Man gains son after losing 250 pounds

INDEPENDENCE, Mo., Sept. 17 (UPI) -- A Missouri man lost half his 500-pound weight to adopt the baby of a Texas relative.

Gary Stocklaufer and his wife spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees fighting the state of Missouri's contention that he was too fat to adopt a child, KMBC-TV in Kansas City reports.

The Independence, Mo. resident said his weight wasn't a problem until he wanted to adopt.

"The state didn't have a problem with it when I was a foster parent," said Stocklaufer. "We had kids coming in and out of the house, and it was all good."

After Stocklaufer's fight with Missouri made headlines, a Texas company donated the funds for weight-loss surgery.

He dropped 250 pounds and gained a son named Max.

"We want to thank people for the prayers and the donations," Stocklaufer said, adding that the family is in the process of selling a car to pay some of the legal fees.