At this peak weight, Monterrey resident Manuel Uribe was the world’s heaviest living man and one of the largest people ever recorded in medical history. At his heaviest, he tipped the scales at 1,265 lbs, the weight of seven average-sized men. Since 2002, Uribe has been bedridden, relying on his mother and friends to feed and clean him. He drew worldwide attention when he pleaded for help on television in January 2006.

In March 2007, Uribe set himself a goal to reduce his hulking frame by 120 kg. His struggle was featured in the Discovery Channel documentary "World's Heaviest Man". With the help of doctors and nutritionists, Uribe embarked on the Zone diet and progressed beyond medical expectations, losing a whopping 460 lbs (40 stones) over the past year. He’s now down to a much-improved 800 lbs (50 stones).

Date expectations

Boosted by the success of his diet, Uribe had planned a rare outdoor trip for a romantic picnic to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday. Unable to leave his bed under his own power, he needed a forklift truck to carry him out of his house and a tow truck big enough to haul him and his bed to a local park.

Sadly, Uribe never made it to the picnic. The truck transporting the bed-ridden Mexican collided with a road bridge. Uribe's blood pressure dropped so much his doctors advised him not to go on and the celebration was cancelled. Despite this setback, Uribe remained upbeat and focussed on his dream of taking his girlfriend out for a meal. The pair have rescheduled their picnic for June 11 when Uribe will celebrate his 43rd birthday.