A messy divorce. A son who helped him get his start in TV. A wholesome interest in
Legos. If you've only seen Dr. Now from "My 600-lb Life" on his reality series,
there's plenty you probably don't know about him. Keep watching.
Dr. Younan Nowzaradan was born in October 1944 in Tehran, Iran. Little is known about his childhood
or immediate family, except that he has a younger brother and excelled in school, according to The
Celebs Info. Given his academic achievements, it's no surprise he pursued a career in medicine.
According to his official website, Dr. Now got his medical degree from the Tehran University of
Medical Sciences in 1970. He moved to St. Louis, Missouri, a year after he graduated from medical
school to complete a medical orientation program at St. Louis University. He then
completed his first surgical internship at St. John Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.
"When I started my practice, I took care of all the patients, regardless of how heavy they were."
According to The Hollywood Mask, Dr. Now married a woman named Delores,
who reportedly quit her secretary job to take care of the family, in 1975.
Delores filed for divorce in 2002, accusing Dr. Now of "cruel behavior"
and "insupportability" during their marriage, according to legal documents.
The court found Dr. Now to be responsible for the marriage coming to an end. Documents also note,
"Younan complicated the discovery process by concealing and withholding records,
obstructing discovery, asserting baseless privileges, failing to disclose essential
information, denying access to records, and failing to comply with court orders."
Delores wound up with 70% of their joint assets.
According to The Celebs Info, Dr. Now and his ex-wife had three children together,
Jonathan, Jennifer, and Jessica. Jonathan and Jennifer are both married and have children,
making Dr. Now a grandfather. Jennifer works as a high school art instructor, while Jessica is
reportedly interested in photography. Jonathan is the CEO of and co-owner of Megalomedia,
a Houston-based television and film studio that produces original, nonfiction content.
Before the premiere of "My 600-lb Life" in 2012, several other television documentaries
captured Dr. Now's experience as a bariatric surgeon who tackles notoriously difficult cases.
One was 2008's "Half Ton Dad," which was produced by Megalomedia
and aired as part of the United Kingdom's "Bodyshock" documentary television series.
It followed the story of Kenneth Brumley, a man who weighed over 1,000 pounds.
Dr. Now performed a gastric bypass procedure on Brumley, even though it came at extreme risk due
to Brumley's weight. The surgery was successful, and Brumley shed a significant amount of weight.
"We gonna put your food out there. You're gonna have to walk to get it."
Another 2008 documentary in the "Bodyshock" series, "Half Ton Mom," focused on Renee Williams,
who at 800 pounds, was believed to be the heaviest woman alive at the time.
Dr. Now performed a successful gastric bypass on Williams as well,
though she died of an unrelated heart attack a few weeks later.
"Half Ton Mom" was a hit, garnering the attention of multiple major media outlets,
including Entertainment Tonight, 20/20, Inside Edition, The Insider, and The View. After its
success, Dr. Now contacted his son Jonathan with the premise for "My 600-lb Life." When asked how
he was inspired to create the series, Jonathan said of his dad on "The Donna Drake Show,"
"He would call me with terrible ideas, and one day
he had a good one. But it was based on helping people as opposed to just entertaining people."
The Austin Chronicle reported that Megalomedia began developing a show originally titled "Last
Chance to Live," which followed six patients who underwent gastric bypass surgery over the course
of several years. "Last Chance to Live" eventually evolved into Season 1 of "My 600-lb Life."
Jonathan is now an executive producer of "My 600-lb Life" and has directed some episodes.
In 2007, Colleen Shepherd filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Now over
the death of her daughter. Tina Shepherd. Tina, who weighed over 500 pounds, passed away from
liver failure and blood poisoning after Dr. Now performed gastric bypass surgery on her.
The lawsuit claimed that Dr. Now failed to inform Tina of the risks and didn't properly
address her subsequent complications. Dr. Now claimed that he repeatedly attempted to contact
Tina for follow-up appointments, but she never responded. According to The Houston Chronicle,
the Texas Medical Board did not file disciplinary actions in the case.
In 2012, a woman filed another lawsuit against Dr. Now, claiming that he left a piece of tubing
inside her after surgery. The lawsuit was dismissed a year later. Radar Online reports
he faced another lawsuit in 2017, claiming Dr. Now left a stainless steel connector and tubing in a
patient after an operation. MedMalFirm noted that the case appeared to still be active as of 2021.
Dr. Now's first book, "Last Chance to Live," was published in 2017.
It examines the culture that causes obesity and highlights the steps he believes people
should take to strive for healthier lives. The book's description reads,
"This book is a product of four decades of learning,
understanding, treating, and helping patients with obesity."
His second book, "The Scale Does Not Lie, People Do," was published in 2019. It sheds light on
the global economic impact of obesity, with warnings about the negative effects of fad diets.
It also tackles the epidemic of childhood obesity. The book argues that obesity is not a choice;
it's caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. However,
Dr. Now also makes sure to hold people accountable for their health. He told The Houston Chronicle,
"It's a double-edged sword. It's our own responsibility
to understand what the problems are and what the solutions are."
"There is no magic here. Your weight is controlled
with the calories you take every day and the calories you spend every day."
Dr. Now, who is now in his 70s, appears to be thriving. The physician prioritizes his
health by regularly exercising and sticking to nutritious, low-carbohydrate meals. On his
Instagram account, he regularly posts about his workout routines and diet.
He also often indulges in a challenging game of chess, citing its benefits for the brain.
Dr. Now has spent most of his life in a job that deals with tragedy on a daily basis. So it's
no surprise that the surgeon does lighthearted activities as a coping strategy. One heartwarming
post on his Instagram shows that Dr. Nowzaradan enjoys playing with Lego blocks with his
grandchildren. He also shows his creative side, posting about his guitar skills and drawings.
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