We've all struggled with our weight from time to time. While in the majority of the cases, the number is more or less negligible and can be brought down with a combination of diet and exercise - others struggle with their weight in a far more affecting way, and it can even put their life in jeopardy.
Such is the story of Tony Bussey, who just a year ago weighed 567 pounds. The 43-year-old vowed to shed the pounds after his size got in the way of someone escaping the Fort McMurray wildfire back in 2016, and true to his word, Bussey dropped 326 pounds in just over a year.
In May of 2016, the residents of Fort McMurray, Canada, believed that the worst of the disaster was behind them. Workers, including Tony Bussey, had already been sent back to camp, when unexpectedly, the fire reared its ugly head once more.
When Bussey arrived at the airport for evacuation, staff moved him to the front of the queue because of his weight. Though he hated the extra attention, it was something that he was beginning to get used to - at this point, Tony weighed 567 pounds, wore size 66 pants, and struggled to put on his socks.
Ultimately, Bussey required two seats on the airplane. "Seeing people having to wait because I was too fat to sit next to, that was it for me," he said. "It was like, 'I've got to do something about this.'"
"I kept thinking, 'Here it is: somebody's wife, somebody's husband, somebody's family member is waiting for their mom or dad or their loved ones to come home, and their loved ones have to wait longer now because I'm too fat to sit next to," Tony continued. "That had a profound effect on me."
"The fire, for all the destruction, and for all the hell that it caused … it saved my life."
After reaching Edmonton safely, Bussey began to shed the weight. Even during the evacuation, when he was living in a hotel room, and eating out was his only option, he remained committed. Instead of eating fast food, he took the skin off his chicken and ordered vegetables instead of fries. He then started walking, gradually increasing his exercise time — from five minutes, to 10 and beyond.
"Three-hundred and twenty-six pounds gone. All naturally. No surgery, no anything. Just watching what I eat and walking," he stated. "I basically went on a low-carb, high protein diet."
Tony Bussey is proud to say that he's now down to 241 pounds after losing more than half of his own body weight, and he has just bought a pair of size 34 jeans.
Naturally, he wants his story to inspire others who are currently struggling with their weight. "You used to think there was no hope. That it was just total despair that you were that big. That there was no going back. It was almost as if you were just waiting to die, as sad as that sounds, but that's all your life was," he asserted.
"There is hope. I was 41 when I started this, almost 600 pounds. If I can do this, anyone can."
