After reporting the story of an 800-pound man looking to make a change in his life, 11Alive has been working for the past two weeks to help him find a solution.
At almost 41, Tim Cogdill had not left his home in six years because he couldn’t move and continued to gain weight. Last month, Cogdill reached out to 11Alive pleading for help after he had to call 911 on himself because he found he was unable to stand and was having trouble breathing.
"I didn’t want to lay there and die and so I called 911," he told 11Alive. Cogdill was admitted to Tanner Medical Center in Villa Rica, Ga., where he’s been since then.
While Tanner Medical Center brought in a special bariatric hospital bed for him, they don’t have the proper equipment to perform surgery on someone that large. Doctors say they’ll need to remove a 400-pound mass of skin and fat, but it appears no Georgia hospital is equipped to handle that surgery.
So 11Alive's Bill Liss stepped in to help, and has been relentless in helping Tim find the assistance he so desperately needs. After several weeks, Liss has been able to make contact with a number of national experts interested in helping Cogdill.
11Alive is happy to report that thanks to some of that progress, a team – all working toward a solution -- is now in place.
Once the next steps are in place, we'll be sure to update you.
