It breaks my heart when I see these kind of "news" articles. First, for someone to have to go through such a humiliating experience like this has to be traumatic in and of itself. But, then I see that absolute vicious things people write in the comments about someone who has gotten to this point.

I know that all my life as I have gained and lost, I would often justify to myself.... "well, I'm not THAT big" as I would see someone else out in public. It was just another form of denial about my own weight issues. I think given similar circumstances it might be difficult for most of us on this forum to say that we wouldn't have ever reached that point. We don't have any idea what this man's story is and I hate it when people just make assumptions based on their own stereotyping. We have all experienced various levels of discrimination, stares, or just our own self-confidence issues because of our weight issues. I truly hope this man can receive the help he needs. Maybe this "exposure" will make that possible.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/600-pound-man-needing-medical-attention-cut-home-article-1.1059471

Holy cow those commentsare so hateful! You wern't kidding! The sad thing is, even if someone like you or me were to compose a well written compassionate response, defending the man, or what have you, it would be wasted, because those morons just can't even consider that they may be wrong, or not in full knowledge of all of the facts. Gawd I hate people sometimes.

That's very sad. There but for the grace of God go I.

I think it was very compassionate that the firefighters were holding up tarps to try to keep the media from getting shots of the man, though.

I just read the article and I feel the same way you do. I cant believe some of the comments I read under the article either. I feel sorry for the man and hope that he is able to get help and get control of his health and weight for his sake.

People who have NEVER had weight issues have no idea what a slippery slope it is. It starts with a few MORE pounds that what we are used to hauling around...which makes it harder and harder to do everyday things. Pretty soon it is easier to just NOT do things...and just sit...and eat...and sit...and eat...and fast forward a few years.

I totally agree with Cookie..."There but by the grace of God, go I" Which is a scary scary thought!!

A lot of people have true hate for those who are overweight. For a lot of normal weight people, obese people represent their biggest fear and a complete failure of self control "values".

I do feel sorry for those workers. To have worked that hard to save the man, only to be met by a hazardous environment. At 600 lbs I'm assuming his household was toxic (even if due to pure inability to get up and throw something away, an imposed hoard of sorts, and I doubt he was able to maintain hygiene).

Sadly after reading a few more articles, I'm right (almost wish I weren't):

When the fire department arrived, they deemed the home - which was brimming with detritus the man had collected over the years - too toxic to enter. When emergency responders arrived, they called in a hazmat team about 2:30 p.m. from the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety to check an odor in the home." The smell was not toxic, but was referred to "residual stink," the paper wrote...To make room to remove Sargent from his home, officials first had to tow his Dodge Ram pickup, whose cab was two-thirds full of litter, such as pizza boxes, egg cartons and beverage containers.

He was obviously a man who needed a lot of mental and physical help, and wasn't getting it. It's too bad he will now be flayed in the court of public opinion by people who have no idea what the man's mental or physical reality was.

Related, here is an interesting read on the public disdain for obesity: America's Fat Hatred

It breaks my heart when I see these kind of "news" articles. First, for someone to have to go through such a humiliating experience like this has to be traumatic in and of itself. But, then I see that absolute vicious things people write in the comments about someone who has gotten to this point.

http://www.nydailyne...ticle-1.1059471

former_vbg

yes it is so sad to read articles like this one - a 600 lb man. In this extreme situation, we know that someone must be "helping" him by being an enabler, which is no good either. This man desparately needs serious, serious help. Possibly at the hospital something can be discussed. (social worker)

We know he couldn't be living in any type of good environment - hazordaus (msp) to his well being. Things must be dealt with to assist him in some sort of recovery - i don't have an answer - but hopefully someone else can connect him to being helped. He can't go on living this way. No one should suffer like this.

The cruel statements that are made, one person on the comment board (from an article about this story) said the man probably asked to make a stop at burger king before they arrived to the hospital. These remarks are so terrible - we've all been there, not to such an extreme but none the less......

These remarks are so terrible - we've all been there, not to such an extreme but none the less......

I hope this man, and others like him do get help soon, these people don't just eat all day enjoying their life. They do need help so they can enjoy their life.

kathy.

It is truly sad and I do hope that he can get some much needed help. I was teased when I was a child and mean things were said to me all the time. This was mainly done by children but as we know children grow up....oh should I say they get bigger. Some people just never grow up and they always speak before they think. I think that this is sad and give a bad example to youth. It is no different than bullying in my book.

Some people are just idiots and do not take others, others lives or other feelsing into consideration. Truly sad all around.

I haven't read the comments because I know what people are capable of saying about obese people and I really don't want to fill my mind with more of that junk. I would bet that a lot of them have weight problems themselves and attack this man to make themselves feel better. Just like former_vbg said, they're just relieved it isn't them.

I hope he gets the help he needs. Maybe that doctor from My 600lb Life can perform WLS.

Considering that the man is 600 lbs, he may not be eligible for WLS. I always assume there's some kind of enabler in the background when I read these stories as well. SOMEONE is bringing food to this man, and we all know it. There's no way a person who weighs that much can get out and get his/her own food.

I have a dear friend who has gained weight and is seriously in denial about what it is doing to him. He's 450+ at this point and still trying to tell me that he only weighs 300 pounds. Um, sorry, can't kid me..I've been there, done that. He's in heart failure and has a chiari (tumor on the brain stemp) and the doctors can't even operate to put in his desperately needed pacemaker because of his size. My friend has just about written himself off, which is frustrating to me, especially after being sleeved. My worst fear is that I'm going to get a phone call telling me that he's gone.

There was a woman on Dr Oz (I think) awhile back who was on a mission to become the world's biggest woman. She was over 500 pounds and actively trying to gain. Dr Oz had a blood sample drawn from her and he showed it to her. The vial was almost totally white because her cholesterol level was So high. He offered her WLS and she turned him down! That woman was in total denial about her weight and her issues. To her, there was nothing wrong with her.

I'm not bashing anyone above, but it's sad to see people at the point where they are actively committing suicide without wanting to do something to help. Hopefully the man in the article will get some help. Obesity is not a disease we can beat on our own, at least not once we're 100 pounds or more overweight, IMO.

And yet it's amazing how most insurances will not cover this surgery while there is still hope. I'm 5'4" 262lbs there is still hope for me and my insurance covers nothing. If they find out my high blood pressure is even weight induced they will stop covering appointments, medicine and anything related to obesity. Sick isn't it? I want this surgery so badly I downloaded this app just for the information til I can save the money for Mexico!