When a person dies, it may just be another sad story to many, but they’ve lost their whole world to someone else. To Whitney Way Thore, Barbara “Babs” was her whole world. It was with great sorrow that Whitney, the daughter of the “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” Star, announced her untimely death on Instagram Thursday.
Barbara “Babs” passed away on December 7 at 76.
Credit: @whitneywaythore
Who Was Barbara “Babs” Thore?
Ever needed an image for body positivity and self-acceptance? Well, this was what Barbara stood for. She starred in the reality TLC series “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” that began in 2015. Barbara “Babs” was popularly known as Whitney Way Thore’s mother. This was because the reality show was based on Whitney’s life and her journey to lose weight and become healthy.
No words can begin to describe the thousands of people Barbara “Babs” inspired in her role as Whitney’s Mother. Many of us out there are struggling with issues about weight loss, and for most, it takes a tremendous toll on our mental health and self-appreciation. Barbara “Babs” played her role in teaching each lost soul that you are beautiful no matter how you look, and for this, she will always have a special place in each of our hearts.
Credit: @whitneywaythore
The Moment Barbara “Babs” Thore Passed Away
On Thursday, Whitney broke the news of her mom’s death to the whole world. She explained how Thore passed away surrounded by those she held dear, her daughter Whitney, her son Hunter and her beloved husband, Glenn Thore. Nothing warms our hearts more than knowing this simple yet essential fact.
Her time of death was said to be 10:32 pm, a very heartfelt time because this was the same time she gave birth to the now lovely Whitney on April 14, 1984.
“My mother died last night just as the credits rolled on her favorite movie. Dad, Hunter, and I held her as she took her last breaths. It was 10:32 pm, the same exact time she brought me into this world almost forty years ago,” Whitney wrote alongside a video of photos that they all took together over the years.
From Whitney’s tribute message, we could feel her grief and sorrow from miles away. Barbara “Babs” was not only her nurturer but also her anchor and her friend. Whitney’s love for her was evident, and her heartbreak was indescribable.
Credit: @whitneywaythore
Her Cause of Death
Thore died of cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Whitney explained how fatal the disease was and that her mom had been battling it for a long time.
“an untreatable progressive condition caused by proteins in the blood vessels of the brain that can cause dementia, seizures, or, like in my mom’s case, brain bleeding (hemorrhagic strokes).”
She suffered her first of three strokes in 2017, her second stroke on December 28, 2021, and her 3rd on November 13th this year.
Whitney’s Touching Words To Her Mother
There is simply nothing stronger and more sincere than a child’s love for their parent. Whitney’s tribute to her mother showed how close the two were through all the challenges they faced together. It showed her strength, kindness, and, most of all, the love she had to give to everyone in her life.
Credit: @whitneywaythore
“My mother is our family’s greatest gift. We could never love, revere, or value another person more. If you’re reading this, you’re familiar with her magic: her southern charm, her hilarious sense of humor, her well-timed witty remarks, her beauty, and her ability to make everyone around her feel comfortable and cared for. But what you can’t possibly understand is the extent of my mother’s love – what you may have witnessed and felt through a TV screen is a minute fraction that, even if multiplied by a million, wouldn’t come close to ‘real life.’ That’s how enormous, how generous, and how all-encompassing my mother’s love was. I am the luckiest person on the planet to have been hers for almost 39 years.”
In a show of strength, she remembered to thank her fans for all the love and support shown to them.
“We are unbelievably thankful that we’ve been able to share her with you, and it is our hope that her memory will continue to be a source of comfort and happiness for the rest of your lives, just as it will be for ours,” Whitney wrote. “I love you, Mommy.”
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