A beauty influencer has passed away amidst her recovery from a weight loss surgery.
Valeria Pantoja, a mother of one, started feeling ill last week as she struggled through a complex recovery following a bariatric surgery.
Despite being taken quickly to a hospital, she was unresponsive upon arrival.
Her family broke the terrible news to her 12,700 Instagram followers.
But then her family were bombarded by wild speculation from trolls about her cause of death.
This led her sister-in-law to respond: “She didn’t take her own life, and she didn’t fall down the stairs.
“We still don’t know the cause of death. Only the autopsy will tell us.
“She was recovering from bariatric surgery, was very weak, felt unwell during the night, and sadly arrived at the hospital with no signs of life.”
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is a surgical procedure designed to treat obesity and related health conditions.
She worked as a beautician in Manaus, Brazil, offering lip fillers, Botox, and micropigmentation.
Her Instagram bio says: “I help you find the best version of yourself.”
One of her clients was the influencer Caila Carim, who boasts 287,000 Instagram followers.
She says she had an appointment booked with Valéria on Saturday.
Caila posted a video of herself in tears over the news.
Follower Ana Paula commented: “Her craziness and contagious laughter will live on in the hearts of many who had the pleasure of knowing Valéria.”
And her daughter, Ana Cecília, wrote: “Losing your mum is one of the hardest things.
“If you still have your mum by your side, cherish her, because losing the person who brought you into this world is not easy at all.
“For those of you who argue with your mum or disobey her, don’t.
“Because the day after an argument, she’ll be there making you a special breakfast and saying, ‘I love you, my daughter. You mean everything to me.’
“No one is ever truly prepared to lose their mum, the one who gave them life.
“My mum always told me she loved me whenever she could. Every night before bed, she’d say, ‘Daughter, I love you, okay? Never forget that.’
“So value her, because you only get one mum.
“I love my mum with all my heart.”
