A mum died completely alone in a hospital after undergoing a gastric sleeve procedure in Turkey.
Leanne Leary, 38, travelled to Istanbul in June to have some tests done.
She paid £2,000 upfront and went to the operating table a few hours later.
The mum-of-three, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, was ‘so excited’ and sent a photo of herself in a hospital gown to her family’s WhatsApp group chat.
But when it got to 7pm and Leanne’s loved ones had not heard from her, they became worried and asked a friend who spoke Turkish to call the hospital.
Doctors said Leanne had suffered a heart attack but was stable. They claimed they had not been able to inform anyone because she had not provided a next of kin.
Leanne’s parents flew to Turkey but when they got there, they were told she had suffered another heart attack and died.
Her body has been flown back to the UK, where an autopsy will be conducted.
Rochdale Coroner’s Court will hold an inquest into how Leanne’s condition deteriorated so quickly.
Steven Leary, Leanne’s ex-husband and the father to two of her children, said: ‘She was very kind and generous and always willing to help other people even when she might need it herself.
‘My son is very angry. It was very unexpected and you don’t expect when you pay thousands of pounds for a medical procedure that this is going to happen. Her daughters are heartbroken.
‘He went on to explain that Leanne had struggled with her weight after having their two kids, 15-year-old Kyle and 14-year-old Caitlin.
Steven said: ‘Over the last few years she developed asthma which made it difficult for her to exercise.
‘Like a lot of people she would comfort eat. If we were celebrating we would go for a meal. If she was feeling a bit down she would order a takeaway.
‘She went to see doctors over here and was on the waiting list to have the procedure in this country but it was five years.
‘She had a target which was her 40th birthday. She didn’t want to wait five years and she didn’t feel she was able to lose the weight on her own.
‘Leanne decided to go to Turkey after she saw a friend from school had undergone the procedure safely and seen great results.
Steven went on: ‘Leanne was looking on Instagram and there are all these wonderful before and after pictures.
‘She probably took all the positives and didn’t read the bad press. She had 100% confidence in it. She thought it was absolutely safe.
‘You go on the website and you message this number on Whatsapp and it all gets booked through there as if it’s a hairdressers’ appointment.’
The devastated dad is now looking after all three of Leanne’s children, including her youngest daughter Keavey.
