Obese Dad Finds Out He Needs 2 Seats On Evacuation Flight, Transforms His Body Beyond Recognition In 2 Years
Everyone has their breaking point. Over the years, Tony Bussey of Alberta, Canada, has gained so much weight, that he took up 2 plane seats when being evacuated from the flames and terror that was the Fort McMurray Wildfire. This shameful experience pushed the 567-pound dad to promise himself he’d lose weight, and holy smokes did he deliver.
In May 2016, everyone in Tony’s area believed that the worst of McMurray fire was history. But just as Bussey and other folks were returning to their daily lives, the fire returned with all of its devastating strength. Planes were brought in to evacuate the site.
At that point, Bussey was so obese, he struggled to put on his socks, not to mention his size-66 pants. When the man arrived at the airport, he was put to the very front of the line because of his weight. It was yet another example of how much additional attention Tony’s body was getting. And, unfortunately, it was something the man was growing used to.
Everything changed when the rescue team had to provide Tony two seats in order to take him to safety. Physically preventing someone else from joining the flight was something he couldn’t live with. “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.’ That had a profound effect on me,” Bussey told CBC News.
“Seeing people having to wait because I was too fat to sit next to, that was it for me,” he said. Bussey started his weight loss immediately after the evacuation. When he arrived at the hotel room for his temporary stay, he peeled off the skin from his chicken and ordered veggies instead of fries. Tony had transformed “one day” into “day one.”
Soon, he started walking and gradually increasing the length of his exercises – from five to ten minutes, and so on. “Three-hundred and twenty-six pounds gone. All naturally. No surgery, no anything. Just watching what I eat and walking,” he said. “I basically went on a low-carb, high protein diet.”
“Two years ago, I could barely walk to my car,” Bussey said. “I could barely fit in my car.” Now, he’s planning to run a marathon. “The fire, for all the destruction, and for all the hell that it caused… it saved my life.” The man is also looking to remove the 20 to 30 pounds of excess skin, which is the result of his unbelievable weight loss.
In 2016, Tony Bussey found himself by the Fort McMurray Wildfire which forced the biggest evacuation in Alberta’s history – over 88,000 people had to leave home
Image credits: Gila National Forest
The rescue team had to provide Tony two seats in order to take him to safety, and it was his breaking point
Image credits: TravelingOtter
At the time, Bussey was so obese, he struggled to put on his socks, not to mention his size-66 pants
Image credits: Tony Bussey
“I kept thinking, ‘Here it is: somebody’s wife, somebody’s husband, somebody’s family member is waiting and their loved ones have to wait longer now because I’m too fat to sit next to'”
Image credits: Tony Bussey
“Seeing people having to wait because I was too fat to sit next to…”
Image credits: Tony Bussey
“That was it for me”
Image credits: Tony Bussey
Soon after, he started walking and gradually increasing the length of his exercises – from five to ten minutes, and so on
Image credits: Tony Bussey
“Three-hundred and twenty-six pounds gone. All naturally. No surgery, no anything”
Image credits: Tony Bussey
“Just watching what I eat and walking”
Image credits: Tony Bussey
These side-by-side pics perfectly reveal just how big Tony’s transformation actually is
Image credits: Tony Bussey
“Two years ago, I could barely walk to my car. I could barely fit in my car”
Image credits: Tony Bussey
“The fire, for all the destruction, and for all the hell that it caused… it saved my life”
Image credits: Tony Bussey
As his next goal, Bussey plans to run a marathon! “There is hope. I was 41 when I started this, almost 600 pounds. If I can do this, anyone can”
Image credits: Tony Bussey
People were quick to congratulate Tony on his hard-earned results
197Kviews
Share on FacebookWOW...some of those people making comments are real douches...."if they are fat let them die"? Really? What kind of person did your mom raise? She would be ashamed of you.
Actually, I would argue that the a******s be left to die, for they are doing FAR MORE harm to society than "fat" people.
Load More Replies...he won't have put the weight on in 2 years, so to get rid of it in that time is a true show of will power, positive energy and persistence. Well done Sir.
To JJ- would you say this to his face? How much of an a*****e are you?
Load More Replies...This is so inspiring! I bet he feels amazing from the inside out! He looks so much healthier and happier! He's glowing!!
It is not about the looks, it is about HEALTH. There are so many preventable diseases that are brought on or made a lot worse with obesity. And it is about quality of life. Well done! I hope he will inspire many more to follow his example.
I think looks count for him. He DOES look fantastic. He’s enjoying that and it’s part of his motivation to stay healthy. Don’t make snotty comments about people who care how they look. He LOOKS happy. And that’s a wonderful thing.
Load More Replies...The phrase "If I can do it, anyone can do it" is bad for people who have diseases or medications that won't allow them to loose the weight. I do think this is a wake up call for many people to get started, but please, let's still have mercy on those who cannot loose it due to severe health problems.
Thank you so much for saying that. I have health problems that make it hard if not impossible for me to lose weight. I have hypothyroidism and my metabolism is next to zero. I am sick of people even doctors showing or telling me stories like this and saying he/she lost 100 pounds or more why can't you. I have tried but I just can't and I'm sick of being ridiculed for it. I am so glad for this guy. But I know it will never be me.
Load More Replies...I found that comment "look how happy your daughter is now" disrespectful and condescending. I'm sure she's happy her father is more healthy, but every picture she's in she's happy. She was always happy with her Dad no matter what. Don't your observations for your own agenda.
At JJ: No one could be happy with a jerk like you. Go have a look in your mirror and quiver.
Load More Replies...If anybody wonders what is wrong with our world, just read all of the comments above and consider that a cross section of society. Simply put, there are just TOO MANY A******S!
