Mother of groundbreaking ballerina Michaela DePrince dies just one day after the sudden death of her daughter at the age of 29

The mother of the late ballerina Michaela DePrince has died just 24 hours after the unexpected death of her daughter at the age of 29. Elaine “Mamma E” DePrince tragically died on Wednesday, September 11, just one day after the sudden loss of her adopted daughter Michaela, according to a Facebook post by family spokeswoman Jessica Volinski.

Michaela DePrince's family has not disclosed the exact cause of death of the young dancer. She gained a loyal following by sharing her journey from an orphan fleeing violence in Sierra Leone to a globally recognized ballerina. Her mother's death is now a double tragedy for the family.

Broken family

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

“Her mother, Elaine, died during a routine procedure to prepare for surgery on September 11. Michaela died before Elaine and Elaine was unaware of Michaela's death at the time of the procedure.”

“As incredible as it may seem, the two deaths had nothing to do with each other. We can only make sense of the senseless when we consider that Elaine, who had already lost three children many years ago, was spared the pain of losing a fourth child by the grace of God.”

“What the family is going through is truly unimaginably painful. The grief of losing two family members within 24 hours of each other is tragic and devastating. We continue to ask for privacy and thank you for directing anyone spreading false information and speculation to this post.”

Michaela's unexpected death was announced by her spokesperson on Friday. Over the weekend, reports of Michaela's haunting final Instagram post emerged.

In her latest post, she shared a photo of herself in an all-black Nike outfit, captioned it with a peace sign emoji. The post also featured Khalid's song “Better,” which includes the lines, “Nothing feels better than this, nothing feels better.”

The mystery of death continues

Born Mabinty Mangura, Michaela suffered malnutrition and abuse in an orphanage during her early years before being adopted by Elaine and Charles DePrince in New Jersey at the age of four. The DePrince family has 11 children, nine of whom have been adopted.

Michaela rose to fame at the age of 17 through her appearance on Dancing with the Stars and is perhaps best known for her starring role in Beyoncé's music video “Lemonade.”

Announcing her death on Friday, DePrince's spokeswoman said her “art touched countless hearts and her spirit inspired many, leaving an indelible mark on the world of ballet and beyond.”

“Her life was marked by grace, determination and strength. Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts and her courage to overcome unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us,” the statement said.

“She was a beacon of hope for many, showing that no matter the obstacles, beauty and greatness can emerge from even the darkest places.

“Although her time with us was far too short, her genius and legacy will continue to shine in the hearts of all those touched by her story for generations to come. Love and prayers go out to her adopted family, friends and those who loved her.”

In a 2012 interview with the Associated Press, DePrince recounted the pivotal moment at the orphanage when she realized she wanted to be a dancer.

DePrince was a passionate humanitarian and regularly advocated for the rights of children affected by conflict and violence.

As an ambassador for War Child Holland, she regularly traveled to developing countries to give dance lessons to orphans and children, her sister said on Instagram.

She said she saw a photo of a ballerina on the cover of a magazine and “all I remember is that she looked really, really happy.” From that point on, DePrince was determined to “become just like her.”

She described her tragic story as follows: “I lost both parents and was there (in the orphanage) for about a year and was not treated very well because I had vitiligo (a skin disease).”

“We were sorted by numbers and number 27 was the least popular and that was my number, so I got the least food, the least clothes and so on.”