The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Wesley Warren Jr. declined an opportunity to have the “Dr. Oz Show” pay for the medical expenses associated with the surgery, partially because they wanted exclusive interview rights.

But Warren bristles at the notion that he won’t get surgery because he doesn’t want to lose the fame he’s garnered because of his condition, which is caused by an excess of watery fluid collecting around his testicles.

“Who would want to live like this?” he said. “I just don’t want to die during the operation.”

As the Journal previously reported, Warren’s scrotum prevents him from holding down a job and makes it difficult for him to urinate properly. But the surgery is complicated and it carries the risk, among others, that his penis and testicles could have to be completely removed if surgeons can’t stop the bleeding.

Warren’s Facebook page, created back in 2011 to raise money for surgery, garnered the expected mocking comments, but also words of encouragement.

“Keep praying. God’s going to fix this,” one user wrote.

Keep your head up,” another commented. “You will get the surgery.”