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Michaela DePrince, a former war orphan in Sierra Leone who danced in a Beyonce music video, died suddenly on Friday, Sept. 13. She was 29.

Michaela “sudden death” was announced by her adoptive family in a Facebook post.

“It is with profound sadness we announce the sudden passing of our beautiful sister, Michaela Mabinty DePrince,” they wrote.

“The family thanks you for their privacy as they navigate this very difficult time. Services will be private.”

As an orphaned child in war-torn Sierra Leone, Michaela and her sister, Mia, lived in an orphanage hoping to be adopted.

They were raised by the DePrince family in New Jersey, where Michaela took dance classes. By age 14, she won a prestigious scholarship to study ballet at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City.

After graduating, Michaela went on to become the youngest principal dancer at the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Boston Ballet.

Michaela was hand-picked by Beyonce to dance in her “Freedom” music video.

Michaela thought it was a joke when she heard Beyonce wanted her to dance in her video, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“She said I looked like I was a creature from another planet,” Michaela told the Journal. “She walked up to me and said, ‘It’s such an honor to have you here.’ I was really cheesy and said, ‘The honor is mine.’ I was on cloud nine.”