Earlier this year, we reported that Mary Jane Thomas, who was married to the country music star Hank Williams Jr. for 32 years, died at the age of 58 after she underwent a “medical procedure” that was found to be plastic surgery. Now, new details have emerged about Thomas’ tragic death.
The cause of the death of Hank Williams Jr’s wife, Mary Jane Thomas, was released. According to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner, she died from a collapsed lung that was accidentally punctured during elective plastic surgery procedures. She died one day after her surgery. pic.twitter.com/97wL8E77uF
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Backstory: Hank Williams Jr.’s Wife Mary Jane Passes Unexpectedly At 58 After ‘Medical Procedure’
Thomas’ Cause Of Death
Daily Mail reported that the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner has revealed that Thomas died from a collapsed lung back in March the day after she underwent liposuction and had her breast implants removed.
The coroner went on to say that the former model was found unresponsive the next day by her plastic surgeon in her hotel room at the Jupiter Beach Resort & Spa.
Her death has since been ruled an accident by the coroner. People Magazine reported that Thomas’ official autopsy lists her cause of death as “pneumothorax due to perforated parietal pleura during liposuction with autologous fat reinjection procedure.”
Thomas’ Surgery
Thomas lived in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, and she had traveled to Florida just to get this surgery done. Her physician in Nashville had cleared her to get this procedure done.
Dr. Harold Bafitis, the plastic surgeon who carried out the procedure, told investigators that he was about to have a follow-up visit with Thomas when she became unresponsive while sitting up in bed. She was immediately rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
This will undoubtedly come as a crushing blow to Williams Jr., who met Thomas at one of his concerts back in 1985 and married her five years later in 1990. Williams Jr. and Thomas separated in 2007, but they ultimately reconciled and got back together in 2011. They had two children together, son Samuel Williams and daughter Katherine Williams-Dunning, who tragically died in a car crash in 2020 at the age of 27.
Related: Hank Williams Jr. Tragically Loses 27-Year-Old Daughter To Car Crash – ‘I Have No Words’
Thomas’ Son Pays Tribute To Her
Samuel, 25, paid tribute to his mother in a touching statement after her passing.
“My dear Mama Mary Jane was a beautiful soul who forever affected everyone who knew her,” he said. “She had a smile and presence that lit up every room and she never met a stranger she didn’t befriend. Her spirit was gentle and giving. She could take down a ten-point buck and fix dinner for her grandchildren at the same time! Now she gets to radiate from above with my sister Katherine Diana right by her side.”
“She grew up competing in baton and cheerleading and was one of Hawaiian Tropic’s top models.,” Samuel continued. “My father fell in love with the Daytona Beach beauty the minute he set eyes on her in the early ’80s. They went on to live the most powerful love story of travel and hunting and raising a family.”
“She is survived by my father, her two parents Ramona and Bill, her brother Andy, her sister Angela, myself, and her three grandchildren: Beau Weston, Tennyson Hiram, and Audrey Jane,” he concluded. “Rest in peace Mama, I will always be the son of Mary Jane.”
The Williams family has had more than their fair share of tragedy in recent years. Please join us in saying a prayer for them during this difficult time.