‘Little People, Big World’ Star Amy Roloff Reveals Stress-Induced Childhood Illness

Much of Amy Roloff‘s childhood was spent dealing with a stress-induced illness, the Little People, Big World star revealed during an emotional conversation with boyfriend Chris Marek.

Visiting her family home in Tuesday’s all-new episode of the TLC reality show, Roloff felt comfortable opening up about her less-than-ideal childhood with her beau, revealing an ulcer left her “sick half the time” in grade school and middle school.

Attributing the affliction to “nervousness” and “stress,” Roloff said she feels like she “brought on the stress,” explaining, “I think I worried a lot about what the kids always thought.”

Affecting her friendships and performance in class, Roloff admitted, “I didn’t do as much as I would have hoped in high school. I did not venture out, because I did not want to be rejected.”

As the only little person in her school, the reality personality “felt very vulnerable,” leading her to even try staying home from school. On one particularly emotional occasion, she recalled her dad returning home from work to convince her she had nothing to fear when it came to flaunting herself, despite being shorter than average.

“If you don’t go to school, look at those people who do not get to know you and be your friend,” she recalled him saying. “You get to choose who you want to be friends with.”

“It has been with me ever since,” she told the cameras fondly.

Opening up to Marek about this was a little nerve racking in and of itself, Roloff admitted, because she was unsure if the vulnerability would scare him away. But Marek, if anything, only seemed more endeared to his girlfriend.

“The health problems that Amy had growing up, that was news to me,” he admitted to the camera. “I didn’t realize she had all those physical difficulties.”

Hearing about all she had been through to become the woman he loves, Marek added, “I have a greater appreciation for the strong person she is today.”

Little People, Big World airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on TLC.

Photo credit: TLC