Ana Carolina Reston began modelling in her native Brazil at the age of 13, and was one of the most beautiful models in the world. At 5 feet 8 inches (172 cm), she was a fixture on the covers of fashion magazines and the catwalks of Brazil, Japan, and Hong Kong. Designers loved her...especially Giorgio Armani & Dior, who both featured her in their collections.
While in China, in 2004, Ana Carolina was told that she was "too fat." From that utterance, she began the downward spiral into anorexia, and at the end her diet consisted of only apples and tomatoes.
Ana Carolina's BMI plummeted to 13.4, which is below starvation level. On October 23, 2006, she was admitted to hospital, weighing only 88 pounds (40 kg).
On November 14, 2006, she died of complications due to kidney failure as a result of complications of anorexia and bulimia, at the age of 21 years.
From guardian.co.uk:
"Reston was admitted to the Samaritano Hospital in Sao Paulo and two days later, on 25 October, she was moved to the Hospital Municipal dos Servidores Publicos, where almost immediately she was admitted to the intensive care unit, where she spent her last 21 days.
Her demise was agonising, a plastic tube inserted down her throat, unable to tell anyone how she felt, although the tears in her eyes must have made that pretty obvious. Patches of her once long brown hair had fallen out, too. Her death certificate...cites her time of death as 7.10 am and lists the cause of death as 'multiple organ failure, septicaemia, urinary infection'. Coldly it adds: 'Leaves no children. Leaves no property. Leaves no will.'"
(all bolding mine)
Please take a moment to watch this moving tribute to Ana Carolina (music by Maroon 5):
Such a tragedy, such a loss.
To read more about Ana Carolina Reston and other models who have died from anorexia and/or bulimia, please click on the links below:
ARE THINNESS LAWS TOO HEAVY-HANDED?
FRANCE TABLES NEW "ANOREXIA" LAW
And please click the link below to read an excellent article from The Guardian about Ana Carolina Reston:
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/fashion/story/0,,1987945,00.html
LINK:
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/fashion/story/0,,1987945,00.html
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8 comments:
So horrible!!!
Such a beautiful face God gave her. What insanity to self-destruct over a comment. We put too much damn pressure on women. It's the tyranny of beauty and fashion-thinness.
Damn the ideal to hell. the price is too high.
The Princess
My granddaughter is continuing to gain weight and is now up to 97 lbs. At one time she weighed less than Ana, at 80 lbs and similar height. Has no one mentioned the high cost of dental repairs for crumbling teeth that accompany bulemia and anorexia? If dying is expensive, recovery is even more so, with no guarantees.
Scarlet and Princess, thanks so much for taking the time to leave your comments.
(((Anonymous))), I can't tell you how thrilled I am to hear your granddaughter has gained weight! What fantastic news!
You're absolutely correct about the very high costs in repairing the teeth of bulimics. For those who are unaware of the damage done to teeth during purging, please check my post here:
http://www.2medusa.com/2008/06/shocking-face-of-anorexia-bulimia.html
Anonymous, please keep me posted on your granddaughter's recovery. We're all pulling for her.
All the best,
Medusa
She needed to be thinner?
How many woman are going to pay this kind of price before the world stops believing the dangerous lies paraded before us daily in an attempt to convince us all that beauty is stick thin?
Savagery and insanity are nothing new. It's just what happens. There are a million models who haven't died from anorexia and a million anorexics who aren't motivated or triggered by fashion. If you expect health in general you are denying the basic human form
Which. Is to create deviate explore expand. Start legislating body or beauty ideals and then you have other problems. Everyone always complains and no one ever just says sorry for your pain but that's life so....
You have no idea what was driving her. apparently her family was destitute and it seems like from the Interviews with her mother that she was as worried about her own ability to support herself without her daughters income as anything else. "God" didn't give ana any of that. Show respect for her life and beaut, which she possessed. The frames of women in china and France are fine. I'll bet you in china she was pretty large. her pain was private. Respect. Don't use it as fodder for your politically correct diatribes.
Ana. My mother was the same. I am sorry she said that you were being "eaten by the ants". You are most certainly in the place from which your beauty originated. Thank you for blessing the world with it. I am so sorry for your pain.
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