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Rachel Tussey GoFundMe: Ohio TikToker and mom in ‘vegetative state’ after undergoing tummy tuck procedure
Rachel Tussey, 47, is fighting for her life after alleged complications from a tummy tuck surgery. A GoFundMe has been launched to help her family.
UPDATE: Despite earlier reports claiming that TikToker Rachel Tussey was dead, a family member has clarified that she is still alive. Ben Tori Tussey said in a Facebook post, “Reading the comments under the misinformed media posts has been incredibly draining for Rachel’s family and friends. Several media outlets stating Rachel Tussey have incorrectly reported that Rachel has passed. That is not true. She is still fighting in true Rachel fashion”.
Ben added, “At this point, arguing with people online won’t stop the misinformation. It only leads to pointless debates with people who don’t know the situation but feel the need to comment anyway. Please remember that Rachel’s family is seeing these posts and comments. To those who have sent love, prayers, and support—thank you. It truly means more than you know. Please continue to support her husband, children, family, and friends as they stand by Rachel while she is under hospice care.”
Tussey, an Ohio TikToker and mom of three, was left in a “vegetative state” after undergoing a “mommy makeover” tummy tuck procedure, a GoFundMe launched for her family said. Tussey described herself as “Over 40 & fabulous” to her followers on TikTok. She had been using the platform to share how excited and also scared she was as she prepared for the cosmetic surgery.
The 47-year-old underwent an abdominoplasty surgery on February 25. She told her followers that it was a procedure she had “waited a really long time for.”
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“I’m in good hands. I know God’s got my back. Let’s do this,” Tussey, dressed in a hospital gown said in her last video, posted just hours before the surgery.
What happened to Rachel Tussey?
Jeremy Tussey, her husband, shared in an emotional TikTok update that things took a turn for the worse after the procedure. The surgery was successful, but Tussey later became unresponsive, her husband said, according to Cincinnati.com
Tussey was administered Narcan, but efforts to revive her failed. She was rushed to Bethesda North Hospital where she was put on a ventilator.
Jeremy said that he believes the dose of pain killer given to Tussey at the surgery center was too high. However, he also praised the care she received at the hospital.
“To me, it looks like incompetency. Somebody dropped the ball here,” the husband said. “Somebody dropped the ball and killed my wife.”
Jeremy claimed that his wife was without oxygen for more than six minutes before he was told that she was brain dead. He then took her off life support.
The family told local news outlet WXIX-TV that they have obtained a lawyer. However, they have yet to file a lawsuit against the plastic surgeon.
GoFundMe launched
A GoFundMe that was launched after Tussey’s death described her as a “vibrant mother, devoted wife, and a true servant to her community” who lost her life after undergoing “a surgery that tragically resulted in an unfortunate situation of medical neglect.”
“Rachel fought bravely with her family by her side, but the extent of the damage left her with very minimal brain activity. On March 5th, her husband Jeremy faced the unimaginable and heartbreaking decision to remove her from life support. While Rachel is still breathing at this time, neurology evaluations have confirmed that her brain is in a vegetative state resulting in an unfortunate likelihood of slowly passing away. Rachel’s family holds out hope while staying by her side, but they are also aware of the medical prognosis they have been given. Rachel is currently receiving end of life care in hospice,” the page read.
It added, “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. 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. When someone needed help, Rachel was always the first person to step forward.”
The GoFundMe is raising money to help Jeremy, and the couple’s three children – Tristan, Alec, and Livi – as the family faces “significant unexpected expenses during an already overwhelming time of grief.”
