Influencer Luana Andrade, 29, dies after having liposuction as boyfriend leads tributes to 'sunshine princess'

An Instagram influencer and fashion brand owner has died at the age of 29 after undergoing liposuction surgery. Luana Andrade died earlier this month after suffering from a massive pulmonary embolism, which occurs when  when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in your lung, a day after being admitted to the hospital to “undergo an aesthetic procedure”, according to Brazilian news outlet Globo 1.

Following the star's death, her boyfriend João Hadad took to his Instagram page to share a sweet tribute to her writing that he was "living in his “worst nightmare” since his girlfriend, who he described as his "sunshine princess" passed away. Many of Andrade's fans have also left their own tributes.

So, just who was Andrade, what happened to her and what tributes have been left to her? Here's what you need to know.

Who was Luana Andrade?

Andrade was a Brazilian influencer and fashionista who had more than 594,000 followers on Instagram. She founded her own clothing brand named Lukand, but was also well known for starring in Season 6 of the Brazilian reality TV show “Power Couple” alongside her boyfriend, whom she began dating in 2021.

Earlier this year, she announced she had become a new stage assistant for the Brazilian show “Domingo Legal”. She was born in the Brazilian capital of São Paulo, but had been living with her boyfriend in Vila Velha , Espírito Santo, for four months, at the time of her death.

One of Andrade's last Instagram posts, which was put on her page @luandradel just days before she died, was a reel with highlights from 2023 as she began to look forward to 2024. It was heartbreakingly captioned: "It's not even over yet, and so much gratitude for this year 2023." The video included shots of her having fun with her loved ones.

What happened to Luana Andrade?

Andrade reportedly had liposuction surgery at Hospital São Luiz on Monday (November 6), but just two and a half hours after the procedure was complete she “suffered a cardiac arrest” and was taken to the intensive care unit, according to local news reports. “Patient Luana Andrade was admitted, accompanied by her family, on Monday afternoon to the unit for a liposuction procedure, carried out by a private surgeon and anesthetist hired by the family,” the hospital said in a statement published by Globo 1.

It continued: "After approximately two and a half hours of surgery, the patient presented with an abrupt respiratory event and went into cardiac arrest, being immediately resuscitated by the team.” The hospital said the surgery was “interrupted” and Andrade “underwent tests that revealed massive thrombosis,” which occurs when blood clots block veins or arteries. In the ICU, the model underwent “medication and hemodynamic treatment,” however, the hospital said she “progressed unfavourably” and passed away at 5.30am on Tuesday (November 7).

Tributes to Luana Andrade

Andrade's boyfriend Hadad led the tributes to his late girlfriend online. Alongside a a black-and-white image of the couple near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, he wrote: "It is with great regret and a lot of pain in my heart that I say goodbye to my Luana, my princess, my beautiful. It’s been two years by your side and I have no words to express how happy I was… We make a beautiful story and live our dreams intensely. More than a girlfriend you are and always will be a partner for life my love. You are my sunshine princess I ask that you continue to watch over me and all of us from above. I will love you always and forever!”

He continued: "Today, it's difficult to understand God's plans, and I don't know when and if I will ever process how much you will be missed in my life and in the lives of a legion of people who loved your presence. You are my light, princess I ask that you continue to watch over me and all of us from above. I will always love you, from now until eternity. Thank you for so much, you will remain with me until the end. I love you, I love you, I love you."

Fans have commented on Hadad's post to offer their condolences to him, as well as leave their own tributes. One said: "Today I lost a friend due to a 'simple' aesthetic procedure. The world is surreal, people, especially you women. This standard of “perfect” bodies that are impossible to achieve, displayed on Instagram and in the media, needs to end urgently."

They added: "Why risk our lives for nothing? I can't understand. We are young, we have several ways of feeling good, healthy, beautiful... If I can give some advice... we need to go back to reality in everything. That's how we are and that's it. This fake world will end up killing more and more young people. Attention, people!"

Another said: "When we see things like this happen, we are taken by feelings of sadness, fear, compassion that hurts. Sometimes we are taken by problems and dive into a dark sea and we forget that maybe tomorrow doesn't exist and we stop living the joys of life. May God enter the heart of each of us and bring the maximum love to this family." One person simply said: "How scary that life can end at any moment."