Obese Ohio Man Who Hadn't Moved From Recliner In Two Years Is Cut Out Of Home, Dies

BELLAIRE, Ohio -- Media reports say a morbidly obese man who hadn't moved from his recliner in two years and had to be cut out of his Ohio home when he fell ill has died at a West Virginia hospital.

WTOV-TV in Steubenville, Ohio, and The Times Leader newspaper in Martins Ferry, Ohio, say he died Wednesday.

Wheeling Hospital confirms the death of 43-year-old Bellaire, Ohio, resident Richard Hughes.

WTOV says rescuers had to cut him from his recliner and take him through a hole in a wall Sunday.

Landlord Lou Ann Bennett says the 348-pound man lived with his girlfriend but ran the house and it "stunk to high heaven."

She says he was active until his knees started hurting and he got in the chair and wouldn't move around. She says he needs to be left to "rest in peace."

Comments

[Mark Montgomery]

05:44 PM on 04/04/2011

It's interesting the number of people posting here that think that 348 pounds is not "that big".

Used recliner for sale ***cheap***

[anytimecowboy]

03:03 PM on 04/04/2011

Too sad. But where were the Doctors. This man clearly had a mental illness to go along with his obesity. Again, where were the doctors. No human being should be left to die in a laz-y-boy.

[SadDracula]

08:02 PM on 04/03/2011

Clearly going places, what a shame.

[ChineseinOhio]

03:45 PM on 04/02/2011

This is sad but so typical of America (and especially the Midwest) these days.

http://chineseinohio.wordpress.com/about/

[Derek Tomes]

04:54 PM on 04/02/2011

"especially in the Midwest"... Explain.

[ChineseinOhio]

10:09 PM on 04/02/2011

I'm was born and raised in California, and despite it's high population, there are much fewer obese people. I'm no sociologist, but studies have tried to connect obesity with income and education. Even with the number of "foodies" in CA that pretty much eat out several times a week, these people are healthy. When I came to Ohio, I had more culture shock than when I moved to a 3rd world country and part of that was due to the number of obese people. I've also noticed that the culture in the Midwest caters to fatter people through bigger clothes and things like that. It's such the norm here that fat people look normal. In California, fat people stand out - they don't dress well (probably b/c they can't find the clothes) and they rarely put on make-up (probably b/c they have given up trying to fit in). Here in the Midwest, fat people look (externally) great because they don't stand out, they are the norm. I hope I'm making sense. Back to the education bit: there has to be some sort of connection with the fact that there are so many obese people, blue collar workers (not bad, just a fact), and the fact that I get stared at as an Asian just as much as I did in Eastern Europe.

Though from a humorous point of view, my blog highlights some of these things.

http://chineseinohio.wordpress.com

[robert horwitz]

10:30 AM on 04/02/2011

My Hero! If I had a recliner that looked that nice sitting in it for two years without getting up for me would not only be easy it would be a pleasure. Perhaps the manufacturer should use it in an advertisement. The features and benefits are obvious.

[Greg Sureck]

10:18 PM on 04/01/2011

let that be a lesson to you Greg!

[JHKH]

08:54 PM on 04/01/2011

Didn't bathe or poop for two years?

[OutAtFirst]

06:19 PM on 04/01/2011

348 pounds is big, but not normally big enough that you'd have to cut a hole in the wall.

[FlangersSuck]

08:19 AM on 04/02/2011

Another site I saw this on listed him at over 500 pounds, but said the name was withheld.

[AutismNewsBeat]

01:51 PM on 04/02/2011

Yes, but he was only two feet tall.

[Samantha Tweeten]

06:02 PM on 04/01/2011

This story makes no sense. There are plenty of people who weigh about 350 who get around just fine in and out of doorways etc. I understand not moving due to knee pain, but the idea that they had to cut a hole in the wall to remove the body is ridiculous.

[quindy]

04:53 PM on 04/02/2011

Depends how tall he was. If he was aroung 5 feet, you bet they had to cut the hole.

[elizlucinda]

05:18 PM on 04/01/2011

Huff Po...I'm almost ready to leave your site ..and stories like this are the reason why. This story does not educate.....It is simply titillating and rather disrespectful to this man who may have a family or friends.

[elizlucinda]

08:10 AM on 04/02/2011

I have no problem with good sarcasm....or wit.......but stories like this have no place here

[elizlucinda]

05:11 PM on 04/01/2011

how incredibly sad that no one was able to help this man or his girlfriend. they sound like they were very socially isolated.

[Styxtap]

09:19 AM on 04/02/2011

Please Im sure if you gave him any advice about his weight he would have gotten angry and gone into denial.

[quindy]

04:54 PM on 04/02/2011

Both were most likely mental cases. They would not understand your intervention.

[Cory111]

05:06 PM on 04/01/2011

Some cannot relate to this fellow and someone laying in the gutter for any length of time dead drunk, fact is there is no difference.
The “so called” normal (we all have our demons, be they big or little) people in our society eat to live, those addicted to food live to eat. There should be no shame regarding any addiction, overeating is no different then having diabetes or any other life threatening disease.
Granted it’s the individual’s responsibility to get help, but in many cases such as this they had a person that was catering to the disease.

Take the case of the 800 pound fellow, bed ridden and unable to walk, how could he could possibly obtain his “drug of choice” it was easy, he had his “dealer” living in his house.
A few say, “You cannot make them chance, it’s up to them to make it happen. Followed with, “You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.”
That is in fact true. But rest assured if the leave the horse there long enough in time it will drink” I know because I’ve been to those waters.
It’s OK to tell family members or close friends “Have you given any consideration to the fact you are eating too much?” It might not do a bit of good regarding their eating habit, but at least you made an effort, you did your part.
In this case “Silence is not golden” it’s deadly.

[dojone]

04:51 PM on 04/02/2011

Additionally, if you are too fat to get out of your chair, yet manage to avoid weight loss, you have an accomplice. Family members don't really have to bring up how much the person eats, they just need to stop hauling in the ice crean.

[veritas88]

04:10 PM on 04/01/2011

Maybe this is an April Fools Day story.

[elizlucinda]

05:19 PM on 04/01/2011

If this is an April fools day story, it is a very distasteful one...and should be pulled immediately

[The Revolving Diet]

04:04 PM on 04/01/2011

So very, very sad. How could no one step up and get this man help?
He lived with his girlfriend and she didn't notice he never got up????
There is something SERIOUSLY wrong there.

[Samantha Tweeten]

06:04 PM on 04/01/2011

It is probable that she opted to stop fighting the battle to get him up.

[veritas88]

04:01 PM on 04/01/2011

How did his girlfriend put up with him not moving for 2 years?! Did he ever go to the bathroom or take a shower?? Ugh.