The tragic death of an influencer, 35, known for extreme weight loss

She was widely known for sharing her radical weight loss with followers across the world. Brazilian influencer Mila de Jesús, who went viral for her incredible transformation, died at the age of 35.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

Some media, such as the Daily Mail, have indicated that her death was due to cardiac arrest on January 12, 2024. However, the details surrounding her demise have not been revealed.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

Originally from Brazil, Mila de Jesús was living in Boston, USA, where she was last spotted enjoying the winter snow.

The news of her death was announced on January 15 through her Instagram account: "I, Anna Clara, am posting this condolence note," her daughter wrote. "We are very sad to hear of the passing of our beautiful mother. We appreciate all the prayers and condolences."

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

The internet star's demise made a big impact, as Mila was doing very well, both in terms of private and professional life. You can see the weight loss of the influencer in these photos from her Instagram account.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

The Brazilian was also newly married. Her new husband was George Kowszik, with whom she made a home together with her four children from a previous marriage.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

Although she celebrated the big change in her body, the woman's internet posts were meant to transmit a message of acceptance and female empowerment.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

According to the Daily Mail, Mila's slimming figure went viral after she underwent a gastric bypass in October 2017.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

The influencer celebrated the anniversary of her weight loss in November 2023 by sharing a post with her almost 60,000 followers on Instagram.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

"13 years between one picture... 6 years since a decision that changed my life in so many ways," she wrote as a caption to these photos. "On one side Mila aged 22 and on the other Mila aged 35, how much we change huh, how we grow and how we learn. Pride girl pride."

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

Although it can cause a great change in a person's body, a gastric bypass in and of itself isn't dangerous, health authorities say.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

As the Mayo Clinic describes it, a "Gastric bypass, also called Roux-en-Y (roo-en-wy) gastric bypass, is a type of weight-loss surgery that involves creating a small pouch from the stomach and connecting the newly created pouch directly to the small intestine." It causes the patient to feel full more easily and for the body to absorb fewer calories from what they have eaten.

The Daily Mail has added that, in the last months of her life, Mila was struggling with psoriasis. It's a skin disease that manifests itself through scaly and very itchy areas.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

"It's been three months dealing with this situation," she said in October 2023. "80 percent of my body is affected. Juggling doctors, medications, ointments, and taking a deep breath."

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram

Whether the weight loss or psoriasis had anything to do with her early death, is not clear. Psoriasis is a chronic disease in which the immune system becomes overactive, the American National Institute of Health explains, but whether it is a fatal illness depends on how severe it is.

Mila's last post appeared on her Instagram account on January 7, as she showed how she was having fun in the snow. Her new groom and four children are devastated by the sudden loss.

Photo: miladejesusoficial / Instagram