Half-Ton Man Ventures Out After Five Years

Associated Press ^

[DeerfieldObserver]

Manuel Uribe, who once weighed half a ton, left his house on Wednesday for the first time in five years.

Six people pushed Uribe's wheel-equipped iron bed out to the street, as a mariachi band played and a crowd gathered to see the man who once weighed 1,235 pounds.

"It's nice [being outside]. Many thanks to my travelling Mariachis," Uribe said after taking a sip from a champagne bottle.

Unable to leave his bed for more than five years, Uribe has lost 397 pounds since he began a high-protein diet a year ago. He now weighs about 840 pounds.

To celebrate the milestone, a forklift lifted Uribe's bed onto a trailer pulled by a pickup truck and the 41-year-old mechanic rode through the streets of San Nicolas de los Garza, a Monterrey suburb.

"I'm very proud of him and very happy. I hope God continues to give him the strength to move forward," Uribe's neighbour, Leonor Garza said.

Uribe was a chubby kid, weighing more than 250 pounds as an adolescent.

In 1992, he said his weight began to balloon further.

Since the summer of 2002, Uribe has been bedridden, relying on his mother and friends to feed and clean him.

He drew worldwide attention when he pleaded for help on national television in January 2006.

Afterwards, an Italian and a Spanish doctor both visited and offered him gastric bypass surgery.

But Uribe chose to accept help from Mexican nutritionists working with the Zone diet which he says he will stick to until he reaches his goal weight of 265 pounds.

Doctors say it may take between three and four years for Uribe to reach his goal.

Uribe said he plans to start a foundation to help overweight people get medical assistance and teach them about healthy eating habits.

[Stone Mountain]

We should be wishing him well. He has a problem. He's doing something about it. Instead most of these thin and beautiful people on here keep making fun of the guy.

I totally agree. It's a small small person that mocks a person with a problem, particularly when that person is making an honest effort to help himself. Apparently it makes some people feel good to make fun of those less fortunate than them - how classy.

[greyfoxx39]

LOL, he really DOES look like Bill Richardson!

[A knight without armor]

You know better than to hold your breath. It will be the rare poster that wishes him well. Here all obese people are totally worthless. The other day there was an article about an obese lady who unexpectedly gave birth to a beautiful precious baby girl. Rare was the pleasant comment. The rest speculated on how such a repugnant creature would have sex to get pregnant. That's how Freepers are.

[fr_freak]

You know better than to hold your breath. It will be the rare poster that wishes him well. Here all obese people are totally worthless. The other day there was an article about an obese lady who unexpectedly gave birth to a beautiful precious baby girl. Rare was the pleasant comment. The rest speculated on how such a repugnant creature would have sex to get pregnant. That's how Freepers are.

Lighten up, Francis. 90% of the people here making fun of the fat people would probably bend over backwards to help those fat people out if they met them in person.

I think such people as this guy have earned at least a little ridicule. True medical causes for morbid obesity are uncommon. Most likely this guy, and the lady who gave birth without knowing she was pregnant, are otherwise healthy people who at best exercised horrible judgement in their eating habits, and at worst are gluttons whose lack of control brought this condition upon themselves. If someone is going to show such deep lack of respect for himself, he should not expect too much respect from others.

[Popman]

Did you see the 30,000 calorie a day diet show?

These two words in the same sentence should only apply if you are talking about an elephant on a diet, not humans

[Alouette]

Just eating the food Americans don't want to eat.

[A knight without armor]

"Lighten up, Francis."

Why I don't know but that simple phrase has makes me chuckle out loud. I needed that. That is the only piece of funny I have had all day. Just when I was feeling like a bucket of dead turtles you had to come along with that and spoil my bad mood.

I still think it takes a whole lot more courage to change habits like he is doing than to get fixed with a gastric bypass. I mean bless anyone who's had the bypass but it is refreshing to see someone digging down deep and changing lifelong habits. I pray he succeeds.

