Filmed but never helped!
I wanted to share my story about A&E's show Intervention. All this took place about 10+ years ago, I can’t remember dates as I had to just block it out of my mind after the hurt from this. It’s been 10+ years now and Istarted to watch the show again and believe they are trying to help but alsohurting people like me and though maybe time to share my story.
My sister watched the show a lot when it first aired. She loved how they were helping people withtheir issues. After a few years ofwatching it and watching me slowly kill myself from obesity and comorbidities of which diabetes was one that worried her, she decided to contact the show. At some point, they contacted her aboutme. She then talked to my family andmother of my daughter which I lived with to get them onboard for this.
From what I have heard and little been told they had to go though A LOT toget this all lined up. I know it wasn’teasy for them but they thought they needed to do this. I have heard took months to work allout.
I had been working for a company before all this and was then outsourced toother company that took over there IT support. I loved my job but there was a year of all us employees not knowing whatthe company was doing and if would have jobs after was killing many of us inside. I had loved my job before. I loved the people worked with and just being part of the great team we had. The year of not knowing what was going on and company not sharing ANY info was killing many of us. The place became a hell. People pissed all the time and stressed made coming to work a nightmare for me. I felt beat up, worthless, hopeless anddepressed during this time. At this timemy obesity had gotten much worse. After the year of hell, the outsourcing was done. We transition to the new company. They said we all had guaranteed jobs for 1 year. This was point of the outsource contract butthey had no intention of letting anyone go after the year. At this point theystarted breaking up the teams and moving people all over the different building we had and just changing things. I got put into a job where I knew no one and really wasn’t in my skillset. I felt setup to fail. Well at 1 year and 1 day 1500 people got called into a meeting and let go .I was one of them. My boss which wasn’t located in same state didn’t do the paperwork etc. He had a friend I had worked with who was placed on different team be the one to do this. I felt so betrayed and worthless at this point. Now I was without job and now looking forsomeone which 1500 others in same field. I didn’t go well.I couldn’t evenget interviews and became so depressed. At someone point is when all this came to crashing point.I couldn’t leave home and was put on disability.
A few years of dealing with this and my sister and family watching is when she contacted A&E Intervention.
At some point the production company contacted me about doing a documentary about obesity .I agreed to do it.I wanted to help others and thought maybe I could somehow.
The film crew about 2 I believe and a producer came to my house where Ilived with my girlfriend (now wife) and daughter to start interviewing and filming. At first basically if even seen the show it’s the standard get to knowyou questions and filming. At points,would ask you questions etc. They told meto pretty much go about my day as normal. At this point of my life I pretty much stayed in my den and used my computer. I was at pretty low stop in life and wasn’t taking care of myself as I should. I wouldn’t always take my diabetes meds ortest my blood sugar. I was very depressed. My girlfriend pretty much lead separate lives at this time. Mine in my den and hers downstairs with my daughter.
To be honest it was nice having someone here to talk to and share all this with.It was like I had a friend again which I had been missing for years.I loved my partner due she was working from work downstairs and taking care of my daughter. I didn’t want to get in the way.
I felt good telling my story and the hope it could help someone. At the same time, I was hoping it would help me. I didn’t that the other crew and producer was downstairs with my partner telling her that she needs to confront me and see what happens. She loved me and didn’t want to do this. We aren’t that type of people she would tell them. We don’t yell and try not to fight. We tried to talk about things. She was feeling like this isn’t what they wanted and she didn’t want to do this. I guess this went on for several days and while I was upstairs doing my thing and talking and be filmed. Also, my daughter would get filmed all the time in her room. They would tell me how beautiful and how well she comes out on camera. I believe she was 2 or 3 then. I was a proud father and all this was nice change my depressing life at this point. The guy filming me would say enjoined filming us .I was nice at this point. I thought all was going well. From what I heard they were out talking to my family. Mainly my mother and sister. They were doing all the planning etc. I believe that would go into this.
I believe after 2-3 days off this all going on they wanted to film a dinner. They asked what was planning. So, my girlfriend said was having family over and planning a steak dinner. She told them she would go to Costco to get steaks and some other stuff needed. The crew made few calls to get permissionto film at Costco. They said the production company would paid for what we needed. Which now thinking back on it seemed strange. Up to this point they didn’t offer and suggest to paid anything.
