When Colby Wright was 22, his father committed suicide. Six weeks later, his younger brother was killed in a car accident. Those tragedies early in his life caused him to grow up fast and also contributed to his weight gain, as he turned to food and a poor diet to cope with sadness and stress. Colby was born and raised in Screven, Georgia, and attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. He has been team roping since he was 14, and has been a cowboy and a farrier (someone who shoes horses) for the last 10 years. He is no longer able to rope and ride due to his size, so instead he works as an announcer at rodeos and as a DJ. Colby, who is married to his teammate Hope, is 31 years old and 339 pounds. The turning point for Colby was when he was no longer able to buy a pair of jeans at a regular store and had to go to a specialty store. Once he loses the weight, he looks forward to shopping at regular clothing stores and being able to rodeo again.