The sudden death of Kanye West’s mom

What happened

Rap star Kanye West’s mother, Donda West, had a tummy tuck and breast reduction shortly before she died on Saturday, TMZ.com reported Tuesday. The plastic surgeon who operated on West, 58, said he did nothing wrong, but another doctor said he told West he wouldn’t operate on her without clearance from an internist because she had a condition that put her at risk of heart attack.

What the commentators said

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This tragedy “illustrates just how risky” cosmetic surgery can be, said Jim Ritter in the Chicago Sun-Times. “No one ever dies on the TV reality shows that glorify” the procedures, but in the real world 1 in 298 cases have complications, with 1 in 51,459 resulting in death.

Donda West wasn’t a victim of vanity, said Jordan Lite and Nancy Dillon in the New York Daily News. Dr. Andre Aboolian, a plastic surgeon who saw her in June, said West was considering the procedures to ease strain on her body, and almost talked herself out of it. But she should have stayed in the hospital instead of going home to recuperate, he said. “"The most dangerous time after surgery is the first 48 hours,” Aboolian said.

Donda West should be remembered for the way she lived her life, said Shaheem Reid at MTV.com, not the way she died. “From all indications, Dr. Donda West was everything Kanye West could have asked for in a mother: a teacher, protector, confidant, adviser, No. 1 fan, best friend and champion.” The loss of the mom who nurtured a superstar “definitely drives home an important point: No matter how big a star you become, family is still the most important thing.”