Michaela DePrince's Mother Dies Unexpectedly 1 Day After Famed Ballerina

Elaine DePrince, 77, had not been made aware of her 29-year-old daughter's death when she began preparation for her own surgery.

The mother of late ballet dancer Michaela DePrince died just one day after her famous daughter earlier this month.

Family spokesperson Jess Volinski confirmed in a statement posted to Facebook that Elaine DePrince died “during a routine procedure in preparation for a surgery” on Sept. 11 at age 77.

A former special education teacher, Elaine DePrince raised a total of 11 children with husband Charles DePrince, who died in 2020. In the 1980s, the DePrinces adopted three sons with hemophilia, all of whom later contracted HIV and died in the 1990s.

As previously reported, Michaela DePrince died Sept. 10 at age 29. According to Volinski, Elaine DePrince was unaware of her daughter’s death when she was admitted to the hospital for surgery.

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