VILLA RICA, Ga. -- 11Alive has sad news to share about an 800-pound Villa Rica man's mission to live.
Tim Cogdill, who had been waiting to have a much-needed operation, died Thursday. 11Alive first shared his story back in January after he was rushed to the hospital.
At almost 41, Cogdill had not left his home in nearly six years because he couldn't move and continued to gain weight. In a low moment, Cogdill found himself unable to stand. At nearly a half-ton, Codgill had a choice: either lay down and die, or get help. He chose to live.
"I didn't want to lay there and die, so I called 911," he told 11Alive back in January.
The 40-year-old was admitted to Tanner Medical Center in Villa Rica, but was told that, at 800 pounds, he was too big to help. Doctors would have needed to have a large, 400-pound mass of skin, fat and tissue removed, but Tanner Medical did not have the proper equipment to perform the surgery.
Cogdill reached out to 11Alive for help, where reporter Bill Liss attempted to find a surgeon to help perform the procedure. Liss reached out directly to Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, a Houston bariatric surgeon who specializes in weight-challenged patients and is featured on TLC reality show "My 600 Pound Life."
Cogdill was supposed to go to Houston to have the surgery, but moved to Kansas to live with his mother beforehand. He had yet to undergo the procedure, and during the past few weeks, his health problems multiplied, though it's not clear what those problems were.
On June 1, Cogdill died in Kansas City, Kan., surrounded by family.
