World's heaviest man marries in Mexico

Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:07 PM EDT
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MONTERREY — The world's heaviest man has tied the knot. Manuel Uribe, who hasn't left his bed in six years, married his longtime girlfriend Claudia Solis Sunday in northern Mexico.

Wearing a white silk shirt with a sheet wrapped around his legs, Uribe smiled as Solis, 38, walked down a flight of stairs wearing a strapless ivory dress, a tiara and hot-pink lipstick.

He later broke into tears as a notary declared the couple husband and wife in a civil ceremony attended by more than 400 guests. For the traditional first dance as newlyweds, Uribe and Solis held hands and swayed to a romantic ballad.

A popular local norteno band played accordion-heavy tunes at the reception, which featured a banquet of meat and buttered vegetables.

Uribe's mother, Orquedia Garza, said the groom steered clear of the five-tier wedding cake.

"He didn't break his diet," she told The Associated Press. "His doctors are here and they are watching him very closely."

The wedding, which was closed to most media, will be featured in an upcoming Discovery Channel documentary on Uribe, the 43-year-old former mechanic said.

"I have a wife and will form a new family and live a happy life," Uribe told hordes of reporters earlier as they followed him through the streets of Monterrey.

A flatbed truck was brought in to tow his custom-made bed decorated with a canopy, flowers and gold-trimmed bows to the wedding at a local event hall. Two police patrol cars escorted him ahead of a long line of traffic.

Uribe tipped the scales in 2006 at 1,230 pounds (560 kilograms), earning him the Guinness World Record as the world's heaviest man.

He has since shed about 550 pounds (250 kilograms) with the help of Solis, whom he met four years ago.

Uribe said he's gunning for a new title: world's greatest weight loser.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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{"commentId":3711220,"authorDomain":"bitbucket"}
Dev Null-652335

My big, fat Mexican wedding!

{"commentId":3711220,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"bitbucket"}
  • 3 votes
Reply#1 - Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:37 PM EDT
{"commentId":3714886,"authorDomain":"bgates43"}
bgates43

With her help, he's already made great progress on his diet. Let's hope it continues, and they lead a long, happy life together.

{"commentId":3714886,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"bgates43"}
  • 1 vote
Reply#2 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 10:05 AM EDT
{"commentId":3720884,"authorDomain":"kainalu"}
kainalu

Her help? He had teams of Doctors helping him with surgury. There were Doctors from all over the world trying to help him and they even removed a bunch of fat and skin. Come on already!!

{"commentId":3720884,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"kainalu"}
    #2.1 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:25 PM EDT
    {"commentId":3724131,"authorDomain":"bgates43"}
    bgates43

    Sure he got lots of help from doctors, kainalu, but he also got inspiration from the woman he loves and has now married. That counts for a great deal!!! Give her the credit she deserves. She the remarks below. Hot-in-Miami, Spatchahuli and Karen all have a good handle on what's going on, I think.

    {"commentId":3724131,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"bgates43"}
    • 1 vote
    #2.2 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:35 PM EDT
    Reply
    {"commentId":3715883,"authorDomain":"natalie-fl"}
    Hot-in-Miami

    Congrats to Mr. & Mrs. Uribe.  Thanks to her, he is becoming healthier and lighter.  I hope he doesn't pass away like the other fellow Mexican who was the second heaviest man, though. 

    Good luck to both, and hope they have some nice healthy children!

    {"commentId":3715883,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"natalie-fl"}
    • 1 vote
    Reply#3 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:09 AM EDT
    {"commentId":3717773,"authorDomain":"meary8412"}
    meary

    as soon as he can he should get out of bed and get back to work and pay back whoever paid for his food all these years and get some of that loose skin cut off and never let himself get this fat again!!  good luck with the low mexican wages....congrats ..

    {"commentId":3717773,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"meary8412"}
      Reply#4 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:50 PM EDT
      {"commentId":3719265,"authorDomain":"ajovaag"}
      Spatchahuli

      I've heard of a knight in shining armor, but this could be the first chick in shining armor.  She basically saved this guy's life!  That's a fairytale there.  I hope he continues to lose weight and they have a healthy family.  Way to go!  Maybe love does conquer all.

      {"commentId":3719265,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"ajovaag"}
      • 2 votes
      Reply#5 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:03 PM EDT
      {"commentId":3720316,"authorDomain":"karensaucedo"}
      Karen-411240

      Solis is some woman. Manuel is very lucky.  I hope his weight loss continues and it would be wonderful if a corporation could step in at some point and donate for the plastic surgery he'll need to be truly mobile after a huge weight loss.

