It was the winter of 2001, the wind was cold, and the ordinary residential area of London, England, was surrounded by a white mist. In this old apartment, a large middle-aged man lies on a sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling in a daze.
He is Paul, the legendary "fattest man in the world".
Growing up under the harsh discipline of the military, Paul's childhood memories are filled with his father's roars and rattan whippings. The slightest mistake would lead to a beating, and over time, Paul's personality became withdrawn and introverted, like a frightened bird.
When he was 20 years old, his girlfriend left him, and the sad news of his father's death was a bolt from the blue for the fragile Paul.
"I'm useless. No one in this world loves me anymore. Paul screamed in despair.
He curled up in bed and wept all night, the panic and emptiness in his heart about to swallow him up. The next morning, Paul walked into the kitchen in a daze, his brain in a state of confusion, and he opened the refrigerator and munched on it as if he were following instinct.
The food was chewed in the mouth, gradually covering the huge hollow in the heart.
From then on, Paul couldn't control his food cravings. Even if his eyes turned black and his stomach twitched, he would still gobble it up.
Paul had just turned 20 that year, in the prime of his flesh and blood. He went on a date with his girlfriend and came home to find his father lying in a pool of blood and no longer breathing.
Paul fell to the ground, tears welling up in his eyes. His lifelong girlfriend also cruelly proposed to break up at this time, saying that she could not find hope for the future.
Paul stayed up all night, his dead father and his departed girlfriend swirling in his mind. When the sun rose the next day, Paul's vision was blurred. He mechanically came to the kitchen and began to devour his heart, as if food could fill the great hole in his heart.
At first, Paul would stop eating as soon as he was full, but gradually he could no longer control his appetite. Even if his stomach cramps and he can't digest properly, he will continue to swallow, like a black hole with no end.
Realizing the seriousness of the problem, Paul volunteered to go to the hospital for a check-up. Doctors told him he had been diagnosed with "bulimia nervosa". It is a serious disease in which psychological satisfaction is obtained by eating large quantities, and treatment must begin immediately.
But Paul could no longer control his sick craving for food. He rejected the doctor's advice, locked himself in his home, and continued the horrific life of overeating.
Under the combined effect of unemployment and overeating, Paul's body rapidly swelled into a huge spherical shape in just a few years. He is already completely dependent on his mother's care for his daily life, otherwise it is difficult for him to get up.
Paul's 2-meter-tall body weighed 508 kilograms at this time, which was five times heavier than the average man.
Paul could only lie on a special queen-size bed all day, creaking at the slightest movement, as if it were about to fall apart. His huge body slowly filled the small room, and his mother had to carefully squeeze sideways even through it.
When the neighbors saw his deformed figure, they all covered their noses and avoided it, for fear that this behemoth would suddenly collapse and crush people to death.
Three years later, Paul's 80-year-old mother also died of illness. Paul was completely deprived of his last support. He had to sell his family's possessions to barely make ends meet.
At first, the neighbors would bring some food, but it didn't take long for Paul to back down in the face of Paul's endless overeating. Paul's world gradually reduced to himself and food, and the only thing he had left of his life was consumed in this small room.
On this day, Paul suddenly felt severe cramping in his abdomen, accompanied by persistent nausea and vomiting. The pain was so severe that he could only curl up on the bed and moan. Paul used all his strength to call the emergency services, and just as he was about to lose consciousness, medical personnel arrived.
"Oh my God!" When the doctor in the ambulance saw Paul, his eyes widened and he exclaimed. They had never seen such a huge human body, and Paul's huge body squeaked into the tiny hospital bed.
The doctor tried to do a routine examination on him, but he was blocked by a thick layer of fat and the instrument was completely ineffective.
Based on years of experience, the attending physician judged that Paul was most likely suffering from a severe hernia attack caused by a long period of overeating. He must be taken to a large general hospital as soon as possible to have a chance of saving his life.
The problem is that Paul can't get out of this little room anymore.
With the help of medical staff, Paul struggled to roll over and lie down in the gondola. The crane whined and roared, slowly lifting Paul, who weighed nearly a ton, off the ground...... Outside the window, a 10-ton heavy ambulance was slowly approaching, ready to take Paul to the hospital.
