The recent triumph of Patrick House, winner of “The Biggest Loser,” is a great story in the fight against obesity. What’s even cooler is he currently resides in Vicksburg and grew up in our state. He’s made various public appearances here with sponsors, family and friends signing autographs and taking pictures on his way to becoming a nationwide “reality show celebrity.”

I didn’t watch any episode of “The Biggest Loser,” nor do I personally know House. I do however, understand the story of his success and the uplifting drama it created here in Vicksburg, as well as our state.

While talking to some friends and after reading the article in Wednesday’s edition of The Vicksburg Post, I asked myself, “Why is he taking a job at a high school in South Carolina?”

Mississippi ranks No. 1 in obesity … for the sixth year in a row, according to foodconsumer.org. Warren County is 22nd out of the 81 counties in this state, according to countyhealthranking.org. Amidst all the hoopla and pageantry, the State of Mississippi, and the citizens of Warren County lost an ambassador for overweight children and adults.

I haven’t been to any of the high school campuses here lately, nor have I ventured onto the junior high or elementary schools’. I’d be willing to bet the $250,000 Patrick won, though, that there’s some fat kids roaming the playgrounds and hallways who could use some motivation. Patrick House would have been the perfect motivator.

Vicksburg Warren School District Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Duran Swinford, Mayor Paul Winfield and Gov. Haley Barbour dropped the ball on this one to Mindstream Academy in South Carolina. Or maybe they just let the “Big One” get away.

Bic Smith

Vicksburg