Florida Woman Left Completely Paralyzed After Botched Brazilian Butt Lift

In May 2023, Daidys Pena Garces underwent what she expected to be a transformative procedure—a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) performed by Dr. Fermin Morales at A&E Med Spa in Florida.

Months later, the consequences of that procedure would rob her of her independence and severely alter her life forever.

Unqualified Surgeon Accused

Reports indicate that while Dr. Morales is a licensed general surgeon, he was not a board-certified plastic surgeon—yet he performed this highly risky cosmetic operation.

This distinction is critical, as expertise in fat grafting techniques and patient selection can determine BBL outcomes. In this case, Daidys was reportedly never alerted to the surgeon’s lack of specific qualifications.

A Pulmonary Embolism That Changed Everything

Just one month after the surgery, Daidys suffered a massive pulmonary embolism—a fatal complication where fat enters the bloodstream and blocks arteries in the lungs.

Medical staff feared she would not survive. Though she pulled through, the damage was catastrophic: she lost the ability to walk unaided, speak clearly, or eat without assistance. Today, she relies on a feeding tube and her loving husband, Jorge, has become her full-time caregiver.

A Legal and Financial Battle Begins

Jorge Fernandez has launched a wrongful death lawsuit against both A&E Med Spa and Dr. Morales, accusing them of negligence and misrepresentation.

His legal team emphasizes that had Daidys known the doctor was not a certified plastic surgeon, she likely would have avoided the procedure altogether. There’s also a GoFundMe in place to cover her ongoing medical and daily living needs.

Florida’s Cosmetic Surgery Loophole

What makes this case especially tragic is that, in Florida, no regulation requires cosmetic surgeons to be board-certified in plastic surgery.

This loophole allows general physicians to offer elective aesthetic procedures like BBLs—sometimes with catastrophic results. Advocates argue this needs urgent legislative reform.

A Teachable Moment for the Public

Daidys’s story joins a growing list of harrowing BBL outcomes, including stories of infections, amputations, and even fatalities—all underscoring the procedure’s danger when performed in unregulated settings. Despite its popularity, especially in social media-driven beauty culture, BBL is among the riskiest cosmetic surgeries.

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