‘My 600-Lb Life’ Star Dies From Heart Attack
Mar. 2 2018, Updated 1:50 p.m. ET
Robert Buchel turned to My 600-Lb Life Doctor Younan Nowzaradan to help him lose weight, but at 842 pounds, aid came too late. The heaviest participant in the show’s history suffered a heart attack and passed away on November 15, 2017.
“I can’t do anything. I can’t do anything for anyone, especially myself,” Buchel said on his episode. “I am completely dependent on my fiancée Kathryn. I should be able to take care of myself. I’m trapped in this body I call prison.”
His mother expressed her concern over his obesity. “He’s going to die,” she said. “I think he’s trying to kill himself with food. This is like a slow suicide. Food excites him. When he doesn’t get what he likes he becomes extremely anxious. His fiancée added, “Food is killing him and taking our future.”
Buchel and his fiancée moved to Houston, Texas to work with Dr. Nowzaradan. Robert dropped to 502 pounds after dieting and undergoing surgery to remove one of the lymphedema masses on the right side of his body.
After the surgery, he admitted he had an addiction to pain medication. He even ripped his stitches to get more pills, and refused to walk and exercise. He soon suffered a heart attack and passed away.
“I cant’ believe that I lost him,” his fiancée said. “He said, ‘I don’t think I’m going to make it through tonight.’ I said, 'You’ll be fine.' He said, 'Just in case, understand I love you and I always have. We laid down and went to bed. He said he felt like he was having trouble breathing. I hit the button and the nurse came in. I was holding his hand and said it’s all right just focus on me. He kept trying to get a breath in and then his eyes just went black. He just began to fall back. I was smacking his hand and I said don’t do this. That was it.”
A Gofundme page was a created for Kathryn by a friend close to the couple to help pay for her expenses. “I am trying to rally financial support for my dear friend Kathryn, who recently lost her fiancé, Rob Buchel, after leaving her whole life, family, friends, and jobs, behind in order to move to another state to help him overcome a lifelong health struggle,” the description read. “Kathryn incurred a crushing debt, between medical bills and moving expenses, only to have to pack up, turn around, and move back. Kathryn is one of the most selfless and giving individuals one could ever meet, she is well deserving of any help that can be offered. All donations will be put toward paying off moving expenses, hospital bills, and the planning of Rob's memorial service.” The page raised $340 of the $2,000 goal.
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