Suvechha Sarkar
TLC’s ‘My 600-lb Life’ season 9 episode 7, titled ‘Krystal’s Journey,’ introduced Krystal Hall’s story before the audience. Her life was an emotional rollercoaster, owing to her past trauma and desperate fight to reclaim her health. Weighing over 600 pounds, she turned to the expert in hopes of transforming her life. She was battling with food addiction and painful memories but kept on pushing, showcasing her resilience. However, she faced a major setback in her weight loss journey due to COVID-19, which halted her routine for a few months before she could get back on track again.
Krystal Hall’s Journey Was Packed With Struggles
Krystal Hall felt that every aspect of her life was being affected by obesity. She had trouble moving, and the weight gain had led to several medical conditions, which first started as joint pain. She was unable to walk for a long distance because it made even breathing harder for her. She claimed that she had been abused since she was five years old, which led her to turn to food as a coping mechanism. Hence, binge eating became one of the biggest challenges that was stopping her from gaining the life that she dreamt of. Looking at her loving family, Krystal ultimately decided to take charge of her story.
By the time she decided to embark on this journey, she felt this was her only option because it was taking a serious toll on her health. When Krystal first visited Dr. Younan Nowzaradan for her appointment, her weight was 618 lbs. Although Krystal failed to meet the goal set by the doctor during the first month, she made a lot of progress before the second visit. Ultimately, her weight came down to 526 lbs, which was purely due to her strict diet and exercise plan. However, she faced a major decision when Dr. Now asked her to move to Houston, Texas, from her home in Ohio for her weight loss surgery.
It seemed really impossible because of her husband’s job and her son’s life. On top of that, COVID-19 severely affected her routine and took a toll on her. When she visited the doctor again after everything was normal, she found out that she had gained 53 kgs within a few months. However, she did not let it deter her, and finally, by the end of 12 months of her weight loss journey, she reached 556 lbs. To stay on track, she ended up moving to Houston to work towards her goal and get the weight loss surgery done.
Krystal Hall is More Motivated Than Ever and is Thriving in Her Career
Long before Krystal’s appearance on the show, she had always been a hardworking and compassionate individual who was quite dedicated to helping others. After graduating from Chillicothe High School, she pursued higher studies at Ohio University. Following this, she was determined to build a career in mental health support and slowly dived into her professional journey. From 2008 to 2010, she worked as a Crisis Intervention Specialist at Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health, where her role entailed offering support to those in need. While she was still working in her previous position, she joined as a Rehabilitation Specialist at Frontier Community Services in September 2010, where she worked tirelessly until 2015.
However, despite a successful career, Krystal was silently battling obesity. It turned out to be so bad at one point that she was forced to step back from her job and focus on her health. The years leading up to 2020 were some of the hardest of her life as she constantly faced body dysmorphia. However, she did not give up, and with further help from her doctor, she fought through the setbacks and continued sticking to her goals. This ultimately brought incredible progress both in her health and her profession. She then took on her role at Scioto Trails Group Homes in February 2020 and has been working there ever since. Resorting to her determination, in October 2022, she further took on the role of CSR at Teleperformance USA, which is a leading provider of digital business services across the world. As of today, she is working in both of these positions seamlessly.
Krystal Considers Her Family Her Biggest Pillar of Support
For Krystal Hall, family is everything. Through every struggle, every triumph, and every difficult moment, her loved ones have always been by her side. Her husband, Freelin, has been a rock and never judged her for her condition. When the doctor placed her on a strict diet, he did not just support her from the sidelines but was actively involved, eating the same meals to make sure she never felt alone in her fight. Their bond is built on unwavering love and support and grew stronger as they navigated the challenges together. Ultimately, in March 2020, she married the love of his life, marking another beautiful chapter in her journey. Her son, Josh, had also been a source of strength and motivation for her. Though he is actually her sister’s child, she fought for his custody because she was quite determined to give him the stable home that he deserved.
Krystal wanted to be present for him in every aspect, and her dream of hiking together with Josh further fuelled her spirits for shedding weight. Apart from this, she is also a proud mother to her daughter, Jessie Leah Nicole Park. In May 2023, her daughter graduated from high school, which was a moment that filled her with overwhelming joy. She shared her emotions with her fans, speaking about how resilient and hardworking she had been during her school years. Furthermore, Krystal also shared her elatedness in talking about how she became a grandmother in November 2024 as Jessie gave birth to Judith Marie. Besides this, she finds immeasurable comfort in her beloved pet dog, Harley. Although Krystal has chosen to keep the information about her weight loss surgery under wraps, she is surely living the life of her dreams.
