Different people cope with their stress differently. While some tend to do relaxing things such as taking long walks or chatting with friends in order to redirect their thoughts and distract their mind from their problems, others turn to destructive measures, such as overeating.

It’s not uncommon for people to find comfort in their food, but sadly, as much as it cheers them up for some time, it has long-term negative effects on their overall health.

27-year-old Ashley Bratcher of Texas, who is a wife and a mother, gained excessive weight as a result of eating unhealthy food whenever she wanted to run away from the pain she felt after her mother abandoned her and her siblings when they were still very young.

”If my mother had been paying attention I think she could’ve changed a lot of stuff that was going on. As the oldest one, I felt like I had to protect my brother and sister because they were really little. So I let it happen to me, so it wouldn’t happen to them,” she explained.

When she finally told herself enough is enough, Ashley weighted 725 pounds. In hopes of finding a way out of her situation, she applied for the TLC’s show My 600-Lb Life and got in touch with one of the best weight loss surgeons there are, Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, who has helped hundreds of people gain control over their eating habits and their lives.

The first thing Ashley was told was that if she continued with her lifestyle, she wouldn’t live past 30. It was the wake-up call she needed in order to take things into her own hands and start her change.

Ashley wasn’t able to do even the simplest things. Instead, her 5-year-old son did everything for her. ”He’s my legs, he helps me with just about everything. Without him, I’d be lost,” she said back in 2016 when she entered the show.

As much she was doing that for her, she was also doing that for her son.

Before Dr. Now approved of her gastric bypass surgery, Ashley was put on a calorie-restricted weight loss program. To everyone’s surprise, she managed to lose whopping 123 pounds. Her surgery was a huge success. Ashley lost 255 pounds and was finally able to get control of her life. “This whole journey has been not only a physical rollercoaster, it’s been very a much an emotional rollercoaster,” she told People.

In 2018, Ashley appeared in the show My 600-Lb Life – Where are they now?

She shared with the viewers that she weighted under 300 pounds and didn’t use food as comfort any longer. She regained her self-confidence and was able to do all the things she couldn’t do in the past, like going shopping, and taking long showers.

Ashley shares photos of herself on her Instagram account. She has a lot of followers who admire her dedication and hard work. “Surgery is just a tool. It does not change your mindset,” she says.

Ashley’s husband, Jack, with whom she recently celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary is her huge support.