Michelle Trachtenberg’s Mother Saw Her Hours Before Finding Her Deceased In Her Bed
Michelle Trachtenberg’s mother last saw her daughter alive just 10 hours before discovering the Gossip Girl star deceased in her New York City apartment, according to a report. Lana Trachtenberg spent time with the 39-year-old actress at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, TMZ reported, before finding her unconscious and unresponsive around 8 a.m. Wednesday at her luxury residence in Manhattan’s Central Park South neighborhood, as initially reported by The New York Post.
Despite health concerns following a liver transplant within the past year, the actress remained active. Just last Thursday, she dined out with friends at Sartiano’s Italian restaurant in Soho, according to TMZ.
Sources suggest that Michelle’s body may have rejected the transplanted organ, leading to her death from natural causes. Officials stated that her passing is not considered suspicious, and the city medical examiner will determine the exact cause.
Speculation quickly arose about Michelle Trachtenberg struggling with alcohol, but for years, she had been outspoken about her strong anti-drug and alcohol stance. She credited her “protective” mother with instilling those values, warning her against the pitfalls of fame per the Daily Mail. Yet, at some point, Michelle seemed to be overwhelmed by both mental and physical challenges. Friends described her as being in a deep emotional slump, while also enduring the immense physical strain that comes with a major procedure like an organ transplant.
Despite rumors that she was in talks for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunion, her acting career had largely stalled. She had not taken on any significant roles in the past decade, with her most recent project being the true crime series Meet, Marry, Murder, where she served as the host.
In 2022, she made headlines with a shocking revelation, publicly supporting her Buffy co-star Charisma Carpenter’s allegations against director Joss Whedon. Trachtenberg claimed that Whedon displayed “hostile and toxic” behavior on set and that a rule had been enforced to prevent him from being alone with her.
In addition to her career struggles, insights into her mental state can be found in a tribute from friend Amanda de Cadenet suggesting that in her final months, the actress had been in and out of the hospital and was even aware that her time was limited, according to the Daily Mail.
Honoring her in a now-edited Instagram post, de Cadenet wrote “I will not share the details of our conversations over the last 6 months. But you knew that death was a high possibility.”
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