TikToker Rachel TusseyDead at 47

TikToker Rachel Tussey has died after undergoing surgery for a “mommy makeover” … and things took a turn for the worse.

Rachel’s family tells TMZ … “It is with deep regret and sadness that we share the news of Rachel’s passing. We would like to thank everyone, around the world, who faithfully prayed for Rachel and our entire family throughout this extraordinarily difficult time in our family’s life. The outpouring of support, from our community and beyond, has provided us with so much comfort at a time when it was dearly needed. We ask that our family be given time and space to grieve our unimaginable loss.”

Rachel’s husband, Jeremy, updated her GoFundMe page, writing … “We are deeply grateful for the love, prayers, and generous support shown to our family during this incredibly difficult time. Last night, my wife Rachel lost her battle while in hospice care.” He added some beautiful words about what she meant to their family …

He wrote, “Rachel was an amazing wife, mother, and person who touched so many lives. We will carry her memory with us always. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with our family.”

As we previously reported, Rachel, an Ohio mother, had been documenting the process of getting ready for a tummy tuck on social media. Rachel’s husband, Jeremy, announced she had complications from the surgery on March 3.

We spoke with Rachel’s doctor — Dr. Tork — just after she developed health issues, denying his work played any role … “I am heartbroken for Rachel Tussey and her family. My thoughts remain with her loved ones during this devastating time. Like them, I am struggling to understand how this could have occurred.”

Today, Dr. Tork told TMZ … “This is an unimaginable tragedy. I am devastated for Rachel Tussey and her family, and I am sending my deepest condolences and prayers to her loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. My thoughts remain with everyone who loved Rachel. I hope that, in time, the full facts surrounding what happened come to light, bringing clarity and some measure of peace to her family and to everyone affected by this heartbreaking loss.”

Rachel was 47.

What happened

On Feb. 25, Tussey went to the JourneyLite Surgery Center in Evendale to have an abdominoplasty performed by Dr. Shahryar Tork. She even made a short video that day from the bed where she was prepping for the procedure.

“I’m really looking forward to this next chapter,” Tussey said. “If you’re a praying person, I will absolutely take your prayers.”

It was her husband who broke the news to Tussey’s followers in a video March 3. In a video that has now been watched 2 million times, he said he talked to his wife after the surgery in the recovery room, but then her face went pale and she became unresponsive.

He said she had just been given dilaudid and fentanyl as painkillers. She was given Narcan, he said, but it didn’t work. Tork came back to the center and then Tussey was taken to Bethesda North Hospital.

“She was without oxygen for over six minutes. I was told last night that she’s brain dead,” Tussey’s husband said in the video. “To me, it looks like incompetency. Somebody dropped the ball and killed my wife.”

Around March 5, her husband had decided to take her off life support. Her friends remembered her as selfless, generous and community-minded.

“Rachel was truly full of life. She loved adventure, cherished her family deeply, and lived as an example of what community and compassion should look like,” her GoFundMe campaign states. “She dedicated countless hours helping others, including organizing donation efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, collecting supplies and personally delivering essential items to those in need.”

Ohio mother Rachel Tussey with her family.

As Tussey’s story grabbed headlines internationally, Bernie Layne III began representing the family. He vowed to fully investigate what had happened.

“Rachel Tussey suffered a permanent anoxic brain injury, for which she will never recover,” Layne said in March 12 statement to The Enquirer. “We will not comment on any aspect of culpability or liability in this matter, but we will instead focus on providing full support to Rachel Tussey’s family.”

Tussey was taken to hospice facility closer to her home north of Cincinnati after she was taken off life support.

Dr. Tork speaks out

While Tussey was in hospice care, Tork issued a statement March 12.

Tussey was talking and “recovering as expected” before he turned over her care to the staff at the outpatient surgery center, Tork said.

“Rachel’s surgery was completed successfully and without complications,” Tork wrote. She was in “excellent condition” when she was taken to the recovery room for monitoring overnight, he said.

More in News

Who is Banksy? Everything we know about his identity

Yahoo News UK

Tiktoker set to take plunge in skydive for charity

BBC

Independent Artist Group Promotes Grace Burford To Agent

Deadline

Tork said he is “heartbroken” for Tussey and her family. He said he doesn’t know how this happened.

“Because Rachel was scheduled to remain overnight, her post-operative monitoring was overseen by staff contracted by the independent facility, not by my practice,” Tork said. “I have discontinued all procedures at that surgery center.”

He also sent along a quote to the press from an apparent family member saying they don’t blame Tork for what happened.

In response to his statement, the family said: “While we will not comment on specific issues of liability and culpability surrounding this preventable tragedy, it goes without saying, the action of every medical professional and other entities, related to Rachel Tussey’s care, will be thoroughly analyzed and investigated moving forward.”