Heidi Montag's surgeon Dr. Frank Ryan dies in a car crash

Dr. Frank Ryan, the Beverly Hills plastic surgeon most famous for Heidi Montag's rather extreme makeover, has died in a car crash in Malibu, reports TMZ.

Dr. Ryan's Jeep went over the side of Pacific Coast Highway Monday (Aug. 16) at around 4:30 PM.  The Jeep landed on rocks and Ryan, 50, was trapped in the vehicle with major head injuries. After the fire department tried and failed to hoist him with a helicopter, Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Upon learning the news Tuesday morning (Aug. 17), Heidi tweets, "I am devastated to hear the news of Dr. Frank Ryan's death. He was the most amazing person I have ever known. He was an angel and changed my life.

"My thoughts and prayers go out to his mother, family, friends, and anyone who was ever blessed enough to meet him. He is in a better place."

She adds, "He was the most brilliant talented surgeon who will ever exist. Dr. Frank Ryan changed the world."

Minutes before the crash, Ryan's Twitter account reads, "After 25 years of driving by, I finally hiked to the top of the giant sand dune on the pch west of Malibu. Much harder than it looks!  Whew!"

Ryan's last tweet includes a picture (left): "Border collie jill surveying the view from atop the sand dune."  Thankfully, his dog was injured but survived.

Ryan's celebrity patients included Gene Simmons, Shauna Sand, Janice Dickinson, Vince Neil and Adrianne Curry.

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Photo credit: Access Hollywood/ Frank Ryan Twitter