You may know Deke Bellavia as the co-host of SportsTalk and the “Countdown to Kick-Off” on WWL Radio, the New Orleans Saints Radio Network. His “keep it real” style and folksy wisdom have earned him the love of fans worldwide and his work on United Radio during the Hurricane Katrina disaster cemented Deke as a beloved figure in Louisiana.  

In 2008, Deke had laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve surgery. The Gastric Sleeve is the newest and most popular weight loss surgery available. During this procedure a portion of the stomach is removed, leaving the intestines completely intact. The capacity of the stomach becomes smaller allowing patients to lose weight without sacrificing nutrient absorption.

Surgery allowed Deke to lose 128 pounds and stop all of his diabetes and blood pressure medications. Now he has more energy to recover after a long day and keep up with his wife, Richelle, and their two baby girls.

“I would recommend the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana to anyone who is having health problems due to being overweight. The staff treated me with tremendous care right from the start and is still there for me today. I don’t think there is any type of scenario that you could give me now that would make me any happier than I am now. My only regret is that I didn’t do this sooner.”

Even though Deke is much smaller after his gastric sleeve surgery, he’s still our “Big Chief”!