North Las Vegas man, 450 pounds in high school, dropped nearly 300 pounds for son

Lucas Gutierrez was told he wouldn’t make it past 18.

At 450 pounds, doctors labeled then 15-year-old Gutierrez as “severely morbidly obese.” He was struggling with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, but he didn’t realize how close to death he was.

“When I was huge, I never thought I’d be able to run or do pushups or anything like that,” Gutierrez said. “One time, I tried walking a few blocks to Target with my friends, but I couldn’t walk all the way there because my legs gave out. My friend’s mom had to pick me up and drive me to the store. Despite that, when the doctors told me I could die before 18, I didn’t want to believe them.”

His struggle with weight started at an early age. For more than 20 years, the North Las Vegas resident’s parents worked as local youth pastors at Faith Life Family Church, formally known as Echoes of Faith, 1401 E. Washington Ave., and they enjoyed bringing troubled youths closer to God.

His parents realized that in order to attract youths, they would have to feed them with the word of God and then feed their stomachs with food, he said.

“Being that most of these kids came from deprived households, my parents fed them every Sunday,” Gutierrez said. “So it became accustomed to eat cheap fast food that could go a long way. Inadvertently, they set me on an unhealthy track that resulted in severe obesity.”

Gutierrez wore size 5XL shirts and size 58 pants.

“It was so difficult to find clothes back then, and I hated going to Walmart or Target because I would see clothes that I liked but knew they would never carry my size,” he said.

His problems weren’t limited to fashion. He couldn’t sit in a classroom desk, so his teacher pulled out a table and chair for him.

“Thankfully, I went to a private school, so no one made fun of me too bad, but it still affected me,” Gutierrez said.

Then, the depression hit.

His mother tried to help him by going on a high-protein and low-carb diet with him that she found online. Together, they cut out soda and junk food. She lost 15 pounds while Gutierrez lost 30 pounds.

It went well until she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2008.

A surgery was scheduled, but because she was overweight, they would have to do liposuction to remove the fat around the pancreas.

“The surgery was a success, but after the surgery, her stitches busted open, and she bled to death internally,” he said. “I soon fell back into depression.”

He also hit his all-time high of 475 pounds and dropped out of high school after his first day of sophomore year when a group of students made weird faces at him, he said.

It wasn’t until New Year’s Eve of 2008 that Gutierrez made the decision once and for all to lose the weight.

He began swimming 1 to 2 miles at the municipal pool every other day and continued his diet regimen. Through diet and exercise, he got down to 180 pounds.

While he was proud of his weight loss journey, another hurdle came — his skin.

“The same kids who pointed and stared at me because I was obese, now pointed and stared because I had so much saggy skin,” he said. “It was real confidence killer, so I put on another 100 pounds. I thought if I was going to have the skin, I might as well make it full. I don’t know which was worst — being overweight and being a freak show or being skinny and being a freak show.”

When his son Atreyu was born in August 2014 one last revelation came.

“I realized that I wanted to be strong and healthy so that way I can enjoy my life with my son, unlike my mother who didn’t have that chance,” he said.

He lost weight again, and despite having excess skin, he said he feels more confident now than ever.

“I could see such a difference in his confidence and self-worth as he began to shed the weight,” said his sister Angelina McKenzie. “That shy young man started coming out of his shell. This journey has transformed him from the inside out.”

He continues to go to the gym every day, and whenever he sees another overweight person, he will introduce himself to him and share his story in hopes of inspiring him.

“He has inspired a lot of people — both in our family and outside of our family — to try to live much more healthier,” said his sister Felicia Lytle. “When you see someone transform themselves right in front of your eyes, you can believe it is possible.”

At 175 pounds, Gutierrez feels liked a changed man. He’s a full-time UNLV student working toward his marketing degree while he enjoys playing and chasing after his son.

“It’s not about looking the best at the gym; it’s about pushing yourself the hardest,” Gutierrez said. “When I’m stressed out or tired, I remember that the doctor told me I wouldn’t live past 18. I’m really glad I changed my life because it feels good to be alive.”

To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy.