It’s hard to believe that TLC’s Little People Big World premiered more than a decade go in March 2006. And since hitting the airwaves, viewers have gone on a emotional roller coaster with the Roloff family, from weddings, babies and even a divorce. To celebrate their countless milestones, Us Weekly has gathered 10 of the show’s best moments. Take a look at the video above.
Some memorable moments include when dad Matt, 51, shared the heartbreaking news of beloved family dog Rocky’s passing in an emotional Facebook post in 2013: “My best ole’ friend slipped away from our heaven on Earth today.”
More difficult news rocked the family when their son Jacob, 20, decided to leave the nest and the series when he turned 18 in 2015. Jacob would go on to slam show producers for creating “fake” story lines and producing “characters” that he felt were loosely based on reality. Jacob now spends his time traveling the country and he is the star of his own video blog.
On a happier note, the Roloff family were elated when Jeremy, 27, became engaged to Audrey Botti, 26, after nearly five years of dating. The couple tied the knot in March of 2014 and are expecting their first child, a girl, later this summer.
Jeremy and Audrey weren’t the only couple to marry while appearing on the series. Zach, 27, married Tori Patton, 26, in front of 200 people on the Roloff family farm in August 2015. The nuptials were broadcast in a two hour special for TLC. The loving couple would later become first – time parents in May 2017 to son Jackson, who was born with achondroplasia, the same type of dwarfism that Zach has.
In 2015, cameras rolled as Matt and Amy’s, 52, marriage of nearly three decades dissolved.
In a joint statement, the former couple said: “After 27 years of marriage, it is with great sadness that we have come to the difficult decision to file for divorce. We are proud of what we have accomplished together, including raising our four wonderful children, who have grown to become remarkable adults and building our strong and ongoing successful businesses, the statement said at the time.
They went on to say, “Our kids and our ever-growing family, and the love and support we have for them, will be our priority. We will continue to work together side-by-side in the daily responsibilities for our many current ventures. We would like to thank our family, friends, and all our fans for their continued support and understanding during this difficult time.”
After Matt and Amy’s divorce was finalized in 2016, Amy jumped back into the dating scene. In a November 2016 episode of LPBW, Amy shared her first date experience. “You know, I had a couple of pool parties. I had, like, 40 people here. No, I probably had, like, 50 people here. Then this guy Chris that I met, he came to the party too. We got to talking and he invited me to go on a motorcycle ride. Oh, I’m having a ball!”
But things weren’t exactly as rosy for Matt after their divorce. In a July 2016 episode of the show, the Roloff patriarch revealed that he was was checking himself into a Los Angeles facility for a serious spinal surgery brought on by degenerative joints. Matt explained: “I’m just down here, me, myself and I,” he says. “In the old days, you know, Amy would have come along for something like this. We are living in a different time and a different life.”
To reacquaint yourself with the Roloff family and the show that introduced us to their big world, check out the video above.
Little People, Big World airs on TLC on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
