WEIGHT LOSS – A 20-year-old woman who tragically died after a botched weight-loss operation in Turkey after years of being bullied for her weight, posted a tragic TikTok days before saying: ‘My last post before weight loss surgery – see you on the other side.’
What has Happened?
Morgan Ribeiro, 20, had flown to Turkey with her boyfriend for a £2,500 gastric sleeve operation earlier this month because she didn’t want to be placed ‘on an NHS waiting list for years’.
It is the latest tragic example of calamitous foreign cosmetic surgery and Morgan’s mother has called for more government intervention to educate around the dangerous surgeries saying ‘she never wants this to happen to another daughter.’
She Went Into Shock
Morgan’s procedure took place on January 5 and three days later she was given the all-clear to fly home with her boyfriend James Brewster, 19, however on their return flight to Gatwick , Morgan became seriously ill and went into septic shock.
After the plane made an emergency landing in Serbia, it emerged that Morgan’s small intestine had been cut during the gastric sleeve procedure, leading to an infection.
During the Operation
During the operation, surgeons removed over 10cm of her small intestine but tragically Morgan suffered a heart attack on January 9 and was placed in an induced coma – dying four days later in a hospital in Belgrade.
Morgan’s family say they had not known about her planned operation until just days before she was due to fly out and were concerned by the risks.
Her sister, 26-year-old Kayleigh Ribeiro had begged her not to go through with the surgery which carries a number of complicating health risks.
Her mother Erin Gibson, 44, is now fundraising £10,000 to repatriate her body and has spoken publicly about her grief.
Statement from Family
Speaking to the Independent, the mother-of-five said: ‘Growing up she was bullied a lot, she’s always battled with her weight and been a bigger girl and she had a really rough time with it.
‘I told her she was beautiful inside and out, she really was a beautiful girl.
‘By the time I found out it was too late, she was already on the plane. I had that sinking feeling because I’d heard horror stories about Turkey.
‘I never ever want this to happen to another daughter. I don’t want her life to be in vain.’
In advance of the procedure, Morgan had had a virtual consultation with the Turkish company in September 2023 before booking the January operation.
Her boyfriend James claims that hospital staff and translators speaking to her did not mention the dangers associated with the operation prior to Morgan going under the knife.
The organisation that connected Morgan with the Turkish surgeon has denied any wrongdoing.