Paul was finally taken to the hospital's intensive care unit. It has never been possible for such an overweight patient to be treated here, and the attending doctor has called in a number of experts to study countermeasures. Considering Paul's special situation, the hospital drew up a 3-year treatment contract to help him lose weight and heal during this period.
What shocked everyone even more was that the contract also clearly stated: if Paul unfortunately died, given that his unusually fat body exceeded the hospital's cremation capacity, he could only be sent to the slaughterhouse for centralized incineration.
Paul held the contract, his hands trembling slightly. He realized that if he didn't lose this unbearable fat, he would eventually lose his most basic dignity after death. The attending doctor looked him in the eye solemnly: "Paul, we will do our best to treat you, but this requires your own efforts to cooperate."
Paul nodded and signed his name on the contract. In the coming days, he will eat and exercise scientifically under the close supervision of doctors and nutritionists.
He will be counseled by a psychologist every week. Slowly, Paul lost weight, and for the first time in his life, there was a glimmer of hope.
After signing the contract, the hospital began to seriously treat Paul's obesity. He undergoes a strict diet and exercise program every day, along with medication. Paul's face gradually turned bloody, and his depression was much more relaxed.
He finally saw the dawn of hope in life.
In the first two months, Paul's weight loss went well, his weight dropped to 400 pounds, and he was able to walk a short distance in the hospital room. The attending doctors and nurses praised his progress, claiming that if he continued like this, he would soon be cured and discharged from the hospital.
Paul, who had been nourished by care and praise for a long time, felt joy and satisfaction in his heart like never before.
Just then, a friend came to visit the hospital and smuggled Paul's favorite pizza and burger as gifts. Paul couldn't wait to swallow it, and suddenly regained his morbid craving for food.
He began lobbying caregivers to get more high-calorie foods. Within a few weeks, Paul's weight had skyrocketed to 600 pounds, and he was so overweight that he needed to be lifted again.
Doctors and nurses alike were so disappointed with Paul that some even suggested that his contract be terminated.
When Paul is once again mired in despair, an American girl named Rebecca discovers him. She reached out to Paul and expressed her sincere concern and support.
Rebecca even flew across the Atlantic to visit him in person.
"Paul, I am deeply saddened by what happened to you. Rebecca shook Paul's big rough hand, "Let me take you to the United States for treatment, I have contacted the top hospitals, they can do skin removal surgery for you."
Paul gladly accepted Rebecca's kindness. Upon arrival in the United States, Rebecca took care of his daily life. There is also a secret affection between the two.
Finally, under the careful treatment of first-class doctors, the 60 pounds of fat that had accumulated in Paul's body for many years were removed, and he reappeared in a human body, and he was so excited that he burst into tears.
On the day she was discharged from the hospital, Rebecca drove to pick up Paul. She helped him pull the car door, and Paul slumped over and sat inside. Warm old songs were playing in the car, and sunlight was pouring in through the windows.
The two of them looked at each other and smiled, and Paul finally felt at home.
"Rebecca, I want to be with you. Paul said shyly.
Paul finally had a new lease on life in the United States, but it didn't last long. When his immigration visa expired, the U.S. government had to be deported to the UK. The night before her departure, Rebecca sobbed goodbye to Paul.
She promised Paul that she would find a way to meet again.
Back in England, Paul was once again left alone. He tried to find a job, but it was still a little difficult to walk, and no one wanted to hire. The day-to-day frustration caused Paul to despair again, and he began to escape reality by overeating, as he had done in the past.
A year later, Paul again weighed a terrifying 508 pounds. His apartment could no longer accommodate his canopy body, so he could only curl up in the hallway. Embarrassed to see people, Paul locked himself in a dimly lit room and waited all day for the delivery man to deliver food.
He had applied to the government for funding for weight loss treatment, but was again denied. At this time, Paul had nothing.
One day, Paul suddenly remembered Rebecca's promise, and he laboriously moved to the computer and sent an email. But she didn't hear back for a long time, maybe she had forgotten herself.
Paul's tears flowed as he finally realized that there would never be anyone in this world who would ever truly love him.