Congolese boy Matadi Sela dies in US after undergoing facial tumor surgery

A Congolese boy who travelled to Los Angeles to undergo surgery to remove a large tumor on his face died late Friday after having an adverse reaction to anaesthesia.

The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, which co-sponsored 8-year-old Matadi Sela Petit's travels and medical procedures, announced his death Saturday on social media. The foundation headed by the former NBA star said that during the delicate surgery on Dec. 16, the boy suffered a rare and unexpected genetic reaction to anaesthesia.

"Despite the diligent efforts of his medical caregivers, Matadi did not recover and he passed away last night," the statement said.

Calls to the foundation and doctors at the Osborne Head and Neck Institute were not immediately returned Saturday. In photos and videos posted on Instagram, Mutombo greeted the boy when he arrived at the airport with his father and accompanied him to a medical appointment. Matadi was born with a cleft lip and a tumor on one side of his cheeks that grew into the size of a balloon.

"We are devastated by the loss of Matadi and our heart goes out to his father, his mother and the rest of his family, and all his old and new friends," the statement said. "We are comforted by the knowledge that a whole 'village' adopted Matadi and joined forces to offer him treatment that was not available in the Democratic Republic of Congo and which would have given him the opportunity to have a new and different life."

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MATADI SELA PETIT The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation is sad to share the news of the passing of Matadi Sela Petit. Matadi was an 8 year old little boy with a vibrant and appealing personality. He was born in Kinshasa, DRC with a cleft lip and a facial tumor that enlarged as he grew. Matadi was sponsored by the DMF and several partners to receive surgical treatment for his tumor by Dr. Ryan Osborne, founder and Director of Head and Neck Surgery at the Osborne Head and Neck Institute in Los Angeles, CA. Matadi and his father were welcomed with open arms by Dr. Osborne, his team and the Cedars Sinai Hospital family as well as the Ronald McDonald House where he won everyone's heart with his open and friendly attitude. During the delicate surgery, Matadi suffered a rare and unpredictable genetic reaction to anesthesia. Despite the diligent efforts of his medical caregivers, Matadi did not recover and he passed away last night. We are devastated by the loss of Matadi and our heart goes out to his father, his mother and the rest of his family, and all his old and new friends. We are comforted by the knowledge that a whole "village" adopted Matadi and joined forces to offer him treatment that was not available in the DRC and which would have given him the opportunity to have a new and different life. We thank Dr. Ryan Osborne and his team, the Cedars-Sinai Hospital medical team, the Ronald McDonald House, the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, the American Embassy in Kinshasa and all those who in large and small ways embraced Matadi and his family. He was a pioneer, and his memory will inspire us to continue to develop efforts and partnerships to improve the lives of the children of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A post shared by Dikembe Mutombo (@dofficialmutombo) on Dec 22, 2018 at 6:12am PST

With inputs from agency.