1000-Lb Sisters stars Amy and Tammy Slaton are mourning the death of their cousin, Katie Slaton, who has passed away at the age of 37. The heartbreaking news was confirmed earlier this week by their sister, Amanda Halterman.
Katie had been battling stage 4 gastric adenocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of stomach cancer. She was diagnosed earlier this year and began treatment shortly afterward. Katie was familiar to viewers of the TLC reality series, having appeared in several episodes, including season 5 when Tammy was released from a weight-loss rehabilitation center.
Amanda shared the devastating news with fans on Instagram in a moving tribute. “It [is] with a completely crushed heart and spirit that I have to post this. My little cousin went to sit at the feet of Jesus yesterday,” she wrote. “She was a force to be reckoned with and showed love that was accepting and given freely.”
Amanda went on to describe her cousin as not only her best friend but also the life of the party. “I know both our grandparents and friends was there to welcome you home. Please pray for my aunt, uncle and cousins but mostly for the babies and for Natalie to be strong.” She concluded her message with another plea, adding, “Please pray for everyone whom loves her. Thank you all who has come out and supported her.”
Amy and Tammy have not yet publicly addressed their cousin’s passing. However, earlier this year Tammy asked her followers to help Katie during her cancer battle by donating to a GoFundMe page. “Y’all, I’m so sorry to be asking a big favor like this, but if anyone can help, even if it’s a dollar would help my cousin out so much,” she wrote in January. “She has been on my show, but this is something new; our family just found out about her having cancer. Even if you can’t donate, [all I] ask is for you to pray… anything and everything is greatly appreciated not only by [my cousin], but myself and my siblings.”
Katie’s longtime girlfriend, Natalie Gerrick Bailie, also kept supporters updated on her health journey. In a February Facebook post, she revealed that Katie had started chemotherapy and was showing signs of improvement. “We are so thankful that her symptoms are improving,” Natalie wrote at the time. “Both our families have been so great throughout this whole process. We could not get through this without you! Thank you everyone for the thoughts and prayers!”
