Newton Falls woman's battle with obesity takes positive turn: Whatever Happened To . . .?

By Cliff Pinckard

November 02, 2009, 6:30AM

"Whatever happened to . . .?" is a weekly series updating some of the most newsworthy and interesting local stories covered in The Plain Dealer. Have a suggestion on a story we should update? Send it to John C. Kuehner at [email protected], or call 216-999-5325.

Whatever happened to Robin Moran, the Newton Falls woman featured in the 2005 Discovery Channel documentary, "Super Obese," about obesity treatment at the Andover Village Retirement Community? After leaving the Andover facility in 2006 and a 13-month relapse when her weight soared from 425 to 666 pounds, Moran is back on track, fighting a lifelong battle with weight and food addiction.

View full sizeSpecial to the PDRobin Moran hopes to work as a motivational speaker.Moran, 48, now living at a nursing home in Berea, said that an infection from leg surgery to treat a lymphatic disorder that causes her legs to swell sent her on a downward emotional spiral.

"All the demons I thought I had finally gotten rid of resurfaced," she recalled.

Too embarrassed to return to Andover where "I was their 'star,' for lack of a better word," Moran said she fought a see-saw battle with weight until finally deciding in July to undergo gastric bypass surgery at the Cleveland Clinic.

Previously she had resisted that option. "I wanted to be the person who said they lost 600 pounds through diet and exercise," said Moran, who weighed 766 pounds at her peak.

"But I found out I went as far as I could with diet and exercise," she added. "Now I'm using this tool [bypass] to get me the rest of the way."

Moran is down to 349 pounds and re-experiencing what she called "the little things that mean the world to me."

Like fitting in smaller vehicles, being able to wear a seat belt, walking into a clothing store that does not specialize in just clothing for big people, and going to a movie theater for the first time in nearly 20 years.

"I'm a Christian and I believe that everything that happens in life, happens for a reason. There's always a purpose," she said. "Possibly in that 13 months, I needed to fail in order to succeed now."

Moran said she is exercising -- "walking, and a Wii tennis pro" -- and corresponding with people as far away as Finland and New Zealand who still see her on rebroadcasts of the Discovery Channel documentary.

Though she said "there's still a whole world of prejudice out there" regarding obese people, she believes greater awareness has fostered increasing tolerance.

That understanding has grown with the problem. "As the numbers increase, there are just more chances of you knowing or related to someone obese," she added.

Moran is hoping to find work as a motivational speaker on obesity and lymphedema (a lifelong affliction).

Even with her setbacks, her advice remains the same.

"My biggest thing to tell people is to never give up hope. Truly," she said. "Try one thing and if that doesn't work, try something else. And at least give everything a decent effort."

That philosophy closes every e-mail she sends, in a George Eliot quote: "It's never too late to be who you might have been."

(If you'd like to contact Moran, she can be reached at: E-mail: [email protected] ; Facebook: www.facebook.com/Robin.R.Moran; Twitter: http://twitter.com/RobinRMoran .)

-- Brian Albrecht