On November 17, neighbours found him lifeless in the bed he had been confined to for years.
Leonid Andreev, a 60-year-old man from Russia, who weighed more than three baby elephants, has died after being stuck in his home for 5 years, The Sun reported. Mr. Andreev, who weighed over 616lbs (around 280 kg) died of a heart attack, despite making efforts to shed his weight. On November 17, neighbours found him lifeless in the bed he had been confined to for years.
Notably, his death comes just a day after he revealed his weight loss plans to local media. He told reporters that he had cut back massively on his heavy meals and was now managing just 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.”
He also shared his daily routine saying, ”In the morning, I get up, cook food, eat a little, watch TV. Tried to move here, move there. I used to have porridge – the heaviest, well, and buns, potatoes, bread. That’s how I got fat, probably.”
Doctors said he died from a heart attack, likely as a result of the strain caused by the excess weight. In the past, doctors had warned him to lose at least seven stone (44 kg) to have a chance of living a normal life again.
Prior to his obesity struggle, he was an athlete weighing only 11 stone (69 kg), ran his own farm, and participated in activities like hunting and crop harvesting. His hardship began after he left a career in the army, following which he gained five stone (31 kg) in just three months. In 2018, he had to quit work and began his reclusive life on the sofa, watching TV all day.
Mr. Andreev said he dreamt of moving out and being able to live in a city apartment after being confined to his home for five years. However, he waited too long to change his lifestyle.
His story is similar to that of Lupe Samano, a US woman who was bed-bound for 12 years due to her food addiction. She weighed 642lb (291kg) when she appeared on My 600lb Life, a reality show. Her struggle with obesity began when her father abandoned her and her sister when they were teenagers and she turned to food for comfort.
However, she is now almost below the 200lb (90kg) mark with the help of a healthier lifestyle and weight loss surgery and has made a complete transformation.