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Michael Halterman filed for divorce from 1000-lb Sisters star Amy Slaton on March 13, four years into their marriage, and most fans believe it is a breath of fresh air for Amy Slaton. Amy and Michael’s relationship dates back to long before either knew fame was in the books for them. They met as kids growing up in Bluegrass State. Growing up, they had a crush on one another and were nudged by Amy’s bother Chris Combs to pursue a relationship. However, they never did save for a few play dates.
Their paths crossed again as teenagers, and the duo quickly kicked off their romance. Fast forward to over a decade later, the pair have aced many milestones together, including sealing their claim to fame on 1000-lb Sisters, tying the knot in 2019 after ten years of dating, and welcoming two children. But with every milestone came an equal dose of challenge to overcome. Their transition into parenthood has especially ripped into Amy and Michael’s marriage, with the latter consistently proving to be a deadweight for Amy.
Since the rumors of their impending divorce began making the rounds, fans have been more vocal about their desire to see Amy Slaton divorce Michael Halterman. The divorce rumors turned out to be true, but in a surprising twist, Michael did the filing, beating the prevailing notion that Amy would be the one walking out of a marriage that no longer served her.
1000-lb Sisters’ Michael Had A 360 Turnaround
Michael Halterman has been a prominent part of the TLC series since its first season. The mill operator quickly won over the hearts of 1000-lb Sisters fans with his easy-going attitude and being a caring husband to Amy Slaton. During the show’s first season, Michael proved himself a dedicated brother-in-law by caring for his wife’s sister, Tammy Slaton, as she struggled with her weight-related health crisis. His willingness to step up to the challenge gave fans the conviction that Michael was ready to extend his good nature to his kids when they arrived.
However, things played out differently. The couple welcomed their first son Gage Halterma in 2020. Amid the concerns that the pregnancy may cause Amy a health relapse, Michael stood by her side through the pregnancy— or so it seemed before the cameras. Two years later, Amy and Michael became second-time parents with the arrival of their son Glenn Allen Halterman. The arrival of their second baby exposed major concerns viewers who admired Michael previously missed.
As the seasons progressed, viewers began to notice that Michael remained unconcerned with raising their kids, forcing Amy to handle it alone. The once hands-on guy who warmed up to viewers by assisting with Tammy’s mobility needs could hardly put on the same energy for his two sons. This only worsened after the two disagreed on whether or not to feature their children on the show.
Amy Is Overwhelmed
Michael’s failure to step up to help his wife raise their kids has rubbed off negatively on the couple’s relationship. The YouTuber sparked outrage after a season 4 episode showed him and Amy out with their kids on a family picnic. While Amy struggled to pacify her two crying sons, Michael just sat aloof in the background, munching on potato chips. Amy voiced her frustration in a confessional, saying:
“It’s really hard because Gage is crying. Glenn is getting mad and wanting another bottle and daddy ain’t doing sh—t!”
Commenting on the clip, fans poured out their outrage at Michael for not being a hands-on dad amid the commotion. One fired:
“I’m sorry but Michael making me wanna jump [through] the screen and smash that plate his face. He sitting there like those not his kids.”
Another encouraged the 1000-lb Sisters star to kick her husband off the curb and keep the house if he failed to step up to his fatherly duties. Michael’s repeated neglect made it apparent that Amy was running out of options.
1000-lb Sisters Amy Slaton’s Mental Health Was On the Line
The episode also showed Amy dealing with mom guilt after failing to successfully comfort her sons. While speaking to the cameras about her predicament at the picnic, the TV personality had an emotional breakdown over her supposed “failure” as a mom.
However, fans were quick to step up in her support, reassuring her that those feelings were valid. Several moms shared their own experiences with mom guilt and how they overcame it, making Amy know she was not alone. One of them commented:
“Hang in there love. Your feelings are valid and perfectly normal. You have 2 small babies, you’re recovering from childbirth, hormones are all over the place and with the lack of sleep this is all normal. You’re a wonderful mom there will be good and bad days. You got this!!”
Aside from their parenting differences, Amy also takes on the bulk of the chores around the house. Going through her post-surgery recovery phase did little to convince Michael to step up to, further enraging fans. Many nursed the conviction that Michael pulled off those antics intentionally to make things difficult for his wife. Hence, it was only logical for Amy to have walked out of the marriage long ago. Reacting to the news of their divorce, a fan tweeted:
“We Saw this coming. They are both better off.”
We saw this coming. They are both better off.
— Marielle (@TheNolaChick) March 20, 2023
A deadbeat dad certainly wasn’t what Amy Slaton from 1000-lb Sisters envisioned in her years of nursing motherhood dreams. Seeing as Michael seems determined not to reach out to her needs as a mom, parting ways could be a blessing in disguise.
Of course, no one could tell what happened behind closed doors or the drama leading to the breakup of the TV couple after Amy’s continued endurance. In fact, many fans expected Amy Slaton to file for divorce from Michael Halterman first for proving useless in the parenting department. But for some reason, he beat her to it. Coming from Michael, one can safely bet their different opinions about exposing their kids to the reality TV spotlight may have contributed to the divorce.
