In a sad follow-up to our story about pro-anorexia social media sites last week, news has just broken that an anorexic Texas teen died of a heart attack on the day after her 15th birthday as a result of starving her heart of essential nutrients.

The Daily Mail is reporting on the story of Lacey Smarr from Longview, Texas who died on February 2 as a result of an eating disorder that began just months ago when friends in her eighth-grade class began teasing her about her “big butt”.

“They would tell her that her butt looked big in the volleyball shorts,” Lacy’s mother, Candy Miller told News Journal.

“That’s all it took for Lacey. She’s just that kind of person that takes it seriously.”

Miller claims her lack of education about eating disorders prevented her from recognizing the tell-tale symptoms. For instance, after her daughter began to lose weight, she noticed that her daughter would go to the bathroom after eating, lock herself in, and turn on the water in the sink.

“I asked her about it, and she said she was locking the door because of her little brother and that she couldn’t use the restroom without the water running,” Miller said. “I bought it. I didn’t question it.”

What Lacey was doing in the bathroom was purging herself of the food.

This went on until Lacey’s condition became so bad she once fainted and hit her head and required hospitalization. It was during this hospital stay that nurses noticed Lacey eating and then throwing up her food.

Lacey with her mother, Candy, in healthier days

Miller questioned doctors about whether or not Lacey had an eating disorder, but the doctors diagnosed her for an ulcer and prescribed an antacid. She was also referred to apsychiatrist and counselor, both of whom believed she did not have an eating disorder.

“She was a very smart girl,” Miller said. “She knew how to hide it.”

At the time of her death, Lacey had dropped from 126 pounds to just 88.

On the day of her death, Lacey came home from school and complained about not feeling well. She was later found unresponsive by her stepfather, who immediately began CPR and called for an ambulance. But it was too late. Lacey was pronounced dead a short while later.

“I blamed myself in the beginning (after Lacey’s death), but she fooled doctors,” said Miller, who is now launching the Lacey Foundation to help educate people about the dangers of eating disorders.

“If I had known the warning signs, known the symptoms. If I had been educated on it, I would’ve probably seen it and got my daughter some help,” Miller said. “It will not just be an awareness foundation but a foundation where people who want and need help can come. Where we can put you with the people who can help you — counselors, hospitals, treatment centers. I want to make my lack of knowledge other people’s knowledge.”

She doesn’t blame the girls who teased her daughter into becoming bulimic. “They would tease, not meaning any harm — those girls loved Lacey,” Miller said. “I don’t think kids’ peers mean it when they tease. They don’t try to be mean on purpose but some like Lacey don’t have that filter. They can’t handle it, and they take it too far.”

Her grieving mother will now devote herself to sparing another family the pain she is experiencing.

“I feel like if we can save just one family from the grief we’re going through and the pain, then my daughter didn’t die in vain.”

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