’m bipolar.”

In addition to seeking out therapy and taking medications for her conditions, Amy maintains her happiness by “talking to Tammy, and being with my kids and my family as much as possible. Surrounding myself with love and light … and puppies,” she shared with PEOPLE.

Amy isn’t just focused on her mental health, though — she has also made moves in her career. On April 1, 2025, the reality star announced her first-ever solo meet-and-greet on her Instagram. Previously, Amy’s public appearances have always been alongside her sister Tammy.

“My first solo meet n greet!!” Amy wrote in the caption, while sharing details for the event in Evansville, Ind. “Hope to see you there!!”

As for Tammy, she’s been slowly picking up the pieces of her romantic life since the devastating death of her husband Willingham. In the season 6 finale of 1000-Lb. Sisters, which aired in December 2024, Tammy revealed that she was ready to re-enter the dating scene — but would not be seeking a relationship with a man.

“Lately I’ve been feeling like it’s time for me to start moving on and to start seeking love again, but this time I’m thinking of seeing a female,” Tammy, who came out as a pansexual in 2021, explained in the finale episode. “As it stands right now, I don’t want to be with another man. It just doesn’t feel right. I don’t even have those feelings for a guy anymore after Caleb passed.”

In an exclusive season 7 clip shared with PEOPLE, Tammy revealed that she is seeing a new person but keeping her identity a secret. “I have been seeing someone for the past couple months and it’s going pretty well,” she said in the snippet.

Read the original article on People