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Breaking a world record might seem like an incredible achievement but for Juan Pedro Franco, it almost cost him his life.
In 2016, the Mexican national was crowned the World's Heaviest Human by Guinness World Records, tipping the scale at a whopping 93 stone 9 lbs — nearly the average weight of 10 grown men.
Earlier that year he'd made headlines for the first time when shocking photos emerged of him being transported from his home in Aguascalientes to a clinic 100 miles away in Guadalajara for life-saving treatment.
READ MORE: Dad who lost 14st naturally explains how he maintains weight loss transformation
Initially, doctors believed he weighed 79 stone (1,105 lbs) but soon found he was nearly 15 stone heavier.
Juan started experiencing problems with his weight as a child, already weighing in at 10 stone when he was just six years old.
But an injury in his teens only made matters worse and by 17 years, old he'd grown to more than 36 stone.
From there things spiralled and by the time Juan broke the world record when he was 32 years old, his enormous weight had already left him bed bound, requiring eight people to move him and forcing him to wear a diaper because he couldn't get to a toilet.
"My body just followed its own path without any control whatsoever," Juan told Guinness World Records.
He added: "I tried to diet day after day, but nothing worked and I became desperate."
After a plea for help, an obesity specialist in Guadalajara agreed to operate on Juan and for the first time in seven years, he left his bed to go for the life-changing surgery.
While in hospital he was diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, hypertension and liquid in his lungs but by 2017 he'd already lost 26 stone and 10lbs, enough for him to be allowed to undergo life-changing gastric band surgery.
After the successful surgery and a change to his diet and exercise regime, Juan continued to shed the pounds — dropping a third of his body weight by 2019.
Within three years, Juan had lost an incredible 52 stone (728lbs) and weighed in at 41 stone (574lbs).
The incredible weight loss meant that for the first time in nearly a decade, he was able to get up and walk.
Speaking about the transformation to local news outlet Telemundo, he said: "Just being able to lift up your arms and get up every day, get up for a glass of water or to go to the toilet, makes you feel great.
"It feels fantastic to be able to move more and be more self-sufficient."
But in 2020 Juan's personal life took a blow when he lost his father to a heart attack and just three months later his mum died after contracting Covid-19.
Juan also came down with Covid-19 but his dramatic weight loss meant he was able to fight off the virus.
At the time he told Telemundo that his world record was "not a source of pride" as he issued a warning about how Covid-19 was "not a lie" and urged other obese people to take their weight seriously.
He said: "We have to stop eating badly, exercise and change our lives".
Juan's surgeon, José Antonio Castañeda Cruz, credited his weight loss with helping him make a full recovery from Covid-19 as well as getting rid of his other health issues.
He added: "What is interesting is that his diabetes, hypertension and all the diseases are under control. He is a healthy person and proof of this is that he was infected with COVID and it has not affected him."
Before the pandemic, Juan was about to undergo more surgery to remove his excess skin, which is estimated to weigh over 10 stone.
However, the loss of his parents, the closure of his small business and medical delays due to the pandemic meant he has been left waiting for the final step in his weight loss journey.
But the now 39-year-old insisted he won't let this stop him from working towards a healthier future though.
He said: "That is what mum wanted me to achieve, and I am going to continue fighting for that."
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