Juan Pedro Franco once weighed almost 600 kilograms and needed eight people to help him get out of bed. For six years, he was stuck in one place, unable to move on his own. Finally, he made a life-changing decision—he would have surgery.
Juan’s weight problems started early. By the time he was six years old, he already weighed 60 kilograms. A serious injury as a teenager made things worse. At 17 years old, his weight had climbed to 229 kilograms. Over time, he gained even more weight. At 32 years old, he reached 609 kilograms and was named the “fattest man in the world” by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2016.
At this point, daily life was extremely difficult. He could not move without help from multiple people and had to stay in bed all the time. Even simple things, like going to the bathroom, were a struggle. After six years of living this way, Juan knew he had to do something. His health was getting worse, and he feared he wouldn’t live much longer. Nothing seemed to work, so he made the bold decision to have surgery.
Leaving his home for the first time in years, he went to the hospital. Doctors found that he had many health issues. He had type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, and fluid in his lungs. The first surgery was successful, but there was one more step. To qualify for another surgery, Juan had to lose at least 170 kilograms.
In 2017, he finally reached that goal and had the second surgery. Afterwards, Juan decided to completely change his lifestyle. He worked hard to stay on track, and by 2023, his weight had dropped to 355 kilograms. Juan’s journey is not over, but he continues to fight for a healthier life.