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| 'The Whale gives a voice to people like me' | 'The Whale gives a voice to people like me' |
| (25 days later) | |
| Sean Crawford says he is now in a much better place and ready to lose weight | Sean Crawford says he is now in a much better place and ready to lose weight |
| Sean Crawford cried when he saw the trailer for award-winning Hollywood film The Whale. | Sean Crawford cried when he saw the trailer for award-winning Hollywood film The Whale. |
| He says the movie about a reclusive English teacher with severe obesity resonated with his life. | He says the movie about a reclusive English teacher with severe obesity resonated with his life. |
| Mirroring the plot of the film, Sean rapidly gained weight after someone close to him died. He now weighs 30 stone (190kg). | Mirroring the plot of the film, Sean rapidly gained weight after someone close to him died. He now weighs 30 stone (190kg). |
| The father-of-one from Athelstaneford in East Lothian says the film - which has won an Oscar for its star, Brendan Fraser - has given a voice to people in his situation. | The father-of-one from Athelstaneford in East Lothian says the film - which has won an Oscar for its star, Brendan Fraser - has given a voice to people in his situation. |
| And he says there are many similarities between his life and that of the film's lead character, Charlie. | And he says there are many similarities between his life and that of the film's lead character, Charlie. |
| "He instructs a class from behind a computer because he is ashamed of his weight, I hid away from things because I was ashamed of mine," said Sean. | "He instructs a class from behind a computer because he is ashamed of his weight, I hid away from things because I was ashamed of mine," said Sean. |
| "The main focus is making sure our daughters turn out to be good human beings just in case we aren't there to see them grow up. | "The main focus is making sure our daughters turn out to be good human beings just in case we aren't there to see them grow up. |
| "I think people need to realise big people are human beings." | "I think people need to realise big people are human beings." |
| In the film The Whale, Brendan Fraser plays Charlie - a teacher who weighs 42 stones (267kg) | In the film The Whale, Brendan Fraser plays Charlie - a teacher who weighs 42 stones (267kg) |
| Brendan Fraser's on-screen transformation was the result of heavy prosthetics, which he admitted was "a challenge", physically and emotionally. | Brendan Fraser's on-screen transformation was the result of heavy prosthetics, which he admitted was "a challenge", physically and emotionally. |
| He said he hopes the film will help to "end the bias against those who live with obesity". | He said he hopes the film will help to "end the bias against those who live with obesity". |
| Sean says health and depression are among the issues that can lead to weight gain. | Sean says health and depression are among the issues that can lead to weight gain. |
| He said: "I often get adults looking at me in disgust, kids stare and make comments - but I understand this is the innocence of youth. | He said: "I often get adults looking at me in disgust, kids stare and make comments - but I understand this is the innocence of youth. |
| "I so often hear people talk about the likes of anorexia and bulimia with a degree of sympathy, whereas obesity is frowned upon. | "I so often hear people talk about the likes of anorexia and bulimia with a degree of sympathy, whereas obesity is frowned upon. |
| "Both are illnesses at the end of the day." | "Both are illnesses at the end of the day." |
| Brendan Fraser caps comeback with Oscar win | Brendan Fraser caps comeback with Oscar win |
| The Whale review- BBC Culture | The Whale review- BBC Culture |
| Sean said he had been a confident person before he started gaining weight. | Sean said he had been a confident person before he started gaining weight. |
| One of his best friends passed away in 2019, then two months later he took voluntary redundancy from his role as a maintenance supervisor after 12 years in the job. | One of his best friends passed away in 2019, then two months later he took voluntary redundancy from his role as a maintenance supervisor after 12 years in the job. |
| This was followed by the Covid lockdown, and he ended up out of work for a few years. | This was followed by the Covid lockdown, and he ended up out of work for a few years. |
| In this time he became a bit of a hermit - and put on 12 stones (76kg) in 18 months. | In this time he became a bit of a hermit - and put on 12 stones (76kg) in 18 months. |
| Sean does not like having his photograph taken | Sean does not like having his photograph taken |
| "My doctor said if there was an award for putting on weight in the shortest space of time then he would give it to me," said Sean. | "My doctor said if there was an award for putting on weight in the shortest space of time then he would give it to me," said Sean. |
| "I neglected my life and spent 99.9% of my time watching TV, eating and drinking fizzy juice. | "I neglected my life and spent 99.9% of my time watching TV, eating and drinking fizzy juice. |
| "I don't sleep much so I have 18 to 19 hours a day to do this." | "I don't sleep much so I have 18 to 19 hours a day to do this." |
| He went from working with 200 people every day to sitting on his own in his house. | He went from working with 200 people every day to sitting on his own in his house. |
| Sean said he gave up - particularly during lockdown, when he found the isolation very stressful. | Sean said he gave up - particularly during lockdown, when he found the isolation very stressful. |
| He started getting back pains and it became too painful to walk. | He started getting back pains and it became too painful to walk. |
| He tried to find out how much he weighed, but there were no scales big enough at his doctor's surgery. | He tried to find out how much he weighed, but there were no scales big enough at his doctor's surgery. |
