Model spends £128,000 on two operations to lengthen her legs by 5.5 inches because her ex liked ‘big ladies’
A model who spent more than £128,000 on two surgeries to lengthen her limbs claims her ex-husband convinced her to have the surgeries.
Theresia Fischer, from Hamburg, Germany, underwent the grueling surgeries to add an extra six inches to her height.
She used to be six feet tall, but after both surgeries she is now just under six feet tall.
The 31-year-old influencer claims her ex-husband, Thomas Behrend, came up with the idea.
Speaking to radio station MDR Jump, the model claimed he told her, “Thérèsia, you know I like big ladies. So I would really like this. You could get up to 14 inches more.
She used to be six feet tall, but after both surgeries she is now just under six feet tall
‘ (He would say) ‘You can’t do anything without me. You need me’
“And when you hear that twenty, thirty, sixty, seventy times, you believe you’re nothing without him.”
She said that before her ex’s proposal, she never knew that leg lengthening surgeries existed.
Theresia went under the knife at the age of 24 for her first limb extension surgery, which extended her legs by 9.5 cm.
Doctors placed adjustable telescopic rods in her shins and gradually tightened them until her legs were longer.
The model then underwent another surgery last March in which her legs were extended by a further 5.5 cm for a second time. The cost for both procedures together was over £128,000
Theresia and Thomas first met in 2015 and announced their split last September, six months after her second surgery.
The couple said their vows in front of millions of people as they wed at the 2019 finals of Germany’s Next Top Model.
Theresia is pictured here in 2021 before her second surgery, standing over six feet tall
Doctors placed adjustable telescopic rods in her shins and gradually tightened them until her legs were longer. Pictured: An X-ray of her legs from the second surgery in 2022
In surgery, at least two leg bones are broken in half. Nails are then drilled into both ends of each femur or shin bone, which are slowly pulled apart with magnets over weeks as it heals naturally, resulting in a longer bone. But it can cause patients to be in pain and wheelchair bound in the process, requiring months of physical therapy
They stated at the time that they wanted to keep the reasons for their divorce private.
Theresia claims she would never have gone through with the operations if her former husband had not harassed her.
She said, “I’ve never had to deal with that because I’ve always been happy with my body.”
She explained the operation process to a German newspaper Image and said, “During the procedure, the tibia is broken cleanly, the calf muscles split, and a telescopic rod is used each time.
‘You stretch your lower legs independently by holding your knee with one hand and turning your foot inwards with the other hand until it clicks into place.
“Ten clicks a day on each side gives an extra 0.5 millimeters (0.02 inches).”
She also told the outlet that she was “embarrassed” and regretted the surgery. But the model is amazed that she ever agreed to it in the first place.
She said, “I’m ashamed because I agreed to an operation that shouldn’t have happened.”
The 31-year-old influencer also claims that her ex-husband, Thomas Behrend, came up with the idea. Photos: On crutches with Thomas Behrend last April after her second surgery
Theresia Fischer, from Hamburg, Germany, underwent the grueling surgeries to add an extra six inches to her height
Theresia is now back with Stefan, an old flame with whom she has maintained contact over the years. In the photo: the couple together
In 2019 – while still with Thomas – Theresia said, ‘My sex is better now!
‘I have become very flexible with my legs and have more room to move in bed.’
After her second operation last year, she even announced to the German television channel RTL that she was getting the procedure to gain flexibility.
This is because “certain sex positions” were not possible with the length of her legs at the time – she was well over six feet tall.
Theresia also claimed at the time that she went under the knife to boost her confidence, as she was bullied as a teenager.
She said: ‘I feel happy and satisfied with my legs now, but I’m hit by a wave of hate on the internet.
‘It hurts me a lot. With the leg extension procedure, I found myself again and finally overcame my old trauma of being bullied.”
Theresia has now rekindled her love for Stefan, an old flame with whom she has maintained contact over the years.
Theresia has 141,000 followers on Instagram, where she regularly shares what she is up to.
MailOnline has approached Thomas Behrend for a response.