'Little People, Big World's' Amy Roloff Makes New Announcement For Fans

Aug 20, 2021

Amy Roloff is a television personality, author, baker, and motivational speaker. She is best known for appearing on the television series "Little People, Big World." The show centers on the life of Amy and her family as she and her ex-husband, Matt, as well as their son Zach, live with dwarfism. 

Amy was born Amy Jo Knight on September 17, 1962, in Michigan. Her father is Gordon Knight, and her mother, who passed in 2019, was named Patricia. Amy was born with a genetic condition called achondroplasia which causes short stature. She grew up in Livonia, Michigan, and attended Franklin High School. After graduating, Amy earned a business degree from Central Michigan University.

"Little People, Big World" first aired on TLC in 2006. The show has 22 seasons and is still ongoing. The series chronicles the life of the six-member Roloff family, which includes Matt, Amy, and their children, Zach, Jeremy, Molly, and Jacob. The family owns and operates a 36-acre farm in Helvetia, Oregon, which is a frequent feature on the show. 

Amy and Matt announced their plans to divorce in 2015, and it was finalized the following year. Even though the children are grown, and Amy and Matt are no longer together, the show persists and continues to educate the public on what it is like to live with dwarfism. 

Outside of "Little People, Big World," Amy owns her own online bakery called Amy Roloff's Little Kitchen. The shop sells confections year-round and offers seasonal baked goods. Fans are always anxious to hear what Amy will be offering in her store each season. 

In September 2019, Amy announced that she would be marrying Chris Marek. The wedding is set for August 28, 2021. Keep reading to hear more about Amy's fun announcement for her fans. 

The Beginnings

"Little People, Big World" went on air back on March 4, 2006. The main focus of the series was the family life and the struggles of the Roloff family. The show was something completely new on the US television market, as a show had never before focused on the family life of somebody with dwarfism. While documentaries covering the rare gene mutation were already around, no TV series had ever focused on the life of those afflicted by it. Amy Roloff explained how it all came to be in an interview with Chet Cooper for Ability Magazine in 2010:

Cooper: You've got a lot going on in your life and yet you still have time to be on TV. Tell me about your show, Little People, Big World. How did that all come about?

Roloff: The Learning Channel (TLC) came to us about five or six years ago, and so we suddenly realized we were given a great opportunity to educate people about dwarfism. When it was offered that we do a show about our lives, my husband and I were like, "Wow, nothing like this has even been on the air." Nothing had depicted dwarfism in an everyday way. Lo and behold, a few episodes turned into six seasons. And here we are."

Amy's husband at the time was Matthew Roloff, who also has dwarfism - although a different version than Amy.

Amy Roloff has achondroplasia, which is the most common version of dwarfism found worldwide. Roughly 70% of all cases of dwarfism are of this type. People born with achondroplasia have a normal-sized torso or main body, but significantly short limbs. However, her ex-husband Matthew was born with diastrophic dysplasia, which is a skeletal disorder that causes the human bones and cartilage to grow in wrong ways.

The Show

Although the show has been around for many years at this point, its first reception was only lukewarm. The first season had a middling viewer rating, especially in the important 18-49 demographic, so TLC only decided to renew it for another season at first. Despite this, many critics awkwardly praised the show for the fact that, although it was inherently voyeuristic in nature - as it closely followed the private life of the Roloffs - it was not harmful, belittling or outwardly exploitive. 

Writing for Slate, Dan Kennedy wrote back in 2006: 

"On one level, it offers an up-close, unsentimental look at a family headed by a dwarf couple, spreading the positive message that little people can argue over money, coach youth soccer, and shoot tin cans off rocks like anyone else. On another level, though, it wallows in what it purportedly deplores, allowing us to feel good about ourselves while we gawk at this unusual-looking family from the privacy of our living rooms."

And for the New York Times, Virginia Heffernan explained that "as with those other programs, the occasion for "Little People," if we're being honest, is that its subjects are visually disconcerting. Looking at them is captivating. But the rationalization for this documentary series - how it's billed to both the public and its subjects - is that the dwarfs are just ordinary people, and the world needs to observe them so we all can dutifully reach higher levels of tolerance and love."

The show was expanded to cover six seasons at first, with TLC announcing that season six would be the last in 2010. However, fans rallied and TLC went back on this decision, renewing the series.

Since then, Little People, Big World has been on air for 21 seasons, with a 22nd season just around the corner for this year. Although season ten was the last to feature a full number of 20+ episodes, interest has been high enough that TLC has continually renewed the series for at last 6-15 episodes per season. Quite a few of these episodes include specials with a certain seasonal or thematic focus.

While the series was doing well and viewers were tuning in to see the family life of the Roloff's, said family life sadly included growing tension and strife. Amy and Matthew faced marriage troubles that led to arguments and a growing divide between the couple. In February 2014, the couple first publicly spoke out about wanting a divorce and separating in one of the specials of the series. As ABC reports, the footage had originally been filmed near the end of 2013 and features Amy talking quite candidly about her failing marriage of then 26 years.

"We definitely were having issues and problems and stuff, but it's sad. We don't really have a plan. ... To tell you the truth, it's like a death, you know? You get numb, you don't know what to do.