What an amazing change! I applaud him not only for deciding to get healthy and making it happening, but also for his social awareness. All this was triggered by him realizing that him needing an extra seat was preventing someone else from boarding the plane. It must have had a really big impact in his life and I'm proud of him for working on fixing it. He looks fantastic.
I still don't get it, this is such a beautiful and inspiring story, but few people fill the comment section with hatred!
You go guy! If you can do it, I can too. Hope to have many happy healthy years ahead of you!
Awesome!!!!!!!! Thank you!! I have seen the show My 600 lb. Life, and am stunned! Especially at really young people that want to take the 'easy' way out and then have to have further surgery to remove all the excess skin that would have gone away on it's own if they had done what you did!!!! Wish people would see...it CAN be done!!!!!!
I don't think it's really hard to take up two airplane seats. Those things are so tiny and I'm normal sized.
Very inspiring. Good for him!! It's very hard to loose that much weight. Congratulations on the new healthy you !!!
That's amazing and definitely very inspiring! It's unbelievable (but he did it) that he lost those 326 pounds, a figure that is very intimidating. I'm a person who struggles with losing weight too. I keep on relapsing back to my potato lifestyle, it's very difficult. After reading his story though, I feel very motivated and I should get my game on XD
What a great story. A guy who refused to be a Victim and feel sorry for himself, and just did it. A definite hero for his daughter.
Sometimes all you need is that "click" to let you do what you have to do! Cudos to this man: He found his.
Your heart will really appreciate, and sure you feel great! Let's say, you look very good aswell! :) congrats!
Load More Replies...He does look 10 years younger. And he probably added at least 10 years to his life expectancy too. Very inspiring, congratulations <3
Loss gains! He looks like a new person- his kids must be super proud
Boring. On the Bored Panda appears such story like this every months.
You want the media to praise more than half the world? You really need to think about your comments before you post them, you're only making yourself look dumber.
Load More Replies...WOW...some of those people making comments are real douches...."if they are fat let them die"? Really? What kind of person did your mom raise? She would be ashamed of you.
Actually, I would argue that the a******s be left to die, for they are doing FAR MORE harm to society than "fat" people.
Load More Replies...he won't have put the weight on in 2 years, so to get rid of it in that time is a true show of will power, positive energy and persistence. Well done Sir.
To JJ- would you say this to his face? How much of an a*****e are you?
Load More Replies...This is so inspiring! I bet he feels amazing from the inside out! He looks so much healthier and happier! He's glowing!!
It is not about the looks, it is about HEALTH. There are so many preventable diseases that are brought on or made a lot worse with obesity. And it is about quality of life. Well done! I hope he will inspire many more to follow his example.
I think looks count for him. He DOES look fantastic. He’s enjoying that and it’s part of his motivation to stay healthy. Don’t make snotty comments about people who care how they look. He LOOKS happy. And that’s a wonderful thing.
Load More Replies...The phrase "If I can do it, anyone can do it" is bad for people who have diseases or medications that won't allow them to loose the weight. I do think this is a wake up call for many people to get started, but please, let's still have mercy on those who cannot loose it due to severe health problems.
Thank you so much for saying that. I have health problems that make it hard if not impossible for me to lose weight. I have hypothyroidism and my metabolism is next to zero. I am sick of people even doctors showing or telling me stories like this and saying he/she lost 100 pounds or more why can't you. I have tried but I just can't and I'm sick of being ridiculed for it. I am so glad for this guy. But I know it will never be me.
Load More Replies...I found that comment "look how happy your daughter is now" disrespectful and condescending. I'm sure she's happy her father is more healthy, but every picture she's in she's happy. She was always happy with her Dad no matter what. Don't your observations for your own agenda.
At JJ: No one could be happy with a jerk like you. Go have a look in your mirror and quiver.
Load More Replies...If anybody wonders what is wrong with our world, just read all of the comments above and consider that a cross section of society. Simply put, there are just TOO MANY A******S!
What an amazing change! I applaud him not only for deciding to get healthy and making it happening, but also for his social awareness. All this was triggered by him realizing that him needing an extra seat was preventing someone else from boarding the plane. It must have had a really big impact in his life and I'm proud of him for working on fixing it. He looks fantastic.
I still don't get it, this is such a beautiful and inspiring story, but few people fill the comment section with hatred!
You go guy! If you can do it, I can too. Hope to have many happy healthy years ahead of you!
Awesome!!!!!!!! Thank you!! I have seen the show My 600 lb. Life, and am stunned! Especially at really young people that want to take the 'easy' way out and then have to have further surgery to remove all the excess skin that would have gone away on it's own if they had done what you did!!!! Wish people would see...it CAN be done!!!!!!
I don't think it's really hard to take up two airplane seats. Those things are so tiny and I'm normal sized.
Very inspiring. Good for him!! It's very hard to loose that much weight. Congratulations on the new healthy you !!!
That's amazing and definitely very inspiring! It's unbelievable (but he did it) that he lost those 326 pounds, a figure that is very intimidating. I'm a person who struggles with losing weight too. I keep on relapsing back to my potato lifestyle, it's very difficult. After reading his story though, I feel very motivated and I should get my game on XD
What a great story. A guy who refused to be a Victim and feel sorry for himself, and just did it. A definite hero for his daughter.
Sometimes all you need is that "click" to let you do what you have to do! Cudos to this man: He found his.
Your heart will really appreciate, and sure you feel great! Let's say, you look very good aswell! :) congrats!
Load More Replies...He does look 10 years younger. And he probably added at least 10 years to his life expectancy too. Very inspiring, congratulations <3
Loss gains! He looks like a new person- his kids must be super proud
Boring. On the Bored Panda appears such story like this every months.
You want the media to praise more than half the world? You really need to think about your comments before you post them, you're only making yourself look dumber.
Load More Replies...
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