Star of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” Found Dead by Mother After Secret Surgery

Photo of actress Michelle Trachtenberg from DailyMail.co.UK.

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg, known for her role on the hit show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has passed away at just 39 years old, sources told The Post Wednesday. Her last outing was to visit Sartiano’s restaurant in SoHo last Thursday night.

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What Happened

At 8 am on Wednesday, actress Michelle Trachtenberg was found unresponsive by her mother in Michelle’s luxury apartment complex in the Central Park South neighborhood of Manhattan. Her mother placed a call to 9-1-1, and the New York Police Department responded. The police described Michelle as “unconscious and unresponsive” upon their arrival. They pronounced her dead on the scene.

Michelle’s publicist confirmed Michelle’s death to Us Weekly. “It is with great sadness to confirm that Michelle Trachtenberg has passed away. The family requests privacy for their loss,” the publicist said. Authorities have said Michelle died from “natural causes.” The NYPD is not seeking any person of interest. An autopsy is pending.

The Secret Liver Transplant

In 2024, a photo of Michelle went viral online, and it led to users questioning her health. Some described her as “frail” in the photo and expressed concern about her health.

The actress assured everyone she was fine. She did address claims that she had lost weight to an eating disorder, drug abuse or plastic surgery. “I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery. I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters,” she posted in January 2024.

Privately, Michelle struggled with alcohol abuse, and it took a heavy toll on her health. Unnamed sources told TMZ that she had recently undergone a liver transplant. They indicated that alcohol abuse caused the need for the surgery.

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According to StyleCaster.com, “The major causes for cirrhosis include Hepatitis B and C; alcoholic liver disease due to excessive alcohol condition; nonalcoholic fatty liver disease caused by fat build up in the liver; and genetic diseases such as hemochromatosis (which causes excessive iron buildup in the liver) and Wilson’s disease (which causes excessive copper buildup in the liver.) Other causes for a lier transplant include diseases that affect bile ducts that carry bile from the liver, such as biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis and biliary atresia.”

Best Known For

Michelle Trachtenberg was successful in her acting career, having taken on many roles and started her career as a child. Many of her generation remember her for her role in the hit tv show Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Buffy’s sister Dawn Summers. They might also remember her from the 1996 film Harriet the Spy when she was 10 years old, starring beside Rosie O’Donnell. Still, her credits extend far beyond that.

Michelle also had a recurring role as ‘The Witch of the Upper East Side Georgina Sparks,” who appeared in 28 episodes of The CW teenage soap Gossip Girl that ran 2008-2012. This culture-impacting show brought relevance to her name again. It also forced critics to take notice.

The Takeaway

At just 39 years old, Michelle Trachtenberg passed away in her 51-story luxury apartment building in New York. She was found by her mother and pronounced dead on the scene by police and medics. Although an autopsy is pending, it has been revealed that Michelle suffered from, currently or in the past, alcohol abuse. She’d also recently had a liver transplant that alcohol abuse led to, sources say. Michelle will be greatly missed and always remembered for the joy she brought people throughout her lifetime and theirs.

This article was written by Jermaine Reed, MFA, the Editor-in-Chief of The Reeders Block. He also works an Adjunct College Professor. Join the email list to get notifications on new blog posts and books. This article is 100% human-written. And remember, if you see an error, that’s what makes us human.