Soap Star Esta TerBlanche Dies at 51 from Traumatic Head Injury

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Esta TerBlanche, the South African actress best known for her role as Gillian Andrassy on the soap opera “All My Children,” died in July 2024 at the age of 51. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner confirmed on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, that her death was caused by an intracranial hemorrhage resulting from a blunt force traumatic head injury, likely due to a ground-level fall. The death was ruled an accident.

TerBlanche was found unresponsive in her Los Angeles-area home on July 19, 2024, and paramedics pronounced her dead shortly after 11 a.m. that day. Medical personnel estimated she had been deceased for approximately 24 hours before being discovered.

Her manager, Annie Spoliansky, confirmed TerBlanche’s death in a statement to PEOPLE on July 21, 2024. “We are deeply saddened by this news,” Spoliansky wrote. “Esta was such a kind, loving, giving, and caring person. She cared so deeply for all people and animals.”

Lisa Rodrigo, TerBlanche’s publicist, also shared her grief in a statement. “I am heartbroken upon learning about Esta’s death,” Rodrigo said. “She was and always will be a beautiful soul who I will miss every day. I am proud to have known her and call her not only a client but a friend.”

Born in South Africa on Jan. 7, 1973, TerBlanche began her acting career on the popular drama “Egoli: Place of Gold,” where she played Bienkie Naudé Hartman. She gained international recognition for her role as Gillian Andrassy on “All My Children,” which she held from 1997 to 2001.

Cameron Mathison, who played her on-screen husband Ryan Lavery, paid tribute to TerBlanche on his Instagram Stories in July. “RIP my Sweet Princess,” he wrote alongside a photo of the pair in character. He later shared a more recent selfie of them, writing, “Esta helped me last year when Red was sick and paralyzed and I was struggling. One of the sweetest people ever.”

TerBlanche’s goddaughter described her death as “unexpected” at the time. The actress was remembered for her generosity and love for animals, including squirrels she fed daily and her two cats, whom she treated like her own children.