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900-lb. Man Being Treated Save Email Print
Posted: 6:05 PM Sep 19, 2007
Last Updated: 2:17 PM Sep 20, 2007
Reporter: A.J. Hilton
Email Address: aj.hilton@wilx.com

A | A | A

Chuck McCull spent Wednesday cleaning the home where he now stays by himself. Less than 24 hours ago,his 900 pound brother was lifted out of a duplex off of Eighth Street and Eureka.

"I said hey wait a minute... this needs to be taken care of," said McCull.

Chuck said his brother suffers from a rare genetic disorder that creates an overwhelming desire for food and an inability to feel full after eating.

"You feel like you can't get full," said McCull. "You want to eat and eat...You keep seeing the food there and you just want to keep eating more."

There were thoughts of gastric bypass surgery, but his cousin says his mother died in the hospital, and has had a fear of hospitals ever since.

"You have the fear versus the need and the want, and so he was kinda fighting himself over it, " said Mike Morse, the man's cousin. "But this is the first step to getting him well."

"People don't understand... They see a heavy person on the street and immediately jump to the conclusion that well, there's a lazy person," said Kathy Kacynkski.

Kacynkski works at Sparrow Health System's Weight Management Center. Their goal is to help people develop healthy relationships with food. Part of the obesity problem, Kacynkski believes is emotional eating. A solution-- exercising and smaller portions.

"Everybody wants that quick fix, and there really isn't a quick fix to weight management," explained Kacynkski. "It's really hard work. You have to make lifestyle changes."

They're changes that could extend your life-- and no matter how hard it may be--

"They shouldn't feel like they're alone," said Kacynkski. "There is help out there," said Kacynkski.

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Posted by: Jeff Location: Charlotte on Sep 22, 2007 at 10:56 AM
My wife worked as an aid for the man yesterday. I wish him all the best, he is a really nice man. The fine folks @ Sparrow are doing their best to help him. God Bless.

Posted by: Dee Location: Michigan on Sep 20, 2007 at 10:20 PM
Wishing this man well..I hope that his health problems get some help. As far as gastric bypass, that is an option, however with him being so overweight, he will have to lose some weight on his own first. As I do believe it is very dangerous to put someone of this size under the knife. So maybe he will get some help first and face the surgery when he is healthy enough.

Posted by: Lewis Location: Fitchburg, MA on Sep 20, 2007 at 10:50 AM
I wish this man well in his recovery.

Posted by: 900 lb man Location: lansing on Sep 20, 2007 at 06:47 AM
You did the community a service reporting this article. Obesity is the fastest growing epidemic in this country. The follow up was informative. Sparrow has a successful weight loss program, plus you talked about other options besides diet. Glad you aired this article. Ruth C.

Posted by: Bonnie Location: Lansing on Sep 19, 2007 at 11:16 PM
I think it was necessary to do this story.. It was in Lansing, it was news and if you don't want to be on the news, don't do anything to get that kind of attention.

Posted by: Jody Location: Eaton Rapids on Sep 19, 2007 at 10:01 PM
I agree that this is a life change.I believe gastric bypass.I understand your fear of surgery.I want to let you now that surgery is safer today then it was years ago.Hang on it is a job and a life change.Good luck and you have a lot of support out here.

Posted by: A concerned person Location: Lansing on Sep 19, 2007 at 06:55 PM
I am happy to hear that someone is helping this person. So what if he is that big we should consider his heath and not his size and knowing us as a community wants to HELP HIM. If the news dosenot let us know how are we to know the someone needs our HELP!!

Posted by: Susan Herman Location: East Lansing on Sep 19, 2007 at 06:16 PM
The person in this story suffers from a chromosomal deletion called Prader-Willi Syndrome. This could have been an opportunity to educate the public about this syndrome. Instead, it was sensationalized. The Community Mental Health case workers for these people are pushing to have them live independently and you saw the result of that policy. People with Prader-Willi Syndrome have NO control over the overwhelming compulsion to eat. They will find a way to get food if not in a supervised environment. It is time for the news to be responsible and to report the complete story.

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  • Posted By: BarbaraI'm surprised by the news media who are shocked that he died after having passed a physical. There are instances of people having heart attacks as they leave the doctors office, have been given a good bill of health. Some coverage of the event seems appropriate but now I am ready for it to stop. Ok I wasn't a fan. Never was. But enough is enough. There is other news out there. There were other deaths of famous people that week, alot in fact. They got a notice in the news and that was appropriate. Yes was more controversial as was Elvis and yes they both got more time, but it bothers me that all of the national coverage that night was of his death as if there wasn't a war or other news of note.
  • Posted By: Entertaiment BigotSorry Becky if we busted his chops but I'm one of those Hollywood Bigots. I do not idolize anyone in the entertainment business more than I would my own Parents. So I can truly say he never had an impact on me. It is our culture and media that seems who decide who we should idolize and I'm sorry but I don't buy into that mentality. I didn't cry over Elvis and I'm not shedding a tear for Mr. Jackson. I didn't cry over Lady Di. To say he reached everyone in the world may be true but that doesn't make me a bigot just because I don't idolize or mourn him.
  • Posted By: BeckyI feel that you are all insenstive bigots. Excuse the past years...you have to look at what this man meant to the country as a whole. When is the last time you heard of an artist that reached damn near everyone in the WORLD regardless of their race? Elvis didn't even have that much of an impact. He is a human and has his mistakes. Only God can judge him and to say such nasty things about this man after his passings is plain disgusting.
  • Posted By: blablaOk he's dead, now can we read some real news
  • Posted By: jonI just wonder where is michael now?
  • Posted By: sandyBill, your right not Farrah or Ed but a pedophile, his attorneys will be looking for new jobs now cant live off mike now.
  • Posted By: BillWhat GREAT comments and all so true. How anyone can worship a pedophile is beyond me. To bad about Farrah, but you sure don't hear anything about her.
  • Posted By: BillToo bad so sad, NOT. Children of L.A, can now sleep easier. The courts don't have to waste money on him anymore and his so called friends will have to find someone else they can be a leach to. I remember when their show first appeared and it was fun to watch. But as time goes by the fame has destroyed him as well as all the damage he has done to his own body for no reason but to be wanted even more by the public. His attorney summed it up great.
  • Posted By: King of WarpOk, the immediate response is I'm shocked. Only the media and elite will sensationalize a story to make the guy out to be somebody to be worshipped. Everyone is now over Princess Di. So, pay your respects, honor his talent and keep the other crap out of the news. We don't need to hear over and over again about his drug use, child molestation problems. Good-Bye Michael Jackson now "Beat It"
  • Posted By: MarkThis is pathetic. Call me a dork, or a hater, or whatever, but this is seriously ridiculous. Yeah, an influential musician is dead at a young age. But do half of the headlines on this page have to be about Michael Jackson? There are four on here about him out of 8 listed.
  • Posted By: CarrieBS! I don't buy into this "sadness" stuff. I think we have a bunch of band-wagon jumpers!! Michael was a HUGE part of my generation's world (growing up in the 80s) and every chick LOVED him so from that sense, ok...it is weird to see him gone. BUT....he was a "has been" through the recent years (since like the mid 90s?) and so many people did NOT like him because of his life-style and mannerisms, etc. Notice his upcoming tour was in a whole other COUNTRY because he wouldn't make it here. But yet, all of a sudden, he is LOVED by all? GIVE ME A BREAK! I am NOT buying it. BAND-WAGON jumpers. Spare me.
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