Summary

Lupe from My 600-Lb Life lost over 400 pounds, but also faced relationship struggles and heartbreak.
Lupe found new love after leaving her husband and boyfriend passed away, showcasing her resilience.
Despite challenges, Lupe inspired many by not giving up and continuing her weight loss journey.

My 600-Lb. Life season 4 star Lupe Samano had a very successful and inspiring journey during the show, but what about her life since she completed filming? Lupe was 39 years old and 642 pounds at the beginning of her episode of one of the best reality TV shows. At the time, Lupe had been confined to her bed for over a decade. She sought help from renowned bariatric surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzardan, who is known as Dr. Now because she wanted to save her life. Her husband, Gilbert Donovan, had become more like a caretaker. While she won't appear on My 600-Lb Life season 12, there's still curiosity about Lupe after the show.

The car ride to Houston to see the doctor put so much strain on Lupe's heart that she had to be admitted to the hospital immediately when she arrived. My 600-Lb. Life surgeon Dr. Now discovered her heart was failing, and she could've died if the car ride was just a few hours longer. Lupe eventually recovered and lost enough weight to qualify for surgery. Although she lost 300 pounds, she was still afraid to walk. The episode ended with Dr. Now telling her that she had to leave the bed and Lupe vowing to stick to her weight loss plan and exercises.

My 600-Lb Life's Lupe Samano Has Lost More Weight

Split image of Lupe Samano in 2016 and a Facebook post of her smiling in 2019

Lupe appeared in two shocking My 600-Lb. Life: Where Are They Now? episodes, which aired in 2017 and 2018. She worked hard to lose even more weight so that she could get hip replacement surgery. Lupe also had skin removal surgery, which also helped her to drop some pounds. The My 600-Lb Life star lost over 400 pounds and got down to nearly 200 pounds. Lupe's Facebook profile, last updated in 2019, revealed she could keep that weight off. However, Lupe has not updated her page since then. It's unclear if she had hip surgery, although she had written in 2019 that she was looking for the right surgeon for her.

In a March 2019 Facebook post, Lupe revealed she was only 21 pounds away from her goal weight of 180 pounds. The My 600-Lb. Life season 4 star stated that God would never leave her side, and she was going to "finish this journey with a big smile on my face..tears in my eyes, and lots of gratitude in my heart...cause with my weight loss I feel so much more alive...so much more energy...confidence..." Lupe also said shopping for clothes felt so good. She went from size 8X to size 14-16 and said it's "the most amazing feeling...never did I think I'd be wearing this size."

My 600-Lb Life's Lupe Samano Left Her Husband

Lupe was very hurt when she discovered that Gilbert was seeking intimacy from women he met on the Internet. However, she tried hard to make the marriage work. At first, they seemed to be doing well in her My 600-Lb Life: Where Are They Now? episode. They had even become intimate again. However, Gilbert began to drink, which upset Lupe.

After her skin removal surgery, Gilbert pressured her to be intimate with him right away, causing her sutures to rupture and become infected. Dr. Now rushed her into surgery. Lupe also claimed that Gilbert had become physically abusive to her. Additionally, she found out that he was still talking to other women. She left him when she had finally had enough. Lupe eventually decided to have an extended visit with her family in her home state of California.

Gilbert Is Dating Another My 600-Lb Life Star

In 2019, Gilbert allegedly began dating My 600-Lb. Life season 6 star Karina Garcia. This news shocked My 600-Lb. Life fans at the time. Karina's Facebook page currently states that she is in a relationship with Gilbert, so it may be assumed that they are still together in 2024. Her profile picture is of her and Gilbert, with a frame that reads "I'm Blessed!"

My 600-Lb Life's Lupe Samano Finds New Love

When Lupe went to California, she reconnected with an old friend, Andrew Renteria. They began dating and fell in love. They wanted to get married and have a child together. Andrew eventually moved back to Texas with Lupe to continue her weight loss program with Dr. Now. He accompanied her to all of her appointments and was her supportive and loving partner. On My 600-Lb Life: Where Are They Now?, Lupe stated that she would file for divorce from Gilbert.

My 600-Lb Life's Lupe Samano's Boyfriend Passes Away

Lupe's boyfriend, Andrew, died unexpectedly in 2019 after suffering from kidney problems. In a January 2019 Facebook post, Lupe paid tribute him, sharing a picture of them. She wrote, "Memories of me and my love, Andrew Renteria...RIP baby you are forever in my heart and never forgotten...you truly showed me wut a queen should be treated like...TE QUIERO MUCH MI AMOR...BESOS." Andrew's death is especially heartbreaking because Lupe finally found someone who respected and loved her the way she deserved.

Although Lupe's public social media has not been updated in a few years, the My 600-Lb. Life star seemed determined to continue to get healthy with diet and exercise. Despite many challenges stemming from her health and her personal life, she used coping mechanisms that helped her deal with her food addiction. My 600-Lb. Life should do another follow-up episode with Lupe because she was one of the most successful people the show has ever seen. Although her story was heart-wrenching at times, she inspired so many by not giving up and achieving her goals.

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