Sarah Michelle Gellar is mourning the loss of her Buffy the Vampire Slayer co-star Michelle Trachtenberg in a deeply personal way.
Taking to Instagram on February 27, Gellar shared a poignant message, referencing an iconic line from Buffy. “‘Michelle, listen to me. Listen. 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.’”
The emotional post also included a collection of photos featuring Trachtenberg, Gellar, fellow Buffy co-star Seth Green, and Shannen Doherty, who passed away in 2024 following a battle with breast cancer.
The connection between Gellar and Trachtenberg went beyond Buffy—they first worked together on All My Children in the mid-90s before reuniting on Buffy when Trachtenberg joined the series as Dawn Summers in season five. The two remained close even after the show wrapped in 2003.
Michelle Trachtenberg, 39, was found dead in a New York City apartment on February 26. Authorities have yet to confirm a cause of death.
Gellar, who previously said in 2017 that Michelle “will always hold a key” to her heart, ended her tribute with a simple key emoji—an understated yet powerful reminder of their bond.