      Bless his heart.  Six years in bed.....I hope he makes it out!

      {"commentId":3720316,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"karensaucedo"}
      • 1 vote
      Reply#6 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:56 PM EDT
      {"commentId":3720455,"authorDomain":"carg4evr"}
      carg4evr

      no missionary sex for him right

      {"commentId":3720455,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"carg4evr"}
        Reply#7 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:04 PM EDT
        {"commentId":3720819,"authorDomain":"kainalu"}
        kainalu

        There is a TV special they did on him about a year ago on TLC and in the special he said that when he was younger he moved to the United States for work and he became so heavy because of the food in the U.S. and he said he had to leave because the food was making him gain weight.  For the longest time now I thought that food in mexico was bad for you but I guess its not as bad as the food we have here.  I know If I were to eat taco's everyday I'd be huge or maybe not since mexican food isn't bad for you. (lol)

        If I gain weight its my own fault not anyone else's or for that matter any other country's fault. I'm happy for him but he put himself in that position (omg) and just how much is this for money and fame?

        I say get the tamale out of your mouth and grab some fruit.

        {"commentId":3720819,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"kainalu"}
        • 2 votes
        Reply#8 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:22 PM EDT
        {"commentId":3724073,"authorDomain":"meganrandall"}
        Mego-507171

        Kainalu-

        I saw that special. I remember it said something about how much money people from all over Mexico and the world have sent to him. It actually sort of pissed me off considering the poverty rate in Mexico.

        Ultimately I wish all the best for the couple and I hope he continues to lose weight. Still I think it is unfair for him to blame this entirely on American food. Mexican food is by no means healthy, although street vendors often offer fresh fruit alternatives for snacking.

        {"commentId":3724073,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"meganrandall"}
        • 1 vote
        #8.1 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:33 PM EDT
        Reply
        {"commentId":3721479,"authorDomain":"seyadali"}
        seyadali

        I'm not making fun... this is a legitimate question: How many more pounds does Uribe have to lose before he can actually have sexual intercourse to create this family he's been dreaming about?

        {"commentId":3721479,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"seyadali"}
          Reply#9 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:52 PM EDT
          {"commentId":3721961,"authorDomain":"ajovaag"}
          Spatchahuli

          I agree Kain with that it's not our food here that is the problem.  I managed to lose 80 pounds recently eating food here in America.  It's what you CHOOSE to put in your body!  I know it's a struggle, but man it's worth it.  We can't always blame some one else for things.  It's not McDonald's fault you order their cheeseburger instead of the chicken salad.  We have the freedom of choice... make the right one, especially for your kid's sake!  What's the obesity rate in children these days?  And it's getting higher every day! 

          {"commentId":3721961,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"ajovaag"}
          • 1 vote
          Reply#10 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:15 PM EDT
          {"commentId":3725283,"authorDomain":"bitbucket"}
          Dev Null-652335

          It's also genetically and biochemically predetermined in many cases.

          {"commentId":3725283,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"bitbucket"}
            #10.1 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:25 PM EDT
            {"commentId":3739296,"authorDomain":"amjrmd"}
            AJ in Missouri

            Yes, a lot of times, extreme cases of obesity are a result of an over and sometimes under-active thyroid gland. This is the case of my cousin, he's a few years younger than me and is approx. 400 lbs, he eats healthy, occasionally exercises (hard for him because of his size) and takes medication and even that isn't enough to help him; for some, it's a problem they have 0 control over

            {"commentId":3739296,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"amjrmd"}
            • 1 vote
            #10.2 - Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:27 PM EDT
            Reply
            {"commentId":3722275,"authorDomain":"erwrw"}
            MEuSUALLY

            ...at what point in life that he gets to this size without noticing?? And now he wants to race the weight lost?!?! I think the media has given enough attention to this man as it has become a circus show/joke, where he is featured as his own Clown.

            {"commentId":3722275,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"erwrw"}
              Reply#11 - Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:26 PM EDT
              {"commentId":3737707,"authorDomain":"KimmieLynn"}
              Kimberly-430040

              Finally someone who loves from the heart...

              I hope this couple makes all their dreams come true.

              I wish them a lifetime of health, happiness and prosperity.

              {"commentId":3737707,"threadId":"400038","contentId":"2042672","authorDomain":"KimmieLynn"}
              • 1 vote
              Reply#12 - Tue Oct 28, 2008 12:22 PM EDT
              {"canLink":false,"threadId":"400038","isPrivate":false}
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