Jon Brower Minnoch also known as the fattest person in the world was an American man, and he holds the record for being very heavy. At his heaviest, he weighed an astounding 1,400 lbs (about 635 kilograms or 100 stone). Although this figure is an estimate because his size, lack of mobility, and declining health made it impossible to use a scale.
Early Life
Jon Brower Minnoch entered the world on September 29, 1941, in Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA. At the time of his birth his father, Peter Minnoch, was 41, and his mother, Margaret Bruce, was 36.
In 1917, he signed up for military service.
Jon Brower Minnoch Marital Status
In his personal life, Jon Brower Minnoch was married to Jeannette, who weighed only 110 lbs. This created a record for the greatest weight difference between a married couple. They were also parents to two children.
Jon Brower Minnoch Siblings
- Margery Pearl Minnoch
- Sophia Catherine Minnoch
- Peter Minnoch Jr.
- Robert Bruce Minnoch
A Rare Condition
Jon Brower Minnoch suffered from a condition called generalized edema, which significantly contributed to his enormous size.
This condition causes an abnormal buildup of fluid in the body’s tissues, leading to excessive weight gain and severe medical problems.
Jon Brower Minnoch Medical Struggles
He was hospitalized and received treatment at the University of Washington Medical Center for a while. As time passed, his condition worsened and became incurable.
At the age of 41, Jon Brower Minnoch passed away. At the time of his death, he still weighed around 800 lbs (about 363 kg).
A Lifelong Battle with Weight
Minnoch’s struggle with weight began at an early age. He weighed approximately 294 lbs (about 133 kilograms) when he was just 12 years old.
By the time he reached 22, his weight had ballooned to 392 lbs (about 178 kilograms). His weight continued to climb steadily until, at the age of 36, he had to be hospitalized due to cardiac and respiratory failure.
Massive Accumulation of Fluid
In fact, his endocrinologist, Dr. Robert Schwartz, disclosed that over 900 lbs (about 408 kg) of his body mass was due to retained fluid.
Jon Brower Minnoch Mobility Challenges
Moving Jon Brower Minnoch to the hospital was a monumental task. It took more than a dozen firefighters and rescue personnel to carry him on a specially modified stretcher to the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle.
At the hospital, he occupied two beds pushed together, and it required about 13 people just to roll him over for linen changes
Weight Loss Efforts
After a significant loss of water weight during a sixteen-month hospital stay and following a strict diet of 1,200 calories, his weight dropped to 476 lbs (about 216 kg). However, he was readmitted to the hospital after gaining 200 lbs (about 91 kg) in just one week.
Jon Brower Minnoch Death
In the end, Jon Brower Minnoch’s condition of massive generalized edema was incurable. Medical professionals made the difficult decision to stop treatment, and he passed away 23 months later in September 1983 at the age of 41, leaving a remarkable and challenging legacy.
