Mom dies day after ballerina Michaela DePrince’s sudden death

Published Sep 17, 2024  •  2 minute read

Michaela DePrince attends the American Ballet Theatre Gala on June 13, 2022 in New York City. Photo by Bryan Bedder /Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre

Elaine DePrince, mother of late ballerina Michaela DePrince, died just one day after the death of her adopted daughter.

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The 77-year-old died on Sept. 11 “during a routine procedure” that took place within 24 hours of her daughter Michaela’s death, according to a statement posted on Facebook by family spokesperson Jessica Volinski.

“The last few days have been even more difficult than most people realize because the family has also been dealing with the death of Michaela’s adoptive mother Elaine DePrince,” Volinski wrote.

Elaine had been battling “a hereditary disease and heart failure” for many years, according to the statement, and “died during a routine procedure in preparation for a surgery.”

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Elaine was unaware of her daughter’s death when she went in for her procedure, Volinski noted.

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“As unbelievable as it may seem, the two deaths were completely unrelated,” the statement said.

“The only way we can make sense of the senseless is that Elaine, who had already lost three children many years ago, was by the grace of God spared the pain of experiencing the loss of a fourth child.

“What the family is going through right now is truly unimaginably painful. Grieving two family members who died within a 24-hour period is tragic and devastating.”

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Michaela grew up as an orphan in Sierra Leone before being adopted by Elaine and her family and moving to the U.S., joining Elaine’s 11 other children — nine of whom were also adopted.

Elaine enrolled Michaela in a dance class soon after the adoption, the dancer told Glamour magazine in 2015.

“There was so much love right away,” Michaela said at the time. “I had never been surrounded by something like that.”

Until her death, Michaela had been a principal soloist with the Boston Ballet since 2021.

Prior to that, she had danced with the Dutch National Ballet and starred in the 2011 documentary First Position.

The news of Michaela’s death was confirmed in an Instagram post on Friday.

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“With pain in our hearts, we share the loss of star ballerina Michaela Mabinty DePrince, whose artistry touched countless hearts and whose spirit inspired many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet and beyond,” said the statement signed by “Team MDP.”

DePrince’s life was “one defined by grace, purpose and strength,” the post continued.

“Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts and her courage in overcoming unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us,” her team added as they remembered her as someone who “stood as a beacon of hope for many, showing that no matter the obstacles, beauty and greatness can rise from the darkest of places.”

A cause of death for Michaela is unknown.

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