At 454 pounds, Daniel Wright, 19, is the heaviest player in the history of "The Biggest Loser," and when the NBC weight-loss competition returns this January 6, Daniel and his best friend David Lee, 23, will be fighting for their lives.

"I know we have damaged ourselves, but we haven't waited until 40. If we can do this now, we can save a lot of time on our lives. Our biggest fear is death - early," says Daniel, who suffers from borderline Type 2 diabetes, elevated blood pressure, sleep apnea and hypothyroidism.

"I let [my weight] hold me back from living my high school years like I should," he says, explaining that the weight eventually really takes a toll. "When you have to plan out how to put your shoes on so you don't break a sweat, it really changes how you look at things."

"The Biggest Loser: Couples" premieres Tuesday, January 6 at 8 p.m. on NBC.