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Renee's Battle with Obesity

Renee's daughter Mirina
Two years after Renee's death, Mirina says she misses her mom. "She was everything," Mirina says. "When I'd come home from school upset, she was there. I could call her and talk to her and she'd be there for me, and we always had fun together."

Mirina says she never saw her mom's weight when she looked at her and was never embarrassed about her size. Still, she says she gets defensive when people make comments about her mom. "We had to do this project at school, and I had a picture of my mom and they hung it up on the wall," she says. "Then I heard this kid say, 'Oh my God, look how fat that lady is.' And it hurt me."

After seeing what her mother went through, Mirina says she's tried to watch her and her sister's weight—but it's not always easy. "I eat unhealthy still. I have to admit that," she says.

No matter what, Mirina says her mother never wanted to see anyone else in her position. "She wanted them to get up and exercise and walk, and I think she's getting that message out even though she's not here today."

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