An obese man who ballooned to 842 lbs (60 stone 2 lbs) died suddenly after he underwent a gruelling weight loss procedure.
Robert Buchel, 41, from Forked River, New Jersey, passed away from a heart attack after being on a weight loss plan for five months and dropping 340 lbs (24 stone 4 lbs).
The heart attack happened during filming of the reality show My 600lb Life and he died on November 15, 2017 – with the episode due to be aired this week.
Robert and his fiancée Kathryn Lemanski had recently moved to Houston, Texas so he could be monitored by surgeon Dr Younan Nowzaradan.
After a hellish car journey – during which which he had to be rescued by paramedics after falling on the floor – he was eventually checked into the hospital.
Sudden death: Robert Buchel, 41, from Forked River, New Jersey, passed away from a heart attack after being on a weight loss plan for five months and dropping 340 lbs (24 stone 4 lbs)
Accident: After a hellish car journey – during which which he had to be rescued by paramedics after falling on the floor (pictured) he was eventually checked into the hospital
Robert’s fiancée Kathryn, who became his carer (pictured) said shortly before his death: ‘It’s like a flip has been switched. He’s been nasty since the surgery because he can’t get the drugs’
Heartbreak: Kathryn, who was set to wed Rob next year, and Rob’s mother Marlene (pictured) later met with Dr Nowzaradan who offered his condolences and said: ‘Robert battled an addiction and lost but he never gave up’
Robert weighed 842 lbs (60 stone 2 lbs) but lost a staggering 124 lbs (8 stone 12 lbs) in his first month.
After dropping to 718 lbs (51 stone 4 lbs) he was transferred to a rehab facility where he began walking and within another two months had lost a total of 217 lbs (15 stone 7 lbs).
Soon he had shed even more weight and when he had lost 295 lbs (21 stone 1 lb) and dropped to 547 lbs (39 stone 1 lb) he had surgery to remove one of the lymphedema masses on his right side.
But while his weight dropped to 502 lbs (35 stone 12 lbs), surgery left Robert depressed and wanting more pain medication, revealing he actually had an addiction to painkillers.
Morbidly obese: Robert and his fiancée Kathryn Lemanski had recently moved to Houston, Texas so he could be monitored by surgeon Dr Younan Nowzaradan
Misery: Robert (pictured with Kathryn) was in too much pain to even move and stopped walking and getting out of bed again. He even tore his stitches in a bid to get pain medication
After Dr Nowzaradan weaned him off the pain meds, Robert claimed he was in too much pain to even move and stopped walking and getting out of bed again. He even tore his stitches in a bid to get pain medication.
Kathryn revealed: ‘It’s like a flip has been switched. He’s been nasty since the surgery because he can’t get the drugs.’
Rob was sent back to the rehab facility but still refused to walk or exercise and just weeks later stunned everyone when he had a heart attack.
Speaking to Rob’s devastated family after his death, Dr Nowzaradan said: said: ‘Robert battled an addiction and lost but he never gave up’
A distraught Kathryn said: ‘He told me: ‘I don’t think I’ll make it through the night. I love you and I always will’.
‘I lost my best friend and the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with.’
Kathryn, who was set to wed Rob next year, and Rob’s mother Marlene later met with Dr Nowzaradan who offered his condolences and said: ‘Robert battled an addiction and lost but he never gave up.’