Katie Slaton, who was often featured in TLC’s 1000-Lb Sisters, has sadly passed away at the age of 37.
The devastating news was shared by Amy and Tammy Slaton’s sibling, Amanda Halterman, in an emotional Instagram post on Tuesday, August 26.
“It is with a completely crushed heart and spirit that I have to post this,” Halterman wrote. “My little cousin went to sit at the feet of Jesus yesterday. She was a force to be reckoned with and showed love that was accepting and given freely.”
Katie passed away on Monday, August 25, at the Linda White Hospice House in Evansville, Indiana, according to her obituary on Whitsell Funeral Home’s website.
A funeral service is scheduled for 1:00PM on Friday, August 29, at the funeral home’s Morganfield, Kentucky location.
Halterman continued her tribute alongside a touching photo of Katie holding a bag of cookies, writing: “She was the life of the party and my best friend. I know both our grandparents and friends was there to welcome you home.”
She asked fans for support during this difficult time, adding: “Please pray for my aunt uncle and cousins but mostly for the babies and for Natalie to be strong. Please pray for everyone whom loves her. Thank you all who has come out and supported her.” She concluded her message with the hashtag “#cancerscks.”
Katie passed following a courageous fight against stage 4 gastric adenocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of stomach cancer.
Katie’s presence was well known to 1000-Lb Sisters viewers. She appeared multiple times across the show’s seven seasons.
The news of her illness first surfaced earlier this year, when Halterman revealed Katie’s diagnosis in a January Facebook post.
“Hi, everyone. This is Amanda Halterman, and today I’m reaching out to my amazing supporters for something very close to my heart,” she wrote. “My cousin, Katie Slaton, is bravely fighting stage 4 cancer, and we’re asking for your support in any way you can offer it.”
Tammy also asked fans to help, sharing a GoFundMe link for Katie on social media.
“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.
“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.”
The loss comes just over a year after another tragedy struck the Slaton family. In July 2023, Tammy’s husband, Caleb Willingham, died at the age of 40 due to “complications of super morbid obesity,” according to his autopsy.
