Many people struggle with insecurities, but for German model Theresia Fischer, one comment from her ex-husband sent her down a life-changing—and painful—path she now wishes she never took.

Theresia spent a staggering £130,000 on leg-lengthening surgery to grow 5.5 inches taller, going from 5’7″ to 6’0″. The procedure involved surgically inserting metal rods into her legs—a grueling and lengthy process. At the time, she believed it was what her husband wanted.

“My ex kept telling me, ‘You could be taller. I like big women,’” Theresia recalled. “He told me I couldn’t do anything without him. Eventually, I started to believe I wasn’t enough.”

Though she now feels physically satisfied with her legs, the emotional toll remains. “I used to be happy with my body. I regret agreeing to an operation I didn’t need,” she admitted in a recent interview.

She’s also faced a wave of online backlash, adding to her pain. “People online are cruel. It hurts. I didn’t do this for fame—I did it for love.”

Theresia’s story is a reminder that even drastic changes can’t fix deeper wounds—and that self-worth should never come from someone else’s opinion.