We’re still reeling from the awful news of Gossip Girl and Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Michelle Trachtenberg‘s tragic and terribly untimely death.
And now, as we continue to learn more about what the final few months of the 39-year-old’s life were like prior to her passing on Wednesday morning, our hearts shatter into even more little pieces. This is all just so, so, so sad.
According to a source who spoke to People on Wednesday afternoon, Trachtenberg had been “really down emotionally” in recent months while dealing with persistent “health issues.” That would seem to match up with what other reports have suggested in recent hours.
Related: Michelle Trachtenberg’s Buffy Co-Stars Mourn Their Beloved Dawn…
Per the mag’s anonymous insider, the longtime television and film star had not only been “struggling” in recent months, but she’d also been very candid with those closest to her about how difficult things had been when it came to her health:
“She told friends she was struggling. She was really, really sick and open with those in her circle about how much she was struggling.”
That insider also shared key details about how Michelle allegedly looked in the months leading up to her death, calling the star “pale,” “gaunt,” and “very thin.”
Oh, no…
As we reported earlier on Wednesday morning, a 39-year-old woman was found “unconscious and unresponsive” at a residence at 1 Columbus Place in New York City, according to a statement later released by the NYPD.
Officers and EMS personnel responded immediately to a 911 call placed at about 8:00 a.m. local time reporting a possible cardiac arrest in that case. Sadly, upon arrival, first responders determined the woman — who was later confirmed to be Trachtenberg — was deceased.
Related: The Poignant Way Michelle Trachtenberg’s Ex Shawn Ashmore Remembers Her
The investigation into her death is ongoing, but per People and others, NYPD officials have stated that “criminality is not suspected.” As for what led to her death, while no official cause has been determined, a source told ABC News earlier on Wednesday that the Harriet the Spy star had recently undergone a liver transplant, and speculated the procedure may have led to fatal complications.
More information will continue to come out in due time, of course. For now, we remain heartbroken as we try to grapple with Michelle’s sudden and untimely passing. She had so much more life to live. And it’s all the more crushing when you consider how we literally watched her grow up on screen. Just awful.
R.I.P.
