Michelle Trachtenberg passed away at the age of 39 in New York on the morning of Wednesday, February 26th.
The actress, who starred alongside late Friends star Matthew Perry in 17 Again, was “devastated” by his death and feared she would die young too, a source revealed to the DailyMail.
“Michelle was really rattled when Matthew died because she did not expect it,” the insider shared. “Even though he was troubled and struggled to stay sober, she just did not think it would happen.”
Reflecting on Perry’s impact on her life, the source added, “It was hard for her because she knew Matthew when she was so young, he made an impression on her.”
When Trachtenberg underwent liver surgery few months before her death, she became anxious about her own life.
“She had expressed that she feared she would die after signing all those releases at the hospital, you know, all those ‘in the event that you die’ papers that freak everyone out,” the tipster explained.
Perry, 54, was found dead in the hot tube of his Los Angeles in October 2023. His autopsy report later confirmed the cause of death as acute effects of ketamine.
His untimely death also reminded Trachtenberg the fragility of life, as the source revealed, “It made her think that death could happen to anyone struggling with addiction. Like it was just around the corner if she was not careful.”
Even though, Trachtenberg had liver transplant months before her death, the reason of her untimely passing is unclear. Recently, her family has also objected an autopsy, meaning that her cause of death would be ruled “undetermined.”