[Stone Mountain]

If someone is going to show such deep lack of respect for himself, he should not expect too much respect from others.

For whatever reasons, the guy was morbidly obese. Maybe he made mistakes and was lazy in the past; maybe it's glandular; maybe it's a combination. But he has made the effort to improve himself. He took responsibility solely upon himself to make things better. He's lost 400 pounds and was able to go outside. I respect the effort that took - anyone who has tried to lose even 10-20 pounds ought to. For this, he should be exposed to ridicule?

90% of the people here making fun of the fat people would probably bend over backwards to help those fat people out if they met them in person.

You are much more optimistic than I am. It's clear that a lot of people on this forum don't respect fat people at all. I find it hard to believe that they would go out of their way to help them instead of mocking them.

[Popman]

and the lady who gave birth without knowing she was pregnant,

Having never given birth, but vastly experienced in watching the process, (6 times) I find it quite unbelievable that a women does not know she is pregnant.

I believe they possess a high level of denial.

At the late stages of the birth process the kid was kicking me at night LOL

[synbad600]

I don't believe your assertions are true. I have been struggling with my own weight since I was a teen. It is a never ending daily battle, a personal reprogramming, and it is a condition only the sole individual can overcome. Of course we all wish him well, but there comes a time when one has to accept personal responsibility for one's own fate. To allow ourselves to get to the point that others are championed for overcoming their own addictions, well, that to me is difficult to comprehend. Where are the kudos to those that don't get to the point where they are celebrated for living a life of free of . . . whatever. Pick your poison. Drugs, alcohol, gambiling, etc. Yet those that live a life of unforced pleasures deserve praise for having had a ton of fun and lived a life of abandon most of the time and are now repenting for their sins and blaming some other factor?

Freepers are the kindest folks I have ever had the pleasure of "knowing".

[carolinalivin]

When he sits around the house, he sits AROUND the house.

[Popman]

At the late stages of the birth process the kid was kicking me at night LOL

I actually meant to say "the pregnancy process"

[pollyannaish]

Those girls are inspiring and very well adjusted. Watched that show last night with the family. Came to the conclusion that ALL of us would be better people if we had to learn to cooperate like those two have. Wow.

I am absolutely in awe of their parents.

[pollyannaish]

He does look healthier there. I wish him all the best. While all of us face challenges in life, most of us are fortunate to not have to face this.

[McGavin999]

Maybe b/c I can't imagine how one can let oneself go so so much to get to that point.

Probably because he weighed 250 lbs as a kid. That means he probably dieted off and on most of his life. Each time he dieted, his metabolism slowed more and more. Pretty soon he was gaining weight on 1200 calories. After awhile, he probably just gave up, ate what he wanted and waited to die.

[Stone Mountain]

To allow ourselves to get to the point that others are championed for overcoming their own addictions, well, that to me is difficult to comprehend.

I couldn't disagree more. Many people, for whatever reasons, (childhood upbringing, genetics, traumatic events, for example) are more susceptible to addictions than other people. And everyone has weaknesses in their lives that they must overcome. I think it's completely laudable for people to overcome those weaknesses. It's certainly something we should encourage, as opposed to mocking those with problems, particularly when the person in question is doing everything he can to overcome them.

Where are the kudos to those that don't get to the point where they are celebrated for living a life of free of . . . whatever.

They should be applauded too. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

[synbad600]

". . . kudos to those that . . . ."

Those who.

Sorry for the lapse, Mr. Nordlinger.

[radiohead]

The girls are inspiring. I saw the show where they got their driver's licenses. In middle age, I am just learning to drive and am still a bit nervous behind the wheel. I saw those two and wanted to smack myself for being so stupid. If they can drive w/their issues, I can certainly get out and do my part to terrorize the other drivers.

[Osage Orange]

That's his upper leg......

[Osage Orange]

I've taken care of people as big and bigger.......

It's a challenge to be sure....

Morbid obesity is a horrible thing.......