Going through all of this, it is like a grieving process because you have to slowly begin to let go."

Following this announcement and a trial separation, the couple filed for divorce. In 2015, they officially announced that they would be separating, and in 2016, the divorce was finalized. 

Life After Divorce

Following Amy and Matthew's divorce, things necessarily changed. Over the course of the series, the couple had gradually grown their original fixer-upper farmhouse and included farmland into a booming business. They had converted part of the farmland into playsets for their children and started a pumpkin growing business and opened their farm to the public during certain times of the year. In 2010, they had purchased additional farmland to extend their farm.

Both Roloffs have also authored books and are motivational speakers who toured the country. Both also pursue different kinds of activism and charity work.

Amy founded the Amy Roloff Charity Foundation in 2009. The foundation offers help to at-risk youths and people with disabilities. She has also been donating to the Dwarf Athletic Association of America.

On the other hand, Matthew was the president of Little People of America, an activist organization advocating for the rights of people with dwarfism for a time.

In the wake of their divorce, the couple did their best to uncouple their business and work, which finally culminated in Matthew buying Roloff farm in 2019 and Amy leaving their old family home to move into her own home. However, Amy's new home was only a short fifteen minutes away from the family farm.

And this wasn't the only thing that changed. After her drawn-out divorce from Matthew, Amy met her soon-to-be new boyfriend, Chris Marek. Marek, who does not have dwarfism, met Amy at one of the pool parties the recently divorced woman threw following the legal separation.

Speaking to PEOPLE in 2019, Amy explained how it all came about:

"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!"

She also explained that she had never thought a normal-sized person would be interested in her, so Marek's overtures towards a relationship took her completely by surprise.

"I just never thought someone who is average size would be interested in me. I just really want him to never question or doubt the relationship because I'm a little person. I just have a good time. I have fun with him. I never thought I'd be dating as a grandma, and it's nice to experience that and be with someone."

Amy and Marek started dating in 2016, shortly after Amy's divorce. They kept dating for several years, before Marek finally popped the question and asked Amy to marry him in 2019.

Both spoke to PEOPLE about the proposal.

"I'm excited, I'm so surprised, I'm thrilled!" Amy gushed. "I never in a million years thought I'd be getting married again, but I also hoped for it! Now that it's happening, I couldn't be happier or more excited."

Meanwhile, Marek added, "I was very nervous! It had to be a heart shaped diamond because I knew that's what Amy wanted."

It's always nice to see people find happiness again after divorce and heartbreak.

Wedding Announcement

On the show, "Little People, Big World," Amy announced that her wedding will take place at Roloff Farms. "This was hard, but the farm has beautiful scenery and we just don't know what's going to happen with COVID, so it's easier to have it there. Other places just kind of eroded away and plan B became plan A," she explained in an episode from 2021.

On her Instagram account, Amy has been chronicling the time leading up to the big day. Amy wrote in a post from April 2021, "Wow! The BIG day is getting closer. I can't believe in about 4 1/2 months I'll be married to this man - my friend and partner and love for the rest of my life. I must admit I never thought I'd meet someone again that I wanted to say yes to and here I am." 

The post continued, "The second time around (and last) is quite different in a lot of good ways. Yes, we're different in many ways but also very together in others. Those differences and togetherness encourage us to be our best, give and serve each other, support each other, appreciate our individuality and in it, all Love each other so much. I'm very much looking forward to marrying this man. I'm thankful, grateful, faithful and full of love. I pray and thank the Lord every day. What a blessing."

In another Instagram post, Amy expressed her wishes for her father to be able to attend her wedding. She wrote in the caption of a photo of them together: 

"I love my Dad and the memories of my Mom are everywhere. And to top it off I escape the unheard-of hot weather in the Portland area. I'm thankful for so much. My prayer and hope are that my Dad will make it to my wedding. My 'home' in Oregon calls me back and in three days I'll be heading back. Never good-bye but till I see you again. I'm counting my blessings. Love my family."

Sadly, it seems her father is not doing well and may not be able to travel to Oregon for the event. In an Instagram story from mid-August 2021, Amy wrote, "My Dad. He's 92. He's been in the hospital for the last two weeks. Not sure if he'll make it to our wedding. I'm glad he's now getting better/stronger. But God knows and so I keep giving it up to him."

New Summer Fudge

In July 2021, Amy finally announced the anticipated fudge flavors for her seasonal treats at Amy Roloff's Little Kitchen. Her post announcing the goodies read:

"Don't miss out on the Summer Fudge Collection, it'll be gone before you know it! We kept it local with these flavors: Oregon Hazelnut Mocha and Oregon Berry. It comes in either a 4-pack of fudge or get a combo of 2 pieces of fudge with a bag of my custom coffee blend: 'Little Cup, Bold Blend.'"

A follow-up post from early August said: "The Summer Fudge Collection won't be around for much longer! Time is running out to get the summer flavors. Make sure you put the fudge in the fridge for at least an hour when it arrives to counteract that summer heat!"

Are you a fan of "Little People, Big World?" Would you ever buy anything from Amy's online bakery? Let us know, and be sure to send this along to your loved ones.