We drove to Costco and crew followed us. They filmed us at Costco shopping which wasn’t long at all. They paid for what we got. They said meet back at the house.
After we got home they didn’t show up. Thought maybe traffic, got lost or something like that. Few hours laterthey called my girlfriend and sister telling them that they are going to stop filming and not going forward with the Intervention. Told them they didn’t think could sell the segment to Network. Said they were sorry but hope we enjoyed the steaks. Which was under $150. Told them how much enjoyed meeting all of us. At some point, they provide my girlfriend a resource that said she should call they might be able to help us all. Later the producer called me and basically told me same. Told me that they had planned and Intervention and had treatment lined up but they couldn’t provide it due to cost since didn’t think Network would pick up this. This was like a knife in my back after all that happened in past and having the serious depression I suffered from. My family was so hurt by this! They prayed for help and thought had some. They had worked for months on this. The hurt caused was unreal. It pretty much killed my mother. She did pass away a few years later and had told me before how much this took from her. A few days later my girlfriend called the number provided and was disconnected. She tracked down the correct number and called. They had no idea why she was calling them. We thought that maybe the Production company contacted them but this wasn’t the case. They couldn’t provide us any help. My girlfriend and sister tried to call the Producer and her number was disconnected also. Emailed them but never heard anything back. The pain really continues to this day. My wife now and sister will not watch show. My sister really doesn’t like anything from A&E.
The few good things that did come from all this was after some pain went away I know how much my family cares. I learned that if I was going to be a father to my little girl I needed to do something. A few years later I got a RNY Gastric Bypass. This did save my life. I did lose about 200lbs and could get around better and live more .I believe now after 7 years or so after the RNY I am starting to help issues again. I am not sure why but something deep inside affects this. My depression is starting to get back again. I find myself not wanting to do anything other than lay in bed and watch TV. I am back to about 300lbs which is still better than before but not healthy.
Like a said I started to watch show again but I think people need to know that it isn’t all they show .I believe they do try to stir stuff up to make good TV. I think they do want to see people at lows and they help. When all is said, and done how many others did they leave without help? Why can’tjust normal nice people in dire situations get help needed?
To this day, the Network, crew, Production company or anyone involved withshow contacted anyone from my family to even checkup.
I wanted to share my story about A&E's show Intervention. All this took place about 10+ years ago, I can’t remember dates as I had to just block it out of my mind after the hurt from this. It’s been 10+ years now and Istarted to watch the show again and believe they are trying to help but alsohurting people like me and though maybe time to share my story.
My sister watched the show a lot when it first aired. She loved how they were helping people withtheir issues. After a few years ofwatching it and watching me slowly kill myself from obesity and comorbidities of which diabetes was one that worried her, she decided to contact the show. At some point, they contacted her aboutme. She then talked to my family andmother of my daughter which I lived with to get them onboard for this.
From what I have heard and little been told they had to go though A LOT toget this all lined up. I know it wasn’teasy for them but they thought they needed to do this. I have heard took months to work allout.
I had been working for a company before all this and was then outsourced toother company that took over there IT support. I loved my job but there was a year of all us employees not knowing whatthe company was doing and if would have jobs after was killing many of us inside. I had loved my job before. I loved the people worked with and just being part of the great team we had. The year of not knowing what was going on and company not sharing ANY info was killing many of us. The place became a hell. People pissed all the time and stressed made coming to work a nightmare for me. I felt beat up, worthless, hopeless anddepressed during this time. At this timemy obesity had gotten much worse. After the year of hell, the outsourcing was done. We transition to the new company. They said we all had guaranteed jobs for 1 year. This was point of the outsource contract butthey had no intention of letting anyone go after the year. At this point theystarted breaking up the teams and moving people all over the different building we had and just changing things. I got put into a job where I knew no one and really wasn’t in my skillset. I felt setup to fail. Well at 1 year and 1 day 1500 people got called into a meeting and let go .I was one of them. My boss which wasn’t located in same state didn’t do the paperwork etc. He had a friend I had worked with who was placed on different team be the one to do this. I felt so betrayed and worthless at this point. Now I was without job and now looking forsomeone which 1500 others in same field. I didn’t go well.I couldn’t evenget interviews and became so depressed. At someone point is when all this came to crashing point.I couldn’t leave home and was put on disability.
A few years of dealing with this and my sister and family watching is when she contacted A&E Intervention.
