Sarah Michelle Gellar is paying a heartfelt tribute to Michelle Trachtenberg on what would have been her 40th birthday. On Saturday, October 11, Gellar, now 48, took to Instagram to share a poignant throwback video of herself embracing her late co-star, with the soulful melody of "See You Again" by Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa playing softly in the background. The two actresses had first crossed paths on the set of "All My Children" in the early 1990s, long before they would become iconic figures together in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
"When you turned 16, it was tough not to still see you as the little girl I'd met on 'All My Children,'" Gellar penned in an emotional caption beneath her post. "When you turned 21, I had to consciously remind myself not to view you as just the little sister anymore." She continued, her voice brimming with emotion, "I can't even fathom what 40 would have looked like for you. But this I know for certain... it would have been overflowing with love. Happy birthday, @michelletrachtenberg."
Trachtenberg was discovered lifeless in her apartment at the age of 39, following a 911 call on February 26. The following day, the New York City Medical Examiner's Office informed PEOPLE that Trachtenberg's family had objected to an autopsy, leaving her cause of death to be recorded as "undetermined." However, on April 16, the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to PEOPLE that the actress's sudden passing was attributed to complications stemming from diabetes mellitus—a cluster of conditions affecting the body's ability to regulate blood sugar, as described by the Mayo Clinic.
Officials further clarified that "the amended determination was reached after a thorough review of toxicology testing results," a process that can be carried out without the need for an autopsy. Trachtenberg had joined the cast of "Buffy" as Dawn Summers, the younger sister to Gellar's Buffy Summers, in the show's fifth season and remained a beloved part of the series until its conclusion in 2003.
The day after the tragic loss of the "Harriet the Spy" actress, Gellar had already paid a touching tribute to Trachtenberg, sharing a carousel of cherished photos from their time together on the set of the supernatural drama. "Michelle, listen to me. Listen," Gellar wrote, echoing the poignant words from the season 5 finale of "Buffy," where Buffy makes the ultimate sacrifice for Dawn. "I love you. I will always love you. 'The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. I will be brave. I will live... for you.'"
