The ballet world is mourning the death of Dancing with the Stars’ Michaela Mabinty DePrince, an inspirational ballerina who beat staggering odds to become one of the world’s most famous dancers.
Michaela, an orphan from war-torn Sierra Leone, was a dancer with the Boston Ballet who gained widespread notoriety after starring in the 2011 documentary First Position. She died September 10 at only 29.
Adding to the family’s tragic loss, Michaela’s adoptive mom – who rescued Michaela from the filthy shelter where she was told she was “too ugly” to find a family – died only 24 hours later.
After her father was brutally killed in war-torn Sierra Leone and her mother died from fever, four-year-old Michaela Mabinty DePrince was abandoned by her uncle in a shelter where staff every day tried to break her spirit.
Known then as “Number 27” a young Michaela had little hope of finding a family as she had vitiligo, a condition that causes patches of skin to lose pigmentation.
The young girl, called “the devil child” because of her patchy skin, was told repeatedly that she was too ugly to be picked.
“We were all ranked from the most favored to the least, and I was at the very bottom for being rebellious and having a skin condition called vitiligo, which produces white freckles on my neck and chest,” Michaela said, adding she slept on a grass sleeping mat with “Number 26.”
Aside from the vomit-stained nightgown she was wearing, all she had was a magazine, which according to Glamour had (literally) blown onto her face. And on the cover was a ballerina en pointe – a dancer supporting all her body weight on the tips of her toes.
“The dancer looked beautiful and happy, that’s what caught my eye,” Michaela tells Glamour. “I wanted to be happy.”
And the crumpled old photo of the ballerina was the first thing she handed Elaine DePrince, who took her to her new home in New Jersey.
“There was so much love right away,” said Michaela, who over the next two decades would be the prima ballerina on the cover of magazines. “I had never been surrounded by something like that.”
‘My life is proof’
Michaela’s passion for dancing was ignited at a young age, and she pursued her dreams with remarkable dedication.
In 2011, Michaela became one of the stars of First Position, a documentary that followed six gifted dancers leading up to the competition for a place in the prestigious American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School of Ballet (JKO)
She not only earned a spot but was also awarded a scholarship to study at JKO.
The same year the award-winning documentary was released, Michaela also appeared on Dancing with the Stars.
“My life is proof that no matter what situation you’re in, as long as you have a supportive family, you can achieve anything,” Michaela said.
In 2012, the talented ballerina joined the renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem, where she continued to shine as a rising star. Her exceptional talent and grace later led her to the Dutch National Ballet, where the War Child Ambassador further established herself as a formidable presence in the ballet world.
While she was living in Amsterdam and training for The Nutcracker, she received a call, inviting her to travel to New Orleans and dance in Beyonce’s hour-long video, Lemonade, which was released in 2016.
Speaking with the Wall Street Journal of meeting the pop sensation, Michaela said, “She walked up to me and said, ‘It’s such an honor to have you here.’ I was really cheesy and said, ‘The honor is mine.’ I was on cloud nine.”
‘Beacon of hope’
On September 10, her family released a heartbreaking message about the principal soloist with the Boston Ballet.
“Rest in Power,” the post starts about the dancer who died on September 10. “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.”
The Facebook post describes Michaela as an inspiration 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.”
The cause of her death has not yet been released.
Mom ‘spared the pain’
Only 24 hours after Michaela’s sudden death, her doting adoptive mom Elaine DePrince died on September 11 “during a routine procedure in preparation for a surgery.”
A family statement on Facebook explains that at the time of Elaine’s death, she was unaware that her daughter had died.
“As unbelievable as it may seem, the two deaths were completely unrelated. 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.” The message continues, “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. We continue to ask for privacy…”
Rest in peace Michaela and Elaine. Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story so we can all send a lot of love to the family and friends of this mother-daughter duo.
His Late Wife Left Him a Final Letter – The Secret Inside Led Him to a Paternity Test
Ten months after his wife passed away, a widower found the strength to open the last letter she wrote for him before she died. After reading her heartbreaking confession, he quickly decided to take a paternity test.
On November 29, 2021, a sad widower found comfort in the “Off My Chest” subreddit, sharing his deep sadness. He wasn’t looking for advice but received support from others who reminded him that it was okay to cry about what his wife had done.
The man and his wife had a happy four-year marriage. They loved their time together, and the birth of their son made them even happier. But life took a tragic turn for them.
His Late Wife’s Letter
The widower’s wife passed away ten months before he shared his story on Reddit. Heartbroken and feeling lost, he found the strength to keep going. Even in his sadness, he promised to be a caring father to his 4-year-old son.
As time went on, things began to feel a little more normal for him. His son became his whole world, and he couldn’t imagine life without their bond. During this time, he found the last letter his wife wrote for him. He had known about the letter but didn’t have the courage to read it until ten months later.
After finally reading the letter, he was in shock. It took him a long time to process what he had learned from her honest words.
In the letter, his wife revealed that she had gotten very drunk at her bachelorette party and had a one-night stand with a stranger. As a result, she became pregnant, and now he was left unsure if their son was really his, since this happened just days before their wedding.
Receiving Online Support and Putting His Life Back Together
“I am so incredibly sorry. I know how much this hurts. Your feelings are valid,” wrote one Reddit user. The widower thanked the person and said he planned to take a long drive to clear his mind and deal with his emotions.
“Driving can help. Just make sure to stay safe and enjoy the music,” another user suggested.
Meanwhile, he felt relieved to leave his son at his parents’ home but worried about how he would feel when they were together again. When his son came back home, the father was nervous about how to react.
Deep down, he loved his son, but he was scared that he would see him differently after learning the truth about his wife. When he saw his son, he quickly ran to him and hugged him tightly as if he hadn’t seen him in years. His son hugged him back, showing how happy he was to be with his dad.
The widower felt overwhelmed and almost cried in his son’s arms as he tried to come to terms with his wife’s betrayal. He was determined that his son would always be his son and that their bond would stay the same.
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