According to The Sun, Leonid Andreev, a 60-year-old Russian man who weighed more than three baby elephants, died after being trapped in his home for five years. Mr. Andreev, who weighed more than 616 pounds (about 280 kg), died of a heart attack despite his efforts to lose weight. On November 17, his neighbors discovered him dead in the bed he had been confined to for years. Notably, his death occurred just one day after revealing his weight-loss ambitions to local media. He told reporters that he had drastically reduced his big meals and was now only eating a cup of light soup for lunch. He said, ”I tried to lose at least a little weight; I ate less and did not indulge in flour products.”
Prior to his obesity battle, he was an athlete weighing only 11 stone (69 kg)
The man also shared his daily routine, saying, ”In the morning, I get up, cook food, eat a little, and watch TV. Try to move here, then move there. I used to have porridge—the heaviest—and buns, potatoes, and bread. That’s how I got fat, probably.” Doctors stated he died of a heart attack, most likely caused by the pressure of his extra weight. Doctors had previously advised him to drop at least seven stone (44 kg) in order to live a normal life again. Prior to his obesity battle, he was an athlete weighing only 11 stone (69 kg), maintained his own farm, and enjoyed sports such as hunting and crop harvesting. His difficulties began after he left the army, after which he gained five stone (31 kg) in three months. He had to resign from his job in 2018 and then began his secluded life on the sofa, watching TV all day.
After being restricted to his home for five years, Mr. Andreev expressed his desire to leave and live in a city apartment. However, he delayed far too long to change his ways. His story is similar to that of Lupe Samano, a woman from the United States who was bedridden for 12 years due to a food addiction. She weighed 642lb (291kg) when she appeared on the reality show My 600-lb Life. Her battle with obesity started when her father abandoned her and her sister as teenagers, and she turned to food for comfort. She is now about 200lb (90kg) lighter thanks to a better lifestyle and weight loss surgery, and she has undergone a total turnaround.