Mary Schmucker: Breaking Amish star dies age 65 two years after cancer diagnosis

Mary rose to fame on the TLC reality series Breaking Amish in 2012, and later appeared on its spin-off Return to Amish, alongside her son Abe and daughter-in-law Rebecca. Her son Andrew Schmucker confirmed that she passed away at home in Pennsylvania on Friday, March 28 after a brief hospital stay earlier in the week.

Andrew, who is currently traveling from Arkansas back to Pennsylvania, shared that the family has been informed of her passing, according to TMZ. Mary underwent colon surgery in April 2022 and was initially told that all the cancer had been removed.

But just a few months later, she was told that the disease had progressed to stage three. Since then, her cancer has only continued to spread. By November 2023, Mary was in hospice care and struggling with severe eating difficulties, making it impossible for her to keep food down.

The Breaking Amish series followed Amish and Mennonite families torn between their traditional roots and the modern world. Through her son Abe and his wife Rebecca, Mary became a beloved figure among fans.

She stepped away from the Return to Amish spin-off before making her diagnosis public knowledge. In November last year, Rebecca shared an Instagram post with an update on Mary's health, asking for prayers and positive messages.

She said: “I’m making a prayer request for mom. She’s not feeling good the last few weeks and can’t keep anything down and she’s having trouble eating.

“She is on hospice now. Her pain has been so bad and they are helping with that. If you could, flood her with positive messages and pray for her to be comfortable and pain-free.”