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.
Gordon Ramsay, 57, and His Wife Tana, 49, Proudly Introduced Their 6th Baby to the World
Gordon and Tana Ramsay are parents to a large brood, but they decided not to stop there and recently became parents for the 6th time. They welcomed their son, Jesse James, and shared heartwarming photos of the little one, who has already celebrated his first month.
After Gordon and Tana got married, they faced difficulties conceiving a child. Initially, Tanya was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, and later, Gordon encountered fertility issues. However, they didn’t give up and decided to try IVF. Fortunately, it worked, and in 1998, their first daughter Megan was born. But they didn’t stop there, and about a year later, the family welcomed two adorable twins, Jack and Holly.
In 2001, another addition to the family arrived. Little Matilda was born, and from the age of 9, she participated in her father’s culinary shows.
After the birth of their four children, Gordon and Tana had to endure a loss. In May 2016, they announced that they were expecting another child. However, a month later, Gordon revealed that the baby would not be born. At that time, his support was crucial for Tana. She shared that Gordon couldn’t be there when their four children were born, but he was with her at the most critical moment.
The loss only strengthened the family, and the couple became even more attentive to each other. Gordon never left Tana’s side, and in April 2019, he was there when their fifth child, Oscar, was born.
The birth of their sixth child was a miracle for the family. Gordon is 57 years old, and Tana is 49. The arrival of the new addition to the family brought out the tender side in both parents. Tana admitted that Gordon is, in fact, a very gentle and vulnerable person.
Despite Gordon’s well-known bold on-camera persona, he disclosed that his wife, Tana, is the stronger of the two. “Tana’s super fierce, an ex-Montessori school teacher. So, I’m the softie,” he said. His wife also confirmed this, “He is, believe it or not, incredibly sensitive.”
Following the baby’s birth, Gordon, 57, was the first to announce the news, sharing snapshots of their newest addition to the Ramsay family. On his Instagram gallery, the Kitchen Nightmares host captioned, “What an amazing birthday present please welcome Jesse James Ramsay, 7lbs 10oz whopper,” he captioned the post.
The heartwarming photo captured the baby boy in a snug white onesie decorated with tiny red, blue, and gray stars. Wrapped in a blanket, the little one looked more than cozy. Tana, 49, expressed her feelings in the caption, “One month of this little one already, loving every minute.”
Motherhood after 40 is becoming more and more common. Take a look at other stars who have given birth after the age of 40, and some even after 50.
Preview photo credit tanaramsay / Instagram, gordongram / Instagram
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