'Patriot' Actress Skye McCole Bartusiak Dead At 21

Skye McCole Bartusiak, the child actor who played Mel Gibson’s daughter in the movie The Patriot, passed away this weekend at the age of 21.

According to the USA Today, Bartusiak passed away at her home in Houston on Saturday. A cause of death has not been determined but her mother, Helen McCole Bartusiak, said that she had been suffering from epileptic seizures in recent days.

A life ended too soon. Prayers & support to the family & friends of 21 yr old Skye McCole Bartusiak, Mel Gibson’s daughter in The Patriot.

— Ann Proud (@aproud231) July 20, 2014

Helen said: “We lost our girl. She was a kind and really beautiful girl.” Bartusiak appeared in movies like Cider House Rules and Don’t Say A Word but most people know her as the little girl in Mel Gibson’s The Patriot.

Bartusiak’s passing had many people mourning on Twitter, including several of her former co-stars and friends like Michael Welch and Abigail Breslin.

I’m very sad about the passing of my old friend, skye mccole bartusiak. She was a great actress and a beautiful person. Please be at peace.

— Michael Welch (@MichaelWelchAct) July 20, 2014

One of my very good friends and someone who was like a sister to me, Skye McCole Bartusiak passed away today. So devastated.

— Abigail Breslin (@yoabbaabba) July 20, 2014

Because of Skye’s age, some people assumed that her death was in some way related to drugs or alcohol. Breslin was quick to shoot down those rumors.

Rumors are just rumors, to everyone creating them out there. Skye’s passing was tragic, not something to gossip about.

— Abigail Breslin (@yoabbaabba) July 20, 2014