World's heaviest man prepares to leave house

Ck · 13-06-2008, 13:21

Manuel Uribe, the Mexican once believed to be the world's heaviest man, is to celebrate his 43rd birthday by leaving his house - for only the third time in six years.

Two years ago the 42-year-old weighed over 85 stone, and could do little more than sit up in bed.

But he has now shed nearly 40 stone and now looks set to scoop another world record - the greatest loser of weight - and is now preparing to get married, to hairdresser Claudia Solis.

He intends to be able to walk his beloved down the aisle, and is using that as an incentive to lose still more weight.

"We are in love, and this year my birthday wish is to be able to stand when we get married," he said.

His most recent attempt to escape the house - to attend Miss Solis's 38th birthday party in March - fell through when a flatbed tow truck brought to transport his reinforced bed got caught beneath an underpass.

Mr Uribe met Miss Solis four years ago and they have been together for two.

He said: "We are a couple. We have sex, and in the eyes of God we are already married."

Miss Solis said: "I bathe him every day and we get along very well.

"At times, yes, people say things, that it's a fake relationship, but what we have is real."

She said her family initially opposed the match with Mr Uribe because her first husband, who was also obese, died of respiratory failure.

Mr Uribe's weight problem spiralled out of control after he moved to the US to work as a computer repairman in 1988 for a few years and indulged in a non-stop diet of junk food.

A botched liposuction procedure damaged his lymph nodes and left him with giant tumours on both legs weighing 15 stone.

Mr Uribe has been losing weight by eating small portions of food five times a day and exercising his arms from bed.

He said: "It is all because of the junk food."

More...