The family of Coliesa McMillian -- who appeared on Season 8 of "My 600-lb. Life" -- was thankfully allowed to see her in the hospital before she died ... something they feared would not be possible due to COVID restrictions.
Coliesa passed away Tuesday at a hospital in Louisiana, but her mother, Sadie Courville, tells TMZ she'd been at the Baton Rouge facility for quite a while ... and they hadn't been able to visit her due to pandemic rules.
She says the hospital made an exception when it was clear Coliesa was on her deathbed, allowing her and Coliesa's 2 teenage daughters in to say their final goodbyes.
Sadie says she patted Coliesa's arm while her girls cried and held her hand.
"Living like this is not living." Tune in to a new #My600lbLife tonight at 8/7c. pic.twitter.com/JTN73ULoqQ
— TLC Network (@TLC) March 18, 2020
According to Coliesa's mom ... the family doesn't know the exact cause of death, but she says her health went downhill after she underwent weight loss surgery and sadly, she never recovered.
A rep for the East Baton Rouge Coroner's Office tells us ... a review of Coliesa's medical records shows she died of natural causes due to complications from that surgery months ago.
Coliesa was 41.