Influencer whose incredible 384-pound weight loss made him a reality star dies at 37 after packing on the pounds following the loss of his father and brother
A Brazilian influencer whose staggering weight loss of 32 stone made him the star of a reality TV show has died aged 37 after regaining weight following the loss of his father and brother, ahead of another attempt to live without surgery to drop only 15 stones or medicine.
Gabriel Freitas, whose 70,000 Instagram fans followed his daily struggle to shed the excess pounds, died on December 30 after suffering a heart attack while napping in bed, although close friend Ricardo Gouvea only made his loss public yesterday.
He said: ‘Gabriel died virtually asleep, he did not suffer. He died trying. He fought until the end, he was very strong and I have a lot of respect for him. He was a very good person with a very good heart.’
Gabriel made headlines in his native Brazil in 2017 after appearing on a Record TV program called Programa do Gugu, with a section titled ‘Virou Outra Pessoa’ which translates into English as ‘Became Another Person’.
Millions of viewers listened to the astonishing story of how he lost more than 30 stone with a more balanced diet and exercise after he started gaining weight as a teenager.
In 2015, 6ft 4ins Gabriel weighed just over 50 stone, but in a year and a half he managed to drop to just 18 stone with his amazing lifestyle transformation.
Program host Gugu Liberato congratulated him for going ‘beyond what most people could imagine’, while Gabriel showed off his good looks thanks to his size transformation.
The subsequent deaths of his father and brother led to his weight skyrocketing again and he weighed almost 60 stone just before he died as he began his new health campaign.
Brazilian influencer Gabriel Freitas, whose weight loss of 32 stone made him the star of a reality TV show, has died aged 37 after regaining weight following the loss of his father and brother. The image shows a before and after of Gabriel’s weight loss journey
Gabriel made headlines in Brazil in 2017 after appearing on a Record TV programme. Millions of viewers listened to the astonishing story of how he lost more than 30 stone with a more balanced diet and exercise after he started gaining weight as a teenager. Here Gabriel poses in a photo where he looks visibly slimmer
The reality star had recently regained weight following the deaths of his brother and father
Shortly after appearing on TV and telling his amazing first weight loss story, Gabriel posted a self-motivation message to his Instagram with before and after photos that read, “Don’t give up, no, I’m here, man!” If you don’t fight, I’m here to fight for you. I’ll give you an example so you don’t fall…
‘Stare at the goal, take a deep breath and go, go, go… Just come back with a win… It’s a matter of honor, not glory. ‘
He charted that weight loss on a YouTube channel he launched seven years ago called My Parallel Universe, writing at the time: “My name is Gabriel Freitas, I’m 29 years old, I’m 6’4” tall, I weighed 320kg when I started my weight loss process and 310kg when I started recording for YouTube.
‘I decided to share my weight loss struggle with all of you to help you with motivation and to show that it is possible to lose weight without surgery or medication.
‘Here you see all the changes: from a man who weighed 320 kg to the body he always dreamed of. Welcome to my life.
Last October, after announcing his new weight loss plans, he wrote on his social media: “A new phase is about to begin for me.
“Whatever it takes, I’m going to get out of bed on November 1 with God’s help.
‘Until then I’ll do my best.
He weighed almost 60 stone just before he died as he started his new health campaign
In 2015, 6ft 4ins Gabriel weighed just over 50 stone, but in a year and a half he managed to drop to just 18 stone with his amazing lifestyle transformation. Image shows a before and after of Gabriel after his amazing weight loss
‘Total fasting until day one to recover my legs. Getting Closer to God in Prayers.”
A well-wisher responded at the time by saying, “I will never doubt you, my friend. You have already proven how strong and capable you are.”
Another said: ‘We’re going to get up with you and we’ll be here to cheer you on.’
Reacting to news of his death, follower Daniella Ribeiro wrote: ‘I can’t believe this my God.’
Another said in a message to his friend Ricardo, announcing the death of the man he called his ‘brother’: ‘Such sad news Ricardo. My condolences to you and Gabriel’s family. May God protect him. We know he was a warrior.”