The Man Who Ate Himself To Death ...........

[Ann]

Just watched this programme on Channel 5, a 36 year old man, Ricky, on the island of Guam weighed 65 stone and despite valiant attempts by doctors and specialists, he just couldn't lose weight. His poor wife Cheryl was torn by the loyalty to her husband and giving in to his demands for fattening food and the help he so desperately needed. What a sad sad story, he died last November. Anyone else see it? Its on Channel 5 + 1 at the moment you will have missed the first 10 mins or so, or watch on catch up.

[grasscarp]

I just watched it. His wife was the only one who could have saved him. He put on another 50% of his body weight after they married. She also went round on camera buying deep fried bananas coated in batter and sugar, and sticks of greasy meat. Then when it all got too much she left him. Then she didn't go to his memorial service. Sorry to say it but she was his undoing.

[Mass_Hysteria]

Watching it now and the more I watch the less sympathy I have. He keeps saying how much he needs help but refuses to change his demands for food. His wife doesn't help him by supplying it.

[Caran]

I watched it too. They were both to blame, I haven't seen anyone as big as him before, and wouldn't want to.

[Ann]

I think his wife was quite scared of him and had to give in to his demands of food. But surely he couldn't do much to her if she disobeyed his demands for food, he could hardly get up off the bed! What a state to get in, just for food and sad that he couldn't change his mind set. Did he actually take an overdose in front of his wife then, couldn't quite work that one out.

[cassa333]

Perhaps they should have started with hypno therapy and a gastric balloon. That would have been a good start!!

[piggynose]

theres no excuse for greed

[grasscarp]

Ann I had my suspicions about what happened around the time of his death. It was all quite vague and glossed over. She says she was just lying there with him. Anyway only she knows. What a sad story. How can you be scared of someone who can't move?

[Old_Geezer]

No I didn't watch it.

Re the sympathy thing. On one level one can say he didn't stop eating so one has no sympathy. But on another level doesn't that indicate that even with the threat of death he couldn't stop himself craving that which would kill him ? Isn't that something to be sympathetic about ?

I'm unsure folk are anything like under control of their actions as society has to believe they are. That, as indicated in the Guam guy's case, we are all putting up with whatever the mind forces us to cope with. And that leads on to major philosophical questions about what "we" really are. It seems the conscious part that thinks it is in control is just one small part, and sometimes gets reminded of it's lack of power.

[chrissa1]

A sad story. I agree with Old-geezer. His craving was food, I smoke. I was wondering who looked after him when his wife left him? Social Services must have stepped in, surely they could have given him healthy food, at least for a while.

[Ann]

There were a lot of unanswered questions arising from this - as someone else said who looked after Ricky in the short time that Cheryl left him before she went back? Did he warn her he would take an overdose if she left him again? At the funeral it didn't look as if Ricky was in a coffin, just covered with a cloth in the church? How did they get him there, it must have been a very undignified and sad thing to get his body out of the house. Was he buried or cremated? I am torn between sympathy and shock that nobody helped him but kept saying they would only help if he lost 100 lbs first. Wonder what has happened to his wife Cheryl?

[Ann]

If you missed the programme, watch it here
http://www.channel5.com/shows/the-man-who-ate-himself-to-death/episodes/the-man-who-ate-himself-to-death