Janet Parson says it wasn’t the change in her husband’s physical appearance that ended their 35-year marriage, it was the drastic change in his personality.

Janet and J.C. Parson were high school sweethearts who tied the knot in May 1973, just two weeks after graduating from Campus High School. During those happy, early years of marriage, J.C. was active, fun and confident, says Janet. While J.C. worked as a sales representative for a paper company and Janet as a homemaker, they raised two boys and eventually welcomed five precious grandchildren.

Also during those decades, a gradual change came over J.C. He liked to exercise, but his activity couldn’t keep up with his big appetite. As plenty of steak, ice cream and pizza added to his weight, J.C. eventually topped 300 pounds. His physical and mental health deteriorated, but he refused to do anything about it. “He was in denial,” says Janet.

Then one day in 2005, J.C. got a wake-up call. Janet had finally gotten him to a doctor’s office for a blood test, and the doctor immediately sent him to Wesley Medical Center’s intensive care unit. “My blood sugar level was way off the scale,” says J.C. His blood pressure was also astronomically high, and his body was on the verge of collapse. A nurse told him he was lucky he wasn’t in a coma.

After eight days in the hospital, J.C. started on a regimen of insulin injections for his diabetes, and oral medications for a variety of health conditions. “I was on 15 pills a day,” he says. Janet tried to help him lose weight. They pursued every diet they could find. “You name it, I’ve tried it — Weight Watchers, NutriSystem — everything,” says J.C. He managed to stay at about 290 pounds for a few years, but then his appetite got out of control again and he zoomed up to well over 300.

“He just seemed to give up,” says Janet. J.C. admits he felt embarrassed about his weight. He was often uncomfortable and sweating, even while he was with clients. He didn’t want to make airline reservations because he was afraid he would have to pay for two seats. “The slightest things seemed unmanageable,” says Janet. “He didn’t want to do anything or go anywhere. When you hate yourself, it’s hard to love others,” she adds. Over time, J.C.’s lack of initiative and concern drastically impacted their relationship.

Finally, Janet had enough. The marriage was over. Janet moved in with her mother and got a divorce.

The failed marriage was another wake-up call. J.C. finally decided to try the only option left—weight loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery. There are several types of bariatric surgery, each with different risks and benefits. J.C. met with Dr. Ian Villanueva, medical director of bariatric surgery at Wesley, and decided on gastric bypass surgery. The operation took place in January 2008. The initial results were quick and dramatic, as his diabetes disappeared within a week. His blood pressure and cholesterol level started going down. J.C. dropped 165 pounds in a year and a half, and now he is off all but two medications. “I feel great!” he says.

Best of all, his outgoing personality began to return. Several times after the surgery, J.C. begged Janet to give him another chance, but she thought it was impossible to repair the emotional damage. It was a church service about marriage that prompted her to give him another try. Eventually, through counseling, support from their church and their strong religious faith, they were able to rebuild their relationship.

Janet and J.C. remarried on May 29, 2010, exactly 37 years after their first wedding. Now they are like newlyweds again, spending time with friends, traveling and actively participating in their church. J.C. claims the surgery saved his life.

Janet simply says, “It’s a miracle.”