Wildelis Rosa, a 26-year-old police officer and U.S. Army Reservist from New Orleans, tragically passed away just days after undergoing a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure in Miami, Florida.
Rosa had traveled to South Florida to celebrate her birthday after returning from Kuwait. According to the New York Post, she underwent pre-surgery tests on March 19, 2024, at Prestige Plastic Surgery Clinic and had the operation the next day.
The BBL procedure involved extracting fat from 12 parts of her body and injecting it into her buttocks. The surgery cost $7,495.
Sudden Complications and Tragic Death
Three days after the procedure, Rosa informed her family about the cosmetic surgery while recovering at a short-term rental apartment. Her sister, Anamin Vazquez, became worried when she stopped responding to messages.
On March 23, a friend staying with Rosa found her collapsed in the bathroom. CPR was attempted but she was already unresponsive.
A report from the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner confirmed the cause of death as pulmonary embolism—a potentially fatal complication involving a blockage in the lungs, often associated with post-surgical risks like BBL.
Warning Signs Ignored?
Rosa had reportedly been in extreme pain and experienced difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, and numbness in her lower limbs in the days following the procedure. Her condition worsened rapidly.
Her death has raised further concerns about the dangers of BBL surgeries, which remain one of the most high-risk cosmetic procedures due to complications like fat embolism.