Michael (17) avoids the school bus and has lost 55 kilos while walking

An American teenager Michael Watson has lost no less than 55 kilos after his intention to no longer take the school bus, but to walk the distance. This in combination with an adapted diet.

The 1.90 meter long Michael Watson weighed 155 kilograms three years ago. His self-confidence was zero and he was regularly bullied for being overweight. The young man from Canton, Ohio, turns 18 today and will graduate from high school later this month.

The tipping point for the student came when a classmate pointed him to his chin while bullying him. “You have something hanging there”. Watson rubbed his chin and the bully replied, “No, the third down there.” “That really hurt me,” the boy told CNN.

That was no longer possible. Michael made the decision to bypass the school bus and walk the distance from now on. Good for a daily walk of two times twenty minutes.

Motorists who spontaneously stopped on rainy days to offer the teenager a lift kindly dismissed Michael. And above all: he adjusted his eating habits and started eating healthier. That required iron discipline, all the more because he had an after-school job at a fast-food restaurant.

The past years were sometimes not easy, Michael acknowledges. He relapsed from time to time, but never gave up. Over time, he saw great results.

Since his drastic weight reduction, his confidence has risen sharply. He didn’t dare approach girls before, now he does. He dreams of a career as an actor.

His school praises Michael and uses his story to inspire others. “What he has achieved is rare for a high school student,” said student counselor Terrance Jones of the McKinley Senior School. “If you fully go for it, everyone will succeed”, Michael concludes.