Abby is loyal to a fault, hardworking, a vivacious lover of life who avoids conflict and likes everyone to get along. She faced an enormous tragedy in October 2006. In light of losing her beloved husband, 5½ year-old daughter and 2½ week-old son in a fatal car crash, she chooses to forge ahead. She has been searching for a way to finally get back to a "normal" life and feels this will happen when she loses the weight.

Abby has been on various diets since the sixth grade when her mother, who has also always been overweight, recommended that she lose a few pounds. Her weight has gone up and down for years and since the accident she has gained even more rapidly, using food as her way of coping with her losses.

She is high school teacher and is a favorite amongst the students, often being requested by students that are not even required to take her classes. She enjoys inspiring students to achieve their personal bests, but often feels like a hypocrite since she is not doing the same. Abby recently went back to school and graduated with a Master's of Education degree maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. Abby desperately wants to live a healthy lifestyle enabling her to make the most of the next step in her new "normal" life.