The Man Who Ate Himself To Death | Documentary

Ricky Naputi is one of the world's fattest men. Addicted to food he lives on the Pacific island of Guam where there are no obesity surgeons to help him. Unable to control his addiction himself and lose the weight necessary to travel he has little chance of survival. Ricky’s wife Cheryl shops and cooks for her husband and as a devoted wife gives him the food he demands... but this food was also slowly killing him. They find hope in Angie Flores, a former weight-loss surgery patient living 10,000 miles away in Houston Texas, who campaigns for patients who need surgery. She plans to find a way of getting Ricky to America to have the operation he desperately needs. She visits Guam with Houston surgeon Dr. DucVuong, who advises Ricky that he must lose weight if he is ever going to be fit enough to survive surgery. Ricky and Cheryl think this is impossible without help, they hope to gain a place at a special clinic on the island where Ricky’s consumption of food could be closely controlled before surgery - but in a devastating blow they are told that he will only be admitted after he has lost weight. As Angie gives up hope of transporting Ricky to America, she explores an alternative plan to bring in a team from Australia which is less than half the distance. Brisbane based Dr. George Hopkins examines Ricky and is optimistic about his prospects, he even feels the local hospital in Guam could manage a patient of Ricky’s size. But when he tells Ricky and Cheryl – like everyone before him – that Ricky must lose weight in advance of surgery, Cheryl walks out. With Ricky’s health in decline and his marriage now in trouble, the story takes a shocking turn resulting in a tragic finale.