Gary Hopkins’ story is one of struggle, addiction, and the challenging path to redemption. At 32 years old, Gary finds himself confined to his bed, completely dependent on others for his most basic needs. Weighing 745 pounds, he can’t even get up to take a shower or move around his house. His daily life revolves around a caregiver who comes to clean him and his mother who arrives afterward to cook his meals. Every morning, Gary follows the same routine – waking up late, watching shows on his phone, and relying on others for everything from cleaning to feeding.

The roots of Gary’s weight problems trace back to his childhood. As the youngest of eight children, he was thoroughly spoiled by his mother, who allowed him to eat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. This unrestricted access to food led him to reach 200 pounds by the time he was just 10 years old. His weight became a topic of family discussion, and one day, young Gary overheard relatives talking about how badly he was doing with his weight. This moment became a turning point – instead of motivating him to change, it pushed him deeper into using food as an emotional comfort.

During his teenage years, Gary’s struggles intensified. As his peers’ bodies changed and relationships began to form, he found himself increasingly insecure and uncomfortable in his own skin. He discovered that getting high and eating was a powerful combination that temporarily numbed his emotional pain. His academic performance suffered, leading him to eventually drop out of high school without a diploma. At home, he fell into a pattern of getting high and binge eating, concerning his mother who felt helpless watching her youngest son spiral.

However, Gary’s life wasn’t without moments of potential and promise. His older brother Gordon stepped in at his mother’s request, taking Gary to live with him and his wife. During this time, Gary discovered a natural talent for music. He taught himself to play guitar and began composing songs in music equipment store rehearsal rooms. His talent caught the attention of industry professionals, and he even recorded hooks for songs. But just as his music career showed promise, his weight prevented him from traveling to New York for a music video shoot.

Around this time, Gary’s life took a darker turn when his cousin introduced him to crystal meth. What started as a two-day experiment quickly became a daily habit, causing everything to spiral out of control. On days when he managed to avoid drugs, he would compensate with extreme binge eating – consuming multiple pizzas and up to ten burgers within 24 hours. This devastating combination of drug addiction and food addiction caused his weight to balloon beyond 600 pounds, eventually leaving him unable to move around independently.

When Gary hit rock bottom, he showed up at his mother’s door crying, not knowing what to do. She took action, making him call a recovery program. Though Gary’s journey through rehab was marked by multiple relapses, he eventually achieved sobriety. However, the absence of drugs led to an intensified relationship with food, and his weight continued to climb until he became completely bedbound. For nine months, he remained trapped in his bed, unable to participate in normal life activities.

Despite his immobility, Gary’s mother continued to enable his unhealthy eating habits. When he would request junk food and sugary treats from the grocery store, she would comply to avoid his anger and keep the peace. This pattern of enabling, though born from love and a desire to avoid conflict, only served to worsen Gary’s condition. His mother, exhausted from caring for him while managing her own life and appointments, found herself caught in a cycle of supporting behaviors she knew were harmful.

Reaching a point of desperation, Gary contacted Dr. Now in Houston, hoping for help despite being bedridden in another state. Their initial video consultations revealed the extent of Gary’s problems – not just his weight, but his lack of mobility and dependency on others. Dr. Now provided him with a structured diet plan and clear weight loss goals, but Gary struggled to fully commit to the program. His first weigh-in revealed he had actually gained weight, reaching 764 pounds, a devastating setback that highlighted the gap between his stated intentions and actual efforts.

Throughout his journey, Dr. Now continued to give Gary chances, setting strict goals and deadlines. However, Gary’s progress remained minimal. He would make promises to change and commit to the program, but his actions didn’t match his words. Physical therapy began to show some promise as Gary learned to stand and take a few steps with assistance, marking his first real progress in over a year. Yet even these improvements were overshadowed by his continued struggle with food addiction and weight loss.

The turning point came when Dr. Now made the difficult decision to remove Gary from the weight loss program. After eight months of minimal progress and countless chances, Dr. Now concluded that continuing the program wouldn’t be productive unless Gary showed real commitment to change. However, recognizing the small improvements Gary had made in mobility, Dr. Now agreed to continue providing physical therapy support, with the clear understanding that this support would end if Gary failed to maintain his attendance and engagement.

This wake-up call seemed to finally spark something in Gary. Following his removal from the program, he began approaching physical therapy with renewed determination. His mobility started showing real improvement, progressing from barely being able to stand to taking up to twelve steps with assistance. More importantly, his mindset began to shift. He developed a concrete plan to lose 100 pounds in six months, with the goal of surprising Dr. Now by walking into his Houston office independently.

The most significant change appeared in Gary’s understanding of his situation. He finally recognized that his life was literally running out, and for the first time, he seemed to truly grasp the urgency of his condition. His physical therapy sessions became more focused and determined, with Gary pushing himself beyond his previous limitations. The fear of losing his last chance at recovery became a powerful motivator, driving him to work harder than ever before.

By the end of his journey, Gary was making genuine progress in his mobility, though his weight loss remained a significant challenge. While no longer officially in Dr. Now’s program, he maintained hope and determination to prove himself worthy of a second chance. His story concludes with him taking both literal and figurative steps toward reclaiming his life from obesity. He sets a goal of walking into Dr. Now’s office in Houston on his own, demonstrating a new level of commitment to his recovery.

Gary’s story illustrates the complex relationship between addiction, enabling behavior, and the challenging path to recovery. While his journey with Dr. Now’s program didn’t end as he hoped, his experience served as a crucial wake-up call. The episode concludes with Gary showing more determination than ever before, suggesting that sometimes the loss of an opportunity can become the very motivation needed to create real change. His future remains uncertain, but for the first time, he appears to be taking genuine responsibility for his health and making concrete steps toward improvement.

The narrative ends with Gary continuing his physical therapy and working toward his goal of returning to Houston on his own terms. While his previous attempts at weight loss were marked by excuses and minimal effort, his final scenes show someone who finally understands the gravity of his situation and is willing to put in the hard work required for change. Though no longer part of Dr. Now’s official program, Gary’s story concludes with a sense of hope – not just in his improved mobility, but in his evolved understanding of what it truly takes to transform his life.

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