Ruby Gettinger

Armed with magnetic charisma, a radiant smile and an endearing southern accent, Ruby Gettinger has taken the world by storm in her own Emmy-nominated reality series titled “Ruby,” which airs on The Style Network and chronicles her personal journey of self-discovery and ongoing battle with obesity.  As the show embarks on Season Four, Ruby had already undergone massive changes, both inside and out, as she has fully embraced a healthy lifestyle.  In opening the of her Savannah, Georgia home to Style viewers , Ruby has also opened her heart to all the possibilities life has to offer, and is an outspoken advocate of living life to the fullest.

Ruby struggled with her weight since she was a teenager, gaining and losing hundreds of pounds at a time.  When production on her reality series began, Ruby weighed-in at close to 500 pounds – at her heaviest, Ruby weighed 700 pounds.   Now, three seasons later, Ruby is approaching the 300-pound mark and everything about her life is different than when she began … except her loyal circle of friends and family who continually rally around her as she continues her journey.  Ruby’s health suffered as a result of her obesity and she was told by her doctor that she must lose weight if she wants to live.  She has made tremendous progress and must continue with vigilance if she is to make it to the next level of success.
 
Born in Portugal while her father was stationed abroad with the Air Force, Ruby lived in Mississippi and Louisiana prior to settling with her family in Savannah.  Dates and details of this time are unclear because, inexplicably, Ruby has no memory of her life before the age of 10.

In 1994, Ruby and her boyfriend at the time, Denny, moved to Los Angeles so Denny could pursue acting.  While in Los Angeles, Ruby made many new friends, including actress Brittany Daniel, with whom she is still close.  Sadly, Denny and Ruby’s relationship disintegrated when Ruby could not lose enough weight to please Denny and she returned to her family in Savannah in early 2001 with a broken heart and crushed spirit. 

Through the loving support of her family and friends, Ruby has slowly rebuilt her life and gained the confidence to tackle her obesity once and for all.  An inspiration to millions who watch her show, Ruby has become a sought-after inspirational speaker whose messages of hope, consistency and perseverance have endeared her to fans all over the world.

Last year, Ruby reached a number of lifetime goals, even traveling abroad to the UK and Australia, something her size prohibited in the past.  She is a popular television guest, and has appeared a number of times on "Oprah," as well as on "Regis & Kelly," "Today" and other national shows. Recently, she published her first book “Ruby’s Diary: Reflections on All I’ve Lost and Gained.”

Ruby lives with close friend Jeff, her nephew Jim and her dog Foxy who she affectionately refers to as her “baby.” Childhood best friend Georgia lives down the street with her two boys Ben and Zach.  Ruby also takes care of her mother in Savannah and regularly holds meetings of her Women’s Fat Night group with friends and neighbors who share her struggle with weight.