The global medical and entertainment communities reflect with gratitude on the extraordinary life of Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, the Iranian-born bariatric surgeon and television icon who passed away on November 25, 2025, at age 81.
Known universally as Dr. Now, his pioneering techniques in weight-loss surgery empowered thousands to reclaim their health and futures. His blend of clinical precision and empathetic guidance redefined obesity care, leaving a blueprint for compassionate medicine.
Born October 11, 1944, in Tehran, Iran, to Assyrian parents who instilled a profound value for education, Younan pursued his medical degree at the University of Tehran, graduating in 1970 amid a family legacy of intellectual rigor.
Immigrating to the United States shortly after, he completed his general surgery residency at St. Louis University Hospital in Missouri, forging the foundation for a career that bridged cultural horizons. These formative years honed his resolve to address underserved health crises through innovative vascular and bariatric practices.
Establishing his practice in Houston, Texas, Dr. Nowzaradan specialized in gastric bypass and minimally invasive procedures at facilities like Texas Endosurgery Associates, performing over 7,000 surgeries that transformed lives burdened by extreme obesity.
Board-certified by the American College of Surgeons, he authored seminal works like “Last Chance to Live” and “The Scale Does Not Lie, People Do,” advocating evidence-based strategies for sustainable weight management. His academic contributions, including over 100 peer-reviewed publications on laparoscopy and obesity hypoventilation, elevated global standards in the field.
Dr. Now’s television legacy began in 2012 with TLC’s “My 600-lb Life,” where his no-nonsense yet profoundly humane approach guided participants through life-altering journeys, amassing millions of viewers and sparking worldwide conversations on obesity stigma.
Featured on “Oprah” and “The 6000 lb Diaries,” he demystified bariatric interventions, emphasizing diet, exercise, and psychological support as pillars of recovery. His on-screen candor—demanding 1,000-calorie limits while celebrating milestones—humanized a complex epidemic, earning him a place in pop culture as both healer and motivator.
Married to Delores McRedmond from 1975 until their 2002 divorce, Dr. Nowzaradan raised three children—Jennifer, Christian, and Jonathan—in Houston, instilling the same discipline that defined his professional ethos.
Jonathan, a director and producer on “My 600-lb Life,” carried forward the family legacy in entertainment, while his siblings pursued paths reflecting their father’s emphasis on perseverance and service. Family dinners often revolved around discussions of health and resilience, mirroring the supportive dynamic he extended to patients.
Though Dr. Younan Nowzaradan’s steady hand is stilled, his transformative impact on medicine and media endures, inspiring a new generation to confront obesity with science and empathy. Houston’s surgical suites and living rooms worldwide echo with his measured wisdom, a testament to a life that weighed compassion above all. Memorial arrangements are forthcoming through Houston services, inviting reflections on the surgeon whose legacy scales eternal heights.