'My 600-Lb Life' Star L.B. Makes Desperate Plea For New Leg: 'Walking Is Painful'
May 10 2018, Updated 5:08 p.m. ET
My 600-Lb Life star James "L.B." Bonner has been one of the most successful participants of the franchise, but now a new medical issue is setting his weight-loss journey back. In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com, Bonner revealed is unable to afford a new prosthetic leg. WARNING: GRAPHIC PHOTOS
"My insurance wont cover a new leg and I've gotten to the point where just walking is becoming very painful, let alone going to the gym and working out hard like I was before," Bonner told RadarOnline.com. "In order for me to get a new leg, I'm going to have to pay out of pocket which, can be up to $4,000."
Bonner explained how his stump has been "busting open."
The issue has even been a setback for his ongoing weight loss journey. "I've been steadily losing weight and I've knocked out some huge milestones," he explained. "But this has been a huge setback and has kind of sidelined me from the high-intensity work outs I want to do."
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Bonner started a GoFundMe page, where he set a goal of $7,500 to pay for the new leg. He has received $1,310 in donations so far.
Bonner plans to go under the knife again for skin-removal surgery. "Anything over the cost of my leg will be used to help offset the cost of my skin surgery and the bills while I recover," he said. "I'll be out of work a minimum of six weeks."
On My 600-Lb life, Bonner explained how he often ate beef sticks and pigs in a blanket when he would visit his aunt and uncle as a child. "That's when I started associated that comforted feeling with food," he said. "By the time I was 8, I was already 150 pounds." When his lower right leg was amputated in 2013 from a car accident, he drowned his sorrows in food and alcohol, and reached 650 pounds.
When Bonner joined the show, he began dieting and exercising. He also underwent lap band surgery and beat his alcoholism by maintaining his sobriety. He is now in the 200-pound range.
Check out Bonner's GoFundMe page.
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