Phyllis Brown
Many people dedicate years to making it into the Guinness Book of World Records, where achievements are celebrated as symbols of perseverance, resilience, and human spirit. While some records are a source of pride, others highlight the complex boundary between impressive achievement and overcoming adversity.
Jon Brower Minnoch’s life is a powerful reminder of the impact of extreme obesity. In 1978, he reached a record-breaking weight of around 1,400 pounds, though some sources suggest he may have weighed even more. Instead of a triumph, this figure marked a critical health struggle.
Life before losing weight strictly
Jon Minnoch, born in 1941 in Seattle, Washington, began life at an average 7 pounds (3 kg) but soon grew much heavier. By age 12, he reached 294 pounds (133 kg). At 22, his weight rose to 392 pounds (178 kg), and by 1963 he weighed around 700 pounds (320 kg).
For much of his life, Minnoch’s weight ranged between 800 and 900 pounds (363–408 kg), standing at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall. His body fat percentage was estimated at an astonishing 80%.
When Jon Minnoch was a student at Bothell High School, his weight had already surged past 300 pounds. Despite his size—a point where many face challenges with movement or breathing—Minnoch himself reported feeling unrestricted.
As Jon Minnoch grew older, his weight kept climbing, reaching 392 pounds by age 22. Despite the physical struggles, he didn’t let that hold him back. In 1963, he married Jean McArdle, and together they launched the Bainbridge Island Taxi Co.—the island’s first and only taxi service at the time. Their business thrived for 17 years.
A friend often described Jon as a “warm and funny family man,” well-liked for his positive attitude despite his challenges. His kindness and humor left an impression on those who knew him on Bainbridge Island.
Starting a strict weight-loss journey
Carrying such immense weight became overwhelming for Minnoch and finally forced him to make a pivotal decision to address his health. He decided to cut his food intake to “almost nothing.” Under a doctor’s prescription, he went on a 600-calorie-a-day diet of only vegetables.
He also took large doses of a diuretic that failed to eliminate excess fluid in his body. After about three weeks of weakness and being bedridden, he listened to his wife’s pleas to enter a hospital.
Minnoch eventually “got so tired” of his weight so he decided to drastically cut his food intake, sticking to “almost nothing” under medical guidance. Following a doctor-prescribed plan, he started a strict 600-calorie diet of only vegetables.
Additionally, he began a course of strong diuretics, though these failed to relieve the immense fluid retention in his body. After a difficult three weeks of weakness and being bedridden, he finally heeded his wife’s heartfelt encouragement to seek care at a hospital.
Receiving treatment at the hospital
At the hospital, doctors diagnosed Minnoch with massive edema, where excess fluid builds up in the body. Due to his condition, it was impossible to weigh him on a standard scale. However, endocrinologist Robert Schwartz estimated his weight at an astounding 1,400 pounds (635 kg). Schwartz noted that Minnoch might have weighed even more and was “by at least 300 pounds the heaviest person ever reported.”
In addition, Minnoch’s case was especially remarkable for his survival, with a peak BMI of 186 kg/m². In April 1978, his doctors described his medical state as “critical,” requiring several days on a respirator. He exhibited symptoms of Pickwickian syndrome, which causes high carbon dioxide levels due to poor breathing.
Final Efforts
Jon Minnoch remained hospitalized for two years and was put on a diet of 1,200 kcal (5,000 kJ) per day. When he was finally released, he weighed 476 pounds (216 kg), marking an incredible loss of 924 pounds (419 kg)—the most documented at the time. Eager for a new start, he aimed to reduce his weight further to around 210 pounds (95 kg), saying, “I’ve waited 37 years to get this chance at a new life”.
Unfortunately, Minnoch soon began regaining weight and was readmitted just over a year later in October 1981, weighing 952 pounds (432 kg). Shockingly, he had gained 200 pounds (91 kg) within only seven days. Sadly, he passed away 23 months later on September 4, 1983, at age 41, weighing 798 pounds (362 kg).
His death certificate cited cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, and restrictive lung disease. Minnoch’s casket, crafted from thick plywood and lined with cloth, occupied two plots at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, and it took around 11 men to carry it to his final resting place.
