Kuleba had brains to match her beauty, friends said, earning a GPA above 4.0, acing advanced placement courses and earning an acceptance letter from the University of Florida.

She was excited about taking pre-med courses in Gainesville. But the day she really looked forward to was in May, when she was to go to her senior prom for one last hurrah with her friends.

She'd just bought a stunning dress and made plans with a date.

"It was a great time in her life," said friend and classmate Larraine Saavedra, 16.

Cheerleading and academics made for a rigorous schedule but Kuleba still spent three years working an after-school waitressing job at a Rotelli's restaurant.

On her days off she would often stop by the restaurant with friends and order her favorite dish: a Malibu salad with fresh mozzarella.

Her name is still scribbled on the Rotelli's schedule, slated to work after school Thursday.

"She was fantastic and she stood out, because of how positive and friendly she was," said Cathy Bilotti, 37, who owns the Rotelli's. "She had a glow about her that attracted and soothed people."

Like many of Kuleba's friends, Bilotti said she had heard her employee's death stemmed from complications during surgery.

"If you knew her, you wouldn't think she needed that," said Bilotti. "She's perfect."

In recent years, doctors have performed an increasing number of procedures such as breast implants, liposuction and tummy tucks on young women and even girls as young as 14.

The enormous popularity of reality TV shows like Extreme Makeover have fueled the desire of adolescent girls to alter their bodies permanently, and they are finding more surgeons willing to oblige them. Breast implants and liposuction are now bestowed by parents as graduation or birthday gifts. Some doctors say they have performed breast augmentations on Baby Boomer mothers and their teenage daughters.

From 2002 to 2003, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the number of women and girls 18 and younger who got breast implants nearly tripled, from 3,872 to 11,326.

Among all age groups, cosmetic implants have skyrocketed in popularity, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Last year, according to the ASPS, about 247,000 women got implants for augmentation, compared with 32,000 in 1992.

Anesthesia is a way to control pain using medication. In rare cases, allergic reaction to local or general anesthetic can create health risks or even cause death.

Memorial information: Visitations for Stephanie Kuleba will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Babione Funeral Home, 10060 Calle Comercio, in suburban Boca Raton. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Jude Catholic Church, 21689 Toledo Road, in suburban Boca Raton.