What We Know About Jerry Sykes' Ex-Wife Kia
Liam Parker
On 1000-lb Sisters, Tammy Slaton dated Jerry Sykes while he was still married. Here's everything about Jerry's ex-wife, Kia Russell-Rucker Sykes.
Tammy Slaton's love life on 1000-lb Sisters has largely been an unfortunate one, and Jerry Sykes' ex-wife Kia Russell-Rucker Sykes has also had her share of romantic woes. Fans criticize Tammy's taste in men, but the worst boyfriend she ever had on the reality show was Jerry Sykes. He didn't keep her motivated on her weight loss journey, and he was married while dating her. From her relationship with Tammy's ex-boyfriend Jerry Sykes to her personal life, there is plenty to learn about Jerry's ex-wife, Kia.
Tammy's siblings Amy Slaton and Chris Combs were very skeptical of the 1000-lb Sisters star's relationship with Jerry. On the show, Jerry was frequently snacking while around Tammy, a habit that viewers didn't think would help Tammy. She had the ambitious goal of losing enough weight to qualify for bariatric surgery. Chris even spoke with Jerry during season 2, in order to convey just how important it is for Tammy to lose weight and get her health back on track. Amy confessed that she didn't like Jerry because Tammy "needs somebody that’s gonna motivate her in this weight loss, not just want her to stay the way she is." While Amy and Tammy's brother Chris were justified in terms of their critiques of Jerry, neither of them realized that he had a wife at home.
Initially, fans believed that Tammy and Jerry split after the reality star came out as pansexual. Viewers quickly discovered that the breakup wasn't the result of Jerry being small-minded. In actuality, he was too open-minded. This past February, TMZ broke the news that Jerry was married to Kia while he was dating Tammy on 1000-lb Sisters. According to TMZ, Kia "found out about Jerry's relationship with Tammy through TV and friends." The article included Kia's assertion that Tammy is a "homewrecker." Kia also spoke with The Sun and explained more about what it was like to watch her marriage fall apart on 1000-lb Sisters. Kia said that 1000-lb Sisters' Tammy "did" know that she was Jerry's wife while they were in a relationship, but "didn't care" or offer an apology. Kia confirmed that they're divorced but "she and Jerry still talk and [he] also supports her financially."
Kia has maintained a relatively low profile personal life in the aftermath of her marriage's extremely public demise. However, Kia can be found on Facebook, where she's shared that she's a stay-at-home parent. Kia's Facebook profile also explains that Jerry's "other woman" is originally from Brooklyn, New York. Currently, Kia lives with her children in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Most importantly, Kia's social media cements that she is divorced, clarifying that Tammy's ex-boyfriend Jerry wasn't welcomed back to his marriage after his romance with Tammy on 1000-lb Sisters. In her interview with The Sun, Kia explained that she doesn't see them getting back together because: “I don’t think I can forgive him anymore. We have seven kids together. They are upset with him.” Kia can also be found on Instagram, where she has accumulated 208 followers despite having no posts to show.
No one enjoyed Tammy and Jerry's chaotic relationship on 1000-lb Sisters, but Kia undoubtedly suffered the most. From discovering that her husband cheated while appearing on reality television to having to explain her husband's infidelity to their seven children, Kia is the real victim of Tammy and Jerry's tragic romance. Fortunately, 1000-lb Sisters revealed what kind of husband Jerry is, to Kia and the world.
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Sources: TMZ, The Sun, Kia Russell-Rucker Sykes/Facebook