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Carl ThompsonThe fattest man in Britain
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- The Life and Tragic Death of Karl Thompson
- A Life of Isolation
- A Battle with Obesity
- A Cry for Help
- A Tragic End
The Life and Tragic Death of Karl Thompson
Karl Thompson, the heaviest man in Britain, weighing 412 kg at the age of 33, was found dead. Just a few hours before his death, he had ordered apple crumble and ice cream from his favorite place, 'Q Pizza', a take-out spot. It took several hours for emergency services to remove Karl Thompson's body from his apartment using a small crane. The road beneath Thompson's apartment had to be temporarily closed. His body was extracted through the balcony.
A Life of Isolation
Karl Thompson, a 33-year-old from Dover, had not left his apartment for over a year. Doctors had warned him that if he didn't lose 70% of his weight, he was at risk of dying. The day before his death, Merdad Mohebbi, the owner of 'Q Pizza', delivered food to him. Mohebbi even had a key to Thompson's apartment and would bring the food directly to his bed. It was revealed that in the weeks leading up to his death, Thompson had started to gradually reduce the size of his orders in an attempt to lose weight. Mohebbi said, "I can't believe what happened. He had started seriously cutting back on his orders. He started limiting himself to one or two portions of food a day. When I took that last order, he seemed perfectly content. He talked about going to the hospital and getting some tests done. He was full of life."
A Battle with Obesity
Thompson's weight gain began after the death of his mother in 2012, due to a brain tumor. Despite already being obese, Thompson turned to food to cope with his grief. In just three years, his weight skyrocketed from 190 to a staggering 412 kg. With such dimensions, he was unable to care for himself. Consuming 10,000 calories a day, Thompson consumed four times the amount of calories an average person needed. He indulged in Chinese take-out and pizzas delivered to his door. He spent £10 on chocolate daily, without considering the funds provided by the government. Thompson couldn't walk or dress himself; a team of caregivers from the healthcare service took care of his daily needs. Despite receiving disability benefits, Thompson had not worked since the age of 17. He spent around £200 a week on take-out food and groceries ordered online.
A Cry for Help
Thompson admitted that most of his weight gain was due to stress after his mother's death, but he also acknowledged his lifelong struggle with food. A month before his death, Thompson made a public plea for help. He no longer wanted to carry the title of the heaviest man in Britain. His plea was met with overwhelming offers of support. Doctors directly stated that unless he lost at least 280 kg, there was a high probability of a fatal outcome. Thompson expressed his openness to any professional opinion or knowledge that could help him. He realized how close he was to death and how he had lost everything in his life.
A Tragic End
Thompson was frequently hospitalized and received treatment for various illnesses, including sepsis. He had suffered five heart attacks. Unfortunately, Karl Thompson never fulfilled his desire to take control of his life and lose weight. Unlike Paul Mason, a former heaviest man in Britain who underwent gastric band surgery and lost 305 kg, Thompson refused to have his stomach banded. Explaining his reluctance to undergo the procedure, Thompson said, "I don't need gastric band surgery. It's dangerous. I would prefer to seek the help of a dietitian and a psychiatrist to assist me in losing weight. I'll do whatever it takes to lose weight. Obesity has taken my life. I can't move, and now is the time to put an end to all of this."
Authorities stated that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Thompson's death.
