HE has overcome a high profile split, legal rows, a very bitter fall-out with his family and spiralling weight issues – but Rob Kardashian is back, and looking happier than ever.
The 33-year-old made a surprise return to social media for his sister Khloe's 36th birthday celebrations this week, looking noticeably thinner and flashing a beaming smile in photos with his siblings.
And sources now say it's just the beginning for the star, who is happier than he's been in years following a long period of turmoil.
“This is the best anyone has seen Rob in years," a source tells Sun Online. “There were times over the past five or so years where no one was sure he’d bounce back from everything and be the Rob we knew and loved.
“But he has, ever so slowly… The jokes are back, his play fighting etc, he feels like himself again.
“It’s a long journey still but he is definitely on the right track and feels optimistic again and that he has a purpose and a future.”
Here's a look at how the only Kardashian boy has overcome his demons and come out fighting…
High profile romances and splits
Rob was once a permanent fixture on Keeping Up With The Kardashians alongside his sisters, before he began retreating from the limelight – and his early romance with talk show host Adrienne Bailon played out on camera at the time.
The pair dated for two years from 2007, but eventually split in 2009 amid claims Rob had cheated.
He was later linked to reality TV star Angela Simmons for a brief time, before he began dating singer Rita Ora in 2012 – once again making him a permanent fixture in the showbiz spotlight.
Sadly the pair didn't go the distance, and they split when he accused her of cheating on him.
While Rita initially kept silent on the unsubstantiated claims, the pair appeared to make amends later as she congratulated him when he welcomed his daughter Dream with Blac Chyna.
However, the difficult period also marked the start of Rob's weight battle at the end of 2012 – which went on to leave him feeling reclusive.
'No one will ever understand how much it hurts'
Rob began piling on weight and eating unhealthily at the end of 2012, and he slowly started retreating from his family's reality show the following year as it continued to spiral.
As fans began speculating over his health on social media, he took to Twitter in 2014 and, according to People, wrote: "No one will ever understand how much it hurts.”
He followed it shortly after with another now-deleted post, saying: "So i found out i was trending for being fat … thank you all it really made my day :)."
Rob's relationship with his other sister Kim then met its ultimate test in 2014 when he missed her wedding to Kanye – only revealing years later that it was because of his insecurities over his weight.
Speaking to People in 2016, he said he was upset to have missed the ceremony, but had to make the "personal" decision for his own mental health.
"I was doing suit fittings in Paris right before the wedding and I just wasn't comfortable. I'm 6'1" and at my most I probably weighed 300lbs," he told the magazine.
While his siblings were supportive throughout, it did spell a difficult time for the family in the months that followed.
Rob appeared to confirm rumours he had fallen out with Kim in particular when he posted a photo of a bloody scene from Gone Girl on Instagram months later, comparing her to Rosamund Pike's psychotic character.
Kim laughed the incident off eventually, saying he was being "funny".
“Rob’s very low key compared to his sisters, he likes to be under the radar," our source explains.
Fall-out with worried family
As Rob continued to retreat from the spotlight, his family aired their concerns for his health on KUWTK, with an emotional Kris Jenner saying in one episode: "I want to fix Rob and sometimes you just can't.
"I have not not cried myself to sleep in so long that I don't even know what that's like. It's the worst feeling in the world when one of your kids isn't in a good place."
Around this time, Rob – who was around 21 stone at his heaviest – was living with his sister Khloe, who he has always been very close with, and her then-husband Lamar Odom.
However, when the pair split, it was widely claimed it had a knock-on effect on Rob's health too – with Khloe airing her concerns on the show.
“I was not there to protect Rob,” she said in one episode. “I was not there to protect myself.”
Kim opted for tough love in 2015 however, when she told her mum Kris that enough was enough.
"Everyone licks Rob's a** and does whatever he says," she said on camera. "It's just like, at some point you just have to give it up. We all make his life so easy."
It went from bad to worse later that year when Rob was hospitalised after discovering he had Type 2 diabetes. It was enough to motivate him to try and make a change.
“He couldn’t hide from the world any more or ignore the reality – he had serious health complications associated with his weight – so took charge and everyone supported him, all of his family," our source explains.
Turbulent Blac Chyna relationship & 'revenge porn' scandal
Rob truly shocked the world in January 2016 when he revealed he was dating Blac Chyna – the mother of Tyga's baby… The same Tyga that was dating his sister Kylie Jenner at the time.
Their whirlwind romance meant Rob made a return to the spotlight as they shared endless loved up photos and videos together – before getting engaged in April that same year.
As Rob appeared happier than he had in years, he credited his partner with helping him battle his demons.
“She got me through my darkest times,” Rob told People. “I wasn’t happy in my own skin. I missed out on so many things.”
However, the relationship turned turbulent and after a series of fights, they split in December 2016 – a month after welcoming a baby daughter together, Dream.
In July 2017, Rob was accused of posting 'revenge porn' of his ex when he appeared to share a series of naked photos of her.
Chyna went on to take out a restraining order against Rob, alleging he had assaulted her. However, she later dropped the case in September that year.
But it wasn't over there, as Rob went on to accuse Chyna of assault, claiming she tried to choke him with a phone cord.
Chyna later claimed there was no truth to the allegations.
Their split also sparked rumours they were locked in a bitter custody battle.
However, Rob later cleared things up on Twitter at the start of 2019, writing: "Angela and I are both actively co-parenting and there are no pending or active custody cases."
'Dream gave him something to live for'
It has been his strong bond with daughter Dream that has ultimately spurred Rob on to overhaul his lifestyle ever since.
“His main motivation – and really the only thing that pushes him through – is Dream," our source says.
"He had her third birthday in November in his head as a major goal. He wanted to be in the best shape mentally and physically for that.
"The awful court case ripped his heart out but Dream gave him something to live for, to fight for and to be healthy for.”
'Reclusive' star begins slow comeback
Following his split from Chyna, Rob once again retreated from the limelight and was rarely seen in public or even on social media.
However, he's grown close to his family again in that time, and is spending a lot of time at Khloe's home.
“Khloe was instrumental in getting him back on track. They’ve the closest bond and he was always at her house," our source says.
"It was a dark time. So to be back with is family, all his sisters his nieces and nephews was amazing and helped restore him."
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Halloween 2019 ? @halfwaydead ?? @krisjenner
A post shared byRob Kardashian (@robkardashianofficial) on
Sure enough, he began appearing in the odd episode of KUWTK and even made a rare appearance for his family's Halloween celebrations last year.
While our source says Rob's siblings have been instrumental in his comeback – he has also found support from their partners, including Kourtney's ex Scott Disick.
“Rob has always craved a male figure – having lost his father – and he’s very lucky to have some strong men in his life who are looking out for him," our source adds.
“Despite the facades of fame and money this is just another complex family who really love each other."
Since Halloween, Rob had stayed away from social media other than a string of promotional posts, but he finally made his comeback this week – and looks happier than ever.
“He hands down could not have done it without his family – there’s been a lot of pain over the years, he lost his way, his purpose and was tired of only ever being asked about his sisters and them dominating things," our source says.
“Now it’s not about that, it’s about his little girl and being with the people who love him for him.
"This is just the beginning Rob is determined to keep going and everyone hopes he finds the loving partner he deserves, and he’s on track to do that.”
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