Man Has Weight Loss Surgery To Adopt Boy
DALLAS (NBC) -- A Texas man who wants to adopt an infant foster child had gastric bypass surgery in hopes of losing hundreds of pounds so a judge will let him adopt a little boy.
Gary Stocklaufer says his weight, more than 500 pounds, has never stopped him from doing anything until now.
"Missouri courts found a way to legally kidnap a kid," Stocklaufer said.
Stocklaufer is a certified foster parent and had been taking care of his cousin's son, baby Max for 3 months. But when he tried to adopt the little boy a judge in Missouri said no.
He says the judge told him he was "too fat" and could die long before max grew-up.
"The number on the scale is not an indicator of what kind of parent you are going to be, and a child does not care about what size you are," said wife Cynthia Stocklaufer
Citing child privacy laws the court would not comment on the case. But in a written statement it told NBC news it is required to consider several factors, including the medical status of would be parents.
A Dallas doctor and hospital heard about the situation, and provided free gastric bypass surgery for Stocklaufer.
"I think family is very important. This struck a cord with all of us," said doctor Wade Barker a bariatric surgeon at Renaissance Hospital.
He could lose as much as 200 pounds after the procedure, but realizes he could also lose Max.
"The judge is not perfect and needs to come off of his high horse and do the right thing," Gary Stocklaufer said.
There is still no guarantee from the court that after surgery, Stocklaufer will be allowed to adopt.