At some point the production company contacted me about doing a documentary about obesity .I agreed to do it.I wanted to help others and thought maybe I could somehow.
The film crew about 2 I believe and a producer came to my house where Ilived with my girlfriend (now wife) and daughter to start interviewing and filming. At first basically if even seen the show it’s the standard get to knowyou questions and filming. At points,would ask you questions etc. They told meto pretty much go about my day as normal. At this point of my life I pretty much stayed in my den and used my computer. I was at pretty low stop in life and wasn’t taking care of myself as I should. I wouldn’t always take my diabetes meds ortest my blood sugar. I was very depressed. My girlfriend pretty much lead separate lives at this time. Mine in my den and hers downstairs with my daughter.
To be honest it was nice having someone here to talk to and share all this with.It was like I had a friend again which I had been missing for years.I loved my partner due she was working from work downstairs and taking care of my daughter. I didn’t want to get in the way.
I felt good telling my story and the hope it could help someone. At the same time, I was hoping it would help me. I didn’t that the other crew and producer was downstairs with my partner telling her that she needs to confront me and see what happens. She loved me and didn’t want to do this. We aren’t that type of people she would tell them. We don’t yell and try not to fight. We tried to talk about things. She was feeling like this isn’t what they wanted and she didn’t want to do this. I guess this went on for several days and while I was upstairs doing my thing and talking and be filmed. Also, my daughter would get filmed all the time in her room. They would tell me how beautiful and how well she comes out on camera. I believe she was 2 or 3 then. I was a proud father and all this was nice change my depressing life at this point. The guy filming me would say enjoined filming us .I was nice at this point. I thought all was going well. From what I heard they were out talking to my family. Mainly my mother and sister. They were doing all the planning etc. I believe that would go into this.
I believe after 2-3 days off this all going on they wanted to film a dinner. They asked what was planning. So, my girlfriend said was having family over and planning a steak dinner. She told them she would go to Costco to get steaks and some other stuff needed. The crew made few calls to get permissionto film at Costco. They said the production company would paid for what we needed. Which now thinking back on it seemed strange. Up to this point they didn’t offer and suggest to paid anything.
We drove to Costco and crew followed us. They filmed us at Costco shopping which wasn’t long at all. They paid for what we got. They said meet back at the house.
After we got home they didn’t show up. Thought maybe traffic, got lost or something like that. Few hours laterthey called my girlfriend and sister telling them that they are going to stop filming and not going forward with the Intervention. Told them they didn’t think could sell the segment to Network. Said they were sorry but hope we enjoyed the steaks. Which was under $150. Told them how much enjoyed meeting all of us. At some point, they provide my girlfriend a resource that said she should call they might be able to help us all. Later the producer called me and basically told me same. Told me that they had planned and Intervention and had treatment lined up but they couldn’t provide it due to cost since didn’t think Network would pick up this. This was like a knife in my back after all that happened in past and having the serious depression I suffered from. My family was so hurt by this! They prayed for help and thought had some. They had worked for months on this. The hurt caused was unreal. It pretty much killed my mother. She did pass away a few years later and had told me before how much this took from her. A few days later my girlfriend called the number provided and was disconnected. She tracked down the correct number and called. They had no idea why she was calling them. We thought that maybe the Production company contacted them but this wasn’t the case. They couldn’t provide us any help. My girlfriend and sister tried to call the Producer and her number was disconnected also. Emailed them but never heard anything back. The pain really continues to this day. My wife now and sister will not watch show. My sister really doesn’t like anything from A&E.
The few good things that did come from all this was after some pain went away I know how much my family cares. I learned that if I was going to be a father to my little girl I needed to do something. A few years later I got a RNY Gastric Bypass. This did save my life. I did lose about 200lbs and could get around better and live more .I believe now after 7 years or so after the RNY I am starting to help issues again. I am not sure why but something deep inside affects this. My depression is starting to get back again. I find myself not wanting to do anything other than lay in bed and watch TV. I am back to about 300lbs which is still better than before but not healthy.
Like a said I started to watch show again but I think people need to know that it isn’t all they show .I believe they do try to stir stuff up to make good TV. I think they do want to see people at lows and they help. When all is said, and done how many others did they leave without help? Why can’tjust normal nice people in dire situations get help needed?
To this day, the Network, crew, Production company or anyone involved withshow contacted anyone from my family to even checkup.
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