From Struggles to Strength: Checking In on Jennifer and Marissa Jess Post My 600-Lb Life Season 6

Mother/daughter duo Jennifer and Marissa Jess weighed a combined 1000 pounds when they started on My 600-Lb Life. Find out how they're doing today.



SUMMARY

  •  Jennifer and Marissa Jess began their weight loss journey on My 600-Lb Life, weighing over a thousand pounds combined, but they're healthier now and have moved on with their lives.
  •  Both women had difficult pasts that led to their food addictions, but with the help of My 600-Lb Life, they were able to overcome their challenges and achieve their weight loss goals.
  •  Jennifer and Marissa faced obstacles in their journey, including strained relationships and setbacks, but they supported each other and ultimately found success in their weight loss transformation.

When mother and daughter Jennifer and Marissa Jess began their weight loss journey on My 600-Lb Life, they weighed over a thousand pounds combined, but they're healthier now and have moved on with their lives.

 The duo, who were from Bend, Oregon, sought help from Dr. Younan Nowzaradan (Dr. Now) when their weight began affecting their daily lives. At the beginning of their My 600-lb Life experience, 42-year-old Jennifer weighed 636 pounds, while 26-year-old Marissa was 573 pounds. Their episode aired in 2018.

Both women had difficult pasts that led to their food addictions. Jennifer's father, who had an addiction, left her and her mother when she was five. She had an abusive stepfather and found that food was the only thing that made her feel safe and happy. 

When Jennifer was 16, she got pregnant with Marissa and got married to a man who was also abusive. Jennifer left her husband, but her new boyfriend, Dawayne, introduced her to drugs. Marissa then became Jennifer's caretaker and endured watching terrible spousal abuse. Both women desperately needed the help My 600-Lb Life offered.


My 600-Lb Life's Jennifer & Marissa Continued To Lose Weight
In a 2019 episode of My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?, Jennifer and Marissa continued their weight loss journey. After two years of working with the infamous Dr. Now, Jennifer was down to 382 pounds, while Marissa was down to 242 pounds. 


Although Jennifer experienced a setback during the episode, she remained committed to losing the weight she needed. Even though both Marissa and Jennifer had a challenging past, they were able to move on from it so they could achieve their weight-loss goals. While it was difficult, Marissa and Jennifer wanted a better and healthier life than the one they were living.


My 600-Lb Life's Jennifer Reconciled With Dawayne
On the My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? episode, Marissa was hurt when her mother went back to Dawayne, whom she had left due to his gambling and drinking addictions. When Jennifer reconciled with him after he cleaned up his act, she moved with him to Killeen, Texas.


 After Marissa had emergency gallbladder removal surgery alone, she realized she wanted to be near family, so she moved to California to be closer to her loved ones.


 Although this strained her relationship with Jennifer, they were doing better at the end of the episode. However, they were still working on eliminating their dysfunctional dynamic. Jennifer's social media accounts are private, so it is unclear if she is still with Dawayne.

My 600-Lb Life's Marissa Got Married
Marissa got engaged to her now-wife, Gina Qtararo Joch, on April 24, 2019. The My 600-lb Life alum lives in Tampa, Florida, and has been working in healthcare after graduating from Indiana University in 2021. The pair later tied the knot and are still together.

Jennifer and Marissa had a difficult journey on My 600-Lb Life, but they were able to work through their physical and emotional obstacles to achieve their weight-loss goals. Although their relationship has had its ups and downs, they helped each other through the experience. Hopefully, Jennifer and Marissa will be able to keep up their new, healthier lifestyles in the future and will inspire the upcoming cast of My 600-Lb Life season 12.