Michelle Trachtenberg in 2020. Photo: JC Olivera/WireImage

Michelle Trachtenberg was reportedly “struggling” before her sudden death.

The Gossip Girl alum was 39 years old when she was found dead in New York City on Wednesday, Feb. 26. A source tells PEOPLE that in the year prior, Trachtenberg was “really down emotionally.” She also had been dealing with “health issues.”

“She told friends she was struggling,” the source says. “She was really, really sick and open with those in her circle about how much she was struggling.”

Physically, the insider claims Trachtenberg looked “pale, gaunt” and “very thin.”

Rosie O’Donnell Says Harriet the Spy Costar Michelle Trachtenberg ‘Struggled’ Before Her Death: ‘I Loved Her’

Michelle Trachtenberg in 2021. Chandler Allen/BFA.com/Shutterstock 

Around 8 a.m. on Feb. 26, police responded to a 911 call at 1 Columbus Place in New York City, the NYPD confirmed to PEOPLE. “Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased. Criminality is not suspected.” 

The investigation is still ongoing. The New York Post was first to report.

PEOPLE learned Trachtenberg had recently undergone a liver transplant. A source told ABC News that may have led to complications.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Although Trachtenberg did not publicly reveal any health conditions, she did respond to people questioning her wellbeing after she posted a selfie to her Instagram in January 2024.

“Fun fact. This is my face,” she captioned a follow-up post. “Not malnutrition no problems. Why do you have to hate? Get a calendar.”

She then shared another post, writing: “I’ve received several comments recently about my appearance. I have never had plastic surgery I am happy and healthy. Check yourself haters.”

Remembering Michelle Trachtenberg’s Best Gossip Girl Moments: How Her Georgina Sparks Became the Series’ Favorite Villain

Trachtenberg got her start in commercials before landing roles on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete and All My Children at 9 years old in 1993. She went on to star in Harriet the Spy in 1996, and then took on the role of Dawn Summers, Buffy’s little sister, in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

From 2008 through 2012, Trachtenberg played Georgina Sparks, a recurring character on the hit series Gossip Girl. In 2023, she reprised the role for two episodes of the Max reboot, which ultimately marked her last onscreen appearance.

Michelle Trachtenberg was so sick during her final outing that she could barely walk down a flight of restaurant stairs, Daily Mail can reveal. 

The star’s gaunt appearance stunned staff at Sartiano’s restaurant in SoHo, New York. 

It was Thursday February 20th, less than a week before the tragic Gossip Girl star was found dead by her mother in her Manhattan apartment. 

‘She looked really unwell, just like very sickly,’ a worker said on Wednesday, speaking on the condition of anonymity. 

‘She was thin, like tiny, she couldn’t walk down the stairs. She was not in a great mood, it wasn’t the best impression.’

‘It’s spooky because she was in here just last week on Thursday night,’ the worker added. 

‘We only just found out about (her death) a few hours ago and it’s really sad. She was just with one other person, a woman who was really nice.’

Restaurant owner Scott Sartiano issued a moving tribute to the star on Wednesday evening, less than a week after she was last seen at the downtown hotspot with one other woman. 

Gossip Girl star Michelle Trachtenberg was found dead on Wednesday. She was 39

Trachtenberg dined at Sartiano’s on Wednesday February 19. Staff told Daily Mail she was so frail she struggled to walk down the stairs 

‘Many years of happy memories,’ Sartiano wrote alongside a picture of he and Trachtenberg together.

‘Rest in Peace Michelle.’ Sartiano added a broken heart emoji alongside the photo and caption. 

While police are yet to confirm her cause of death, sources say Trachtenberg died of natural causes. 

She recently underwent a live transplant after battling alcohol issues, friends of the star told TMZ. 

Her mother Lana discovered her body in her $7,500-a-month apartment in Columbus Circle on Wednesday at 8am. 

NYPD officials said an autopsy would be performed. 

A spokesperson said: ‘On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at approximately 0801 hours, police responded to a 911 call of an aided individual at 1 Columbus Place, within the confines of the Midtown North Precinct,’ police said in a statement.

‘Upon arrival, officers observed a 39-year-old female unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim deceased.

Restaurant owner Scott Sartiano issued a moving tribute to the star on Wednesday evening, less than a week after she was last seen at the downtown hotspot with one other woman

Trachtenberg sparked concern with her final Instagram posts in recent weeks and months 

‘Criminality is not suspected. The Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death. The investigation remains ongoing.’

Last year, Trachtenberg took to Instagram to shoot down speculation about her gaunt appearance.

She denied rumors she had undergone cosmetic surgery and added that she was ‘happy and healthy.’

Trachtenberg’s final post, shared on Instagram earlier this month, saw the actress look frail while posing for a selfie in front of a hedge. 

Patients like Trachtenberg may receive a liver transplant after damaging the vital organ with excessive drinking.

Alcoholics who have been given a transplant must abstain from drinking afterwards. 

But liver transplants can also cause potentially deadly complications even for people who stick to the rules afterwards.

As is the case with any other transplant, organ recipients must take powerful immunosuppressant drugs every day for the rest of their lives to stop their body rejecting the new organ.   

The star was found dead inside her $7,500-a-month apartment in Columbus Circle 

Trachtenberg with boyfriend Jay Cohen. The pair started dating in 2020 

Trachtenberg was a child actress who began her career aged just three in Nickelodeon show The Adventures of Pete & Pete. 

Her first big movie role was a child sleuth in 1996’s Harriet the Spy.

The actress became a sci-fi favorite after joining TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 2000 as Buffy’s sister summer.

She had been in talks to appear in a hotly-anticipated reboot at the time of her death.

Trachtenberg also played fan favorite villain Georgina Sparks in the original Gossip Girl series between 2008 and 2012.