| Sean Crawford before he gained weight | Sean Crawford before he gained weight |
| He eventually got weighed at the hospital, and found that he weighed 30 stone (190kg). | He eventually got weighed at the hospital, and found that he weighed 30 stone (190kg). |
| "It was soul destroying and I lost all my confidence," he said. | "It was soul destroying and I lost all my confidence," he said. |
| At the end of 2020, when his vacuum cleaner broke and he did not have enough money to replace it, a friend gave him a number for the charity DadsWork, which is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. | At the end of 2020, when his vacuum cleaner broke and he did not have enough money to replace it, a friend gave him a number for the charity DadsWork, which is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. |
| The community project in East Lothian provides support groups, positive parenting classes, workshops on the role of fathers, home visits, trips and outings for fathers and their children. | The community project in East Lothian provides support groups, positive parenting classes, workshops on the role of fathers, home visits, trips and outings for fathers and their children. |
| They gave him a vacuum cleaner and told him about drop-in groups and workshops he could attend with his daughter. | They gave him a vacuum cleaner and told him about drop-in groups and workshops he could attend with his daughter. |
| Sean, who is 5ft 11ins , said: "I didn't know what they did but after meeting them I've seen them just about every week since. | Sean, who is 5ft 11ins , said: "I didn't know what they did but after meeting them I've seen them just about every week since. |
| "I started going to their drop-in groups and it was great to meet other dads and hear their stories and what they were struggling with. | "I started going to their drop-in groups and it was great to meet other dads and hear their stories and what they were struggling with. |
| "These sessions helped normalise struggles of fatherhood to me and now I realise that I'm not alone - and not the only one who may feel that they don't know what they're doing all of the time." | "These sessions helped normalise struggles of fatherhood to me and now I realise that I'm not alone - and not the only one who may feel that they don't know what they're doing all of the time." |
| Sean Crawford previously weighed around 18 stone (114kg) | Sean Crawford previously weighed around 18 stone (114kg) |
| Sean said this had made him a better dad. | Sean said this had made him a better dad. |
| He also now has a job volunteering as a supervisor in a food bank. | He also now has a job volunteering as a supervisor in a food bank. |
| "DadsWork have really helped me be more productive with the time I spend with my daughter too," he added. | "DadsWork have really helped me be more productive with the time I spend with my daughter too," he added. |
| He said they now do "all sorts of things together" and had been supported with swimming passes. | He said they now do "all sorts of things together" and had been supported with swimming passes. |
| "My daughter loves it and it's helping me get into shape and get my confidence back," he said. | "My daughter loves it and it's helping me get into shape and get my confidence back," he said. |
| Kevin Young, project manager of DadsWork, said the organisation was there to offer support. | Kevin Young, project manager of DadsWork, said the organisation was there to offer support. |
| He said: "Sean has made a remarkable turnaround. When we first met him he was low in confidence and self esteem and wouldn't go out. | He said: "Sean has made a remarkable turnaround. When we first met him he was low in confidence and self esteem and wouldn't go out. |
| "We have spent a lot of time building our relationship with him to establish trust. | "We have spent a lot of time building our relationship with him to establish trust. |
| "He has gone from the vacuum cleaner, which was a small thing but huge thing for his family, to engaging with us hugely." | "He has gone from the vacuum cleaner, which was a small thing but huge thing for his family, to engaging with us hugely." |
| Sean now has the confidence to go out with his daughter to the park | Sean now has the confidence to go out with his daughter to the park |
| Now Sean feels in a better place and hopes to lose weight so he can meet a new partner. | Now Sean feels in a better place and hopes to lose weight so he can meet a new partner. |
| "I hate being on my own and I hate being lonely," he said. "I'm in a terrible place with my weight and hate having my picture taken or looking at myself. | "I hate being on my own and I hate being lonely," he said. "I'm in a terrible place with my weight and hate having my picture taken or looking at myself. |
| "But now I'm working again I feel ready to lose weight." | "But now I'm working again I feel ready to lose weight." |
| Sean, who spoke to BBC Scotland before The Whale was released in cinemas, had said he was desperate to see the film. | Sean, who spoke to BBC Scotland before The Whale was released in cinemas, had said he was desperate to see the film. |
| "I ended up in tears when I watched the trailer, I related to it so much," he said. | "I ended up in tears when I watched the trailer, I related to it so much," he said. |
| "I couldn't tell you the last time I wanted to see a film at the cinema but this one massively ties into my situation. | "I couldn't tell you the last time I wanted to see a film at the cinema but this one massively ties into my situation. |
| "I empathise with him and it also gives a voice to people in my position. | "I empathise with him and it also gives a voice to people in my position. |
| "He is a teacher and is helping society. It shows people benefitting from his life, as normally overweight people are hidden away and are not given the credit they are due." | "He is a teacher and is helping society. It shows people benefitting from his life, as normally overweight people are hidden away and are not given the credit they are due." |