A Painful Start
At 30, Amalie Jennings understood how harsh the world could be.
For most of her life, she battled self-hatred. Her body made her feel like an outsider.
“I’ve always been fat,” she said in 2019. “Since I was two.”
Doctors noticed her rapid weight gain early on. And soon after, the bullying began.
“My first memory of being picked on was in kindergarten,” she recalled. “I was four. The kids teased me for being fat.”
Struggles That Deepened Over Time
As Amalie grew, the bullying intensified.
“I gained more weight. I got bullied even more,” she said. “I began self-harming. I hated my reflection.”
Shopping for clothes hurt just as much. Even as a child, she had to shop in the women’s section. Trendy clothes never fit. Adult clothing made her feel even more isolated.
To make matters worse, she never saw people like her in books or on screen. When overweight characters did appear, they were often jokes.
Everything Changed With Sean
Then something unexpected happened.
Amalie, from Denmark, met Sean—a British man—while playing a video game online.
“We met on PlayStation 11 years ago,” she said. “At first, I thought he was an old guy just looking to chat. But then I found out he was my age.”
Their friendship grew naturally. They started with conversations, not appearances.
Though they had seen each other’s photos, they didn’t video chat right away.
“I was insecure,” Amalie admitted. “I hated my double chin in pictures. But he still wanted to talk to me.”
A Slow-Burning Love
They became best friends.
Amalie dropped subtle hints about her feelings. Sean didn’t pick up on them at first.
Eventually, she posted vague love notes on Facebook. Sean saw them but thought she meant someone else.
Finally, she told him directly.
“It was surreal,” she said. “I never had luck with guys before. And now here was this man—500 miles away—who actually liked me.”
Facing Judgment Together
Amalie moved to England to be with Sean.
But not everyone supported them.
People often asked Sean why he, a slim man, would date someone overweight. Some even suggested he had a fetish.
Sean made it clear: he loved Amalie for who she was—not her weight.
Still, the judgment sometimes hurt.
In 2019, the couple shared that they had to cut ties with Sean’s father. They chose to keep the reasons private.
Speaking Out
Amalie used her platform to fight fatphobia, especially in healthcare.
She shared a powerful message of self-love:
“If I could talk to my younger self, I’d say: Stop wasting time hating your body. Different doesn’t mean bad.”
She encouraged others to stop letting people’s stares and comments steal their joy.
“You’ll find people who love you—for you,” she said.
Challenging Harmful Norms
Amalie believed in promoting healthy habits—but not at the expense of shame.
Body shaming, she argued, does more harm than good. It crushes confidence and deepens emotional wounds.
It doesn’t inspire change. It creates pain.
Love That Endured
Despite society’s cruelty, Amalie and Sean’s love thrived.
Their bond was proof that kindness, respect, and acceptance could change everything.
A Life Cut Short
In 2019, Amalie’s story went viral. Her voice inspired thousands.
Tragically, she passed away on July 15, 2024, at just 30 years old.
The cause of death remains unclear. Her obituary simply said she passed peacefully.
She was lovingly called “Malle.”
“Beloved and missed.
When you see a star twinkle, it’s me waving at you.”
—Sean, Mom, Pavia, and Pia
A Legacy That Lives On
Haters may have doubted their love, but Amalie and Sean proved them wrong.
Their relationship lasted until the very end—and inspired countless others.
Though Amalie’s life ended too soon, her message endures:
Love yourself. Speak out. Accept others.
Let’s honor her by building a world where every person feels seen, valued, and loved.
Our hearts go out to Sean and her family during this difficult time.