“TransFatty Lives”: An interview with ALS filmmaker Patrick O’Brien

Meet Patrick O’Brien, a.k.a. “TransFatty,” whom we met through our friend and longtime PatientsLikeMe ALS member Steve Saling (Smooth S) after catching up with him earlier this year.

Patrick is one of Steve’s housemates at the Steve Saling ALS Residence at the Chelsea Jewish Foundation’s Leonard Florence Center for Living and he’s also an award-winning filmmaker.

Back in 2005 when he was diagnosed with ALS, Patrick was making his mark on New York City as a rising filmmaker, DJ, infamous prankster and internet sensation. He called himself “TransFatty,” as a nod to his love of junk food. After his diagnosis, he decided to keep the cameras rolling – on himself. “TransFatty Lives” is the result of a decade of footage that shows his progression with the disease and it’s gone on to win the Audience Choice Awards at both the 2015 Tribeca and Milan Film Festivals.

We visited Patrick last month to chat with him about the film and life in general. Here’s what he had to say.

“TransFatty Lives” is available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and Xbox.

 

 

Share this post on Twitter and help spread the word.

Please follow and like us:
Scroll to Top