For years Ray struggled with his weight. Ultimately, he needed to have his knees replaced, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"After visiting two doctors, they both told me if it hadn't been for my weight and other medical problems, they could've performed the surgery," he said.

Chief of Bariatric Surgery Brett Cohen, MD, performed a sleeve gastrectomy or gastric sleeve surgery at the Memorial Weight-Loss Surgery Program.

"I don't avoid doing things now. I get up and do it. I can do so much more now at an older age, than I could've 10 years ago."