WILLIS, Texas – At 17-years-old and a junior at Willis High School, Blake Conerly, a sweet-hearted soul with a generous smile and a contagious laugh, should be having the time of his life.
Instead, this young man, with so much love and heart, struggles just to make it out the front door of his home.
It’s all due to an enormous weight gain problem that Blake has been plagued with for the last five years.
No matter what he does, he just keeps growing larger and larger, more obese and less healthy and less active.
“It’s really hard to see this when I know he is capable of so much more. Blake wants to go do all of these things that young men want, but he can hardly get around at all at this weight”, said Jennifer Edwards, Blake’s mom.
Totally blind since birth, Blake has fought his way through so many serious health problems, including being born with a severe brain development issue, numerous hormone deficiencies, and a very rare and extreme form of diabetes.
But, the one problem that Blake has not been able to defeat is his ability to control his ballooning weight.
At 5′10″ tall, Blake now weighs 440 pounds.
Doctors have told his parents that the problem is due to Blake’s brain and hormonal issues and has nothing to do with his diet or exercise.
“My biggest fear is that Blake is not going to live that long, and I’m terrified that this weight is totally disrupting his quality of life. Destroying his young life”, Jennifer said.
What Blake’s mother says he needs and what Blake’s doctors have recommended is that he have gastric bypass surgery to force his body into losing the unwanted and unhealthy weight that he has gained, through no fault of his own.
“I’m hoping that we could get Blake the surgery he needs so he can lose this devastating weight. So he can live the life that my sweet boy deserves”, Jennifer said.
The problem is that Jennifer and her husband have been turned down again and again by their health insurance company when it comes to providing the money to cover Blake’s surgery.
So, with nowhere else to turn and tired of fighting with their insurance provider, Jennifer and her husband reached out to the Spencer Solves It team for help.
After weeks of contacting numerous surgeons and hospitals asking for help for Blake, Bill Spencer is now looking for a Christmas miracle in order to help Blake.
Spencer is looking for a hospital or surgical center and a surgical team to take on Blake’s case and do the surgery he needs for free.
The Spencer Solves It team knows it is a very expensive and difficult surgery, but they’re asking for KPRC 2 viewers’ help in locating a surgeon, a surgical team, and a hospital to provide what Blake needs.
If you would like to help Blake, please email Bill Spencer at bspencer@kprc.com.
“It is my sincere Christmas wish that you would help us help this beautiful young boy who has an even more beautiful spirit,” Spencer said.
