Eventually, Buchel went through surgery to remove one of the lymphedemas masses present on the right side of his body. This is where it all began to go downhill.
The surgery caused him unbearable pain, and he became addicted to pain medication to a point where he was unable to function without them.
Buchel’s doctor, Nowzaradan, tried to slowly reduce his intake of the pills, but the damage had been done. He tore at his stitches in an attempt to reach for his medication once, and he had completely stopped moving or walking, bringing his progress to a grinding halt.
According to Buchel’s fiancé, Lemanski, he had become almost unrecognizable in those weeks. Eventually, he was sent back to rehab in an attempt to wean him off of his addiction.
One week later, Buchel suffered a heart attack and passed away. One of his final sentences to his fiancé was “I don’t think I’ll make it through the night. I love you and I always will.” In a heartbreaking Facebook post, Lemanski mourned the death of the love of her life and best friend. They had spent 14 years together.
Doctors, friends, and family have all praised Buchel’s efforts and hard work to change his lifestyle, and commend the fact that in spite of fighting addiction, he never gave up. Rest in peace, Robert.
