Ashley has journeyed from a “happy toddler,” per her own recollection, to a 670-pound adult in danger of dying.
Like many who have experienced such a drastic external transformation, Ashley’s story centers around a trauma. Tonight’s TLC docuseries subject was sexually assaulted by her uncle at 12 years old.
“I didn’t know what to do,” she explains in a clip provided exclusively to TheWrap, “I didn’t know how to feel safe. So I would eat to gain back whatever little happiness I could.”
Later, Ashley’s mom would confront the uncle. Watch “My 600-lb Life” tonight at 8/7c on TLC to find out what happened next.
Here’s Ashley’s full bio, courtesy of the Discovery-owned cable channel:
Ashley is 30 years old and very devoted to her loving husband, Daniel. But at 670 pounds, she is too large for Daniel to take care of alone, so the couple lives in her family’s home in West Hills, Calif. with her mother, father, and three younger sisters. Ashley relies on her family not only to feed her, but to help her shower and perform other everyday tasks.
Ashley has always used food to help her cope with the horrific memories of a childhood trauma, but she now realizes that her eating habits are a quick pathway to a premature death.
Her biggest fear is that Daniel will lose interest in her as his role changes from her husband to her caretaker, so the couple decides to take a big risk by moving to Houston in search of the weight loss surgery Ashley desperately needs.
For the first time in her life, Ashley is without her family as she struggles to change her diet and exercise habits with the hope and dream that she and Daniel can one day have a family of their own.