‘Obese dad says he’s losing custody battle because of his weight’

Obese dad says he’s losing custody battle because of his weight
360-pound Canada father says the court is using his obesity against him

By Meena Hart Duerson / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Thursday, June 21, 2012, 7:29 PM


The 38-year-old father of
two, who weighs 360 pounds, could not be identified under Canada's Child
and Family Services Act because the case involves minors, but spoke to
CTV News on condition of anonymity.


A Canadian father says the fact that he’s losing the battle of the bulge is hurting his efforts to win back his children.

The 38-year-old father of two, who weighs 360 pounds, could not be identified under Canada's Child and Family Services Act because the case involves minors, but spoke to CTV News on condition of anonymity.

"I'm waiting on [a\] decision to be handed down by family court if I'll ever see my children again," he said. "One of the reasons they used is because I was too fat, and couldn't keep up with my children."

His children have been living in foster care ever since they were removed from his ex-wife's custody last year when she reportedly had a mental breakdown and was treated for a suspected overdose.

The custody decision is now in the hands of his local family court. A doctor involved in the case recently filed a report saying the man's weight may interfere with his life too much to make him a competent parenting.





"(The father) has struggled with obesity for years, which impacts significantly on most aspects of his life including (his) functioning as a parent," the doctor wrote, according to CTV.

"He was short of breath or winded in simply walking short distances about the clinic and he lacks both the mobility and stamina required to keep up with young and active children."

That doctor’s opinion was quickly lambasted by Ottawa Sun columnist Anthony Furey, who flagged the incident as a dangerous trend.

“According to a 2011 report, a quarter of Canadians are obese,” he wrote. “Should we be investigating those families to see if their obesity is restricting thier child-rearing abilities, then take their children away? Absolutely not.”

But the father argued he has actually taken great steps towards better health, pointing to a roughly 150 pound weight loss since the custody battle began. Once weighing over 525 pounds, he is down to roughly 360 pounds.

Nevertheless, the struggle to get his kids back could have a harmful impact itself.

"I am a stress eater,” he told CTV. “Having them in my life would cause stress, but not having them in my life would cause even more stress."

The hospital declined to comment on the case to the Canadian network, but said in a statement that "every case is unique."

“Mental and physical issues are examined as well as any special needs of the children,” they said.

The dad admits his own record isn't spotless and he's had a few run-ins of his own with the law, he says he's cleaned up his act by taking anger management courses and no longer smokes marijuana.

"Nothing can be compared to my kids. If I lose my kids for good, it's over for me," he said.

An Ottawa dad who weighs in at 360 pounds, says his obesity is the reason he was not given custody of his 2 kids. But, as Canada's CTV pointed out in a report, there may be more weight to the story than he's letting on.
The 38-year-old man's two kids, 5 and 6, were taken from the home of his estranged wife last year. She has mental health issues, may have overdosed and was hospitalized. The man tried to get custody of the children but in a decision Wednesday, a family court judge ruled they must be adopted out.

"One of the reasons they used is because I was too fat, and couldn't keep up with my children," the man, who can't be identified because of the Child and Family Services Act, told CTV. "I'm a passionate man, I love my kids, just want a single chance to be a father, that's it."

The man is claiming that the Royal Ottawa Hospital's family court clinic did not allow him custody of his children in part because of his weight. He points out he was formerly 525 pounds and has done well to lose weight, and will continue to. He also says he's not been allowed to see his children in a year.

The hospital's court clinic could not comment directly on the case but a statement from them suggests there is more to the story. "Every case is unique. Mental and physical issues are examined as well as any special needs of the children," their statement read in part.

The man has admitted that he has taken anger management courses to deal with a temper that has gotten out of control in the past, has stopped smoking marijuana and has taken other steps to improve himself as a father, including his weight loss.