Kumari Shreya
The main focus of TLC’s ‘My 600-lb Life’ is on individuals who are interested in losing weight under the guidance of Dr Younan Nowzaradan, who is more popularly known as Dr Now. Titled ‘Charles’ Journey,’ season 12 episode 7 saw Charles Bridgeman following the same path as he expressed his determination to change his life with the help of others. During his association with Dr. Now, he often found himself disagreeing with the medical expert. The relationship between the two was far from a simple one and often led to complicated conflicts, but he had an interesting journey nevertheless.
Charles Bridgeman Faced Several Challenges on the Show
While talking about his past, Charles Bridgeman admitted that his mother had been addicted to methamphetamine. When he was young, she had driven him all the way to Apple Park, California, from Washington without informing his father because she was afraid that his father’s parents were going to take Charles away. Being alone with his mother, he confessed, was not that simple because “she was there, she just also wasn’t there.” Since Charles often found his mother to be under the influence, he would usually spend time with his grandparents.
Apparently, Charles’ grandmother was quite fond of baking and would usually make dishes in a large batch, which he would often indulge in, reaching 180 pounds when he was in middle school. It was when Charles was a high school freshman that he became a big brother to Brad and Cheyana, whom he adored and often spent time with. While in high school, he had reached about 250 to 300 pounds and started doing drugs, causing his mother to kick him out of her house, and he moved to his grandparents’ home. Not long after his graduation, his grandmother also kicked him after learning about his drug use, and Charles ended up being homeless for about a couple of years.
Charles made the decision to change his life when he woke up and found someone kicking him. He got a ticket to Everett, Washington, where his siblings were, but he was caught being in possession of meth while on the route, leading him to be sent to prison. With the help of his friends from high school and their parents, he was soon transferred to a rehabilitation center. While this helped him get away from drugs, he started to eat more. Not long after, Brad and Cheyana decided to help Charles and moved him to their home.
By the time Charles appeared on the TLC show, he had been out of the rehabilitation center for about four years. While his sister worked, Brad served as a full-time caretaker. He also had a personal care assistant called Yelena, who helped him cook food and take a bath. In hopes of losing weight, Charles joined a call with Dr Now, who stated that for his height, Charles should ideally be about 100 pounds. He strictly advised him not to travel to Houston, Texas, saying that Charles should increase his stamina, follow the recommended diet, and coordinate with the local clinic for the time being.
Unfortunately, Charles ended up missing his appointment, as his car had apparently broken down. That said, he seemingly remained loyal to the recommended diet, though during their Month 4 catch-up, Dr Now was not satisfied with this. Frustrated by Charles’ apparent lack of communication and willingness to attend clinic appointments, the doctor questioned his motivations, which ultimately led Charles to hang up on Dr Now in anger. For the next few months, Charles continued to follow Dr Now’s diet and decided in Month 7 to surprise him by visiting his clinic in Houston, Texas.
When Charles and Brad reached Houston, they decided to call Dr Now in order to surprise him. The reaction they received was unexpected to them. Dr. Now expressed his disapproval of Charles taking a flight, as he felt that this could have caused him medical harm. He also did not think that making a gesture like this was necessary, especially given how their last call had gone. Though Charles did lose weight over the course of the next couple of months, he refused to move to Houston, Texas, as Dr Now had wanted. This meant that he was no longer a part of the doctor’s program, though Charles remained firm about losing weight through diet and exercise and hoping to convince Dr Now in the future that his surgery should take place in Washington.
Where is Charles Bridgeman Now?
Still living in Everett, Washington, Charles Bridgeman is seemingly still firm on the path of weight loss. As seen in the show, he has apparently maintained a strict diet. He also visits the local park often and even posts clips of the same on social media. Additionally, the reality TV participant has multiple dogs, having seemingly acquired an adorable pup during the 2023 Thanksgiving. His visits certainly seem to be doing well for him, and he can often be seen in a joyful mood.
In late September 2023, Charles proudly shared with the world that his weight had gone down to 385 pounds. His first weighing during the TLC show had shown him to be about 677 pounds, while his second and last one was at about 604 pounds. Given these values and the fact that he seemingly did not undergo weight-loss surgery by Dr Now, the transformation is certainly an impressive one. His love for his family seems to be as strong as ever, and he has many supporters who have been rooting for him for a long time.
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