Actress Hayden Panettiere was found dead following a suspected overdose in a South Carolina apartment on Sunday at the age of 36.
Her ex-fiancé, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, paid tribute to the star on Friday on what would have been her 37th birthday.
Emergency responders pronounced Panettiere dead at 2:31 pm inside an apartment at the Judson Mill Lofts complex in Greenville, South Carolina. Her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were both at the scene when emergency crews arrived.
Klitschko, 50, shared a photo of Panettiere on Friday to mark her birthday. "Today is Hayden’s birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world," Klitschko wrote.
"I want to thank all of Hayden’s fans, friends, and everyone who has reached out for the incredible outpouring of love and support," he continued. "At a time filled with so much sadness, your kindness has reminded me that there is still so much good in humanity."
Klitschko urged fans to reflect on compassion during their grief. "If you’re reading this, I ask just one thing: Even if only for a moment, think about LOVE. Reach out to a friend. Forgive someone. Be kind. Love is a superpower. Use it," he wrote, adding: "Happy Birthday, Hayden. You are loved, you are missed, and you will never be forgotten."
Heavyweight Boxer Remembers Former Partner
Earlier in the week, Klitschko broke his silence on Panettiere's death by sharing a family photograph taken during happier times. He stated that their family was experiencing a period of profound shock and grief.
"The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon," Klitschko wrote. "Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya."
He added that Panettiere built an incredible career through immense talent while navigating the darker aspects of a demanding entertainment industry. "Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives," he said.
Klitschko promised to always speak of Panettiere to their daughter with respect so that she remembers who her mother was. He extended condolences to her parents, friends, and fans, emphasizing that young and talented people should not leave the world so soon.
"I ask everyone to please respect our family’s feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time," Klitschko concluded. "Thank you to everyone who is supporting my family and expressing their sincere condolences. Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace."
Police Investigation and Autopsy Results
The Greenville County Sheriff's Office announced on Monday that a post-mortem examination had been completed. Authorities confirmed that no signs of physical trauma were found on Panettiere's body.
Further investigative work is underway to establish the official cause of death. Chief deputy coroner Shelton England told the Daily Mail it was too early to discuss theories regarding a drug overdose.
A Greenville police report noted that an officer arriving at the residence on Sunday afternoon was met by Brian Hickerson and Zach Hickerson. The officer observed emergency paramedics performing CPR on the unresponsive actress.
"The patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive," the officer wrote in the report. Lifesaving efforts failed, and Panettiere was pronounced dead at 2:31 pm.
On Monday, it was revealed that Narcan nasal spray was located on a mattress inside the South Carolina apartment. Narcan contains naloxone, an active ingredient that blocks opioids including heroin, fentanyl, morphine, and prescription painkillers from brain receptors to restore breathing within two to three minutes.
Authorities have not confirmed whether Narcan was administered before emergency crews arrived. However, 911 audio recordings obtained on Monday indicated that Panettiere suffered cardiac arrest following a suspected overdose.
Public records show that Brian Hickerson is originally from Greenville. Panettiere and Hickerson had flown together from Los Angeles to South Carolina one day prior to her death.
Neighbor Accounts and Statements from Family
Micah Lee, a resident at the Judson Mill Lofts complex, described the scene following Panettiere's collapse. "There was a bunch of commotion in the hallway," Lee told news outlet WYFF, noting that noise echoes through the building's hollow corridors.
"I had just heard about someone collapsing, and then afterwards there was talk about cardiac arrest," Lee said, clarifying that he was reporting what he heard rather than confirming official details.
On Thursday, Brian Hickerson addressed the actress's death through legal representation. Attorney Sloan Ellis, of the Ellis Hinton law firm, issued a statement noting that the investigation remains active and that police confirmed no signs of foul play. Ellis requested privacy for Panettiere's family.
A representative for Panettiere confirmed her death earlier in the week, stating that her family would remember her as an incredible light who brought immeasurable love and joy. Her father, Skip Panettiere, released a statement reflecting on the family's loss.
"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden," Skip Panettiere said. "She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her, and to the millions who watched her onscreen." He asked for privacy as the family processes the loss.
Relationship History and Daughter Custody
Panettiere and Klitschko first met at a book launch in 2009. They dated for two years before splitting in 2011, then rekindled their romance in 2013 and became engaged in October of that year.
The couple welcomed their daughter, Kaia, in December 2014. In 2018, they confirmed their separation while maintaining an amicable relationship.
Later in 2018, when Kaya was three years old, Panettiere made the decision to grant full custody of their daughter to Klitschko. Klitschko subsequently relocated with Kaya to his native country, Ukraine.
The custody arrangement followed Panettiere's ongoing battle with severe postpartum depression, anxiety, alcoholism, and substance abuse. She previously explained that the depression made her feel nothing, leading her to turn to alcohol and seek rehabilitation treatment.
In her final interview in May with Dear Mome, Panettiere reflected on relinquishing custody. "It wasn't a decision I made lightly, nor was it a decision I even wanted to make. I was going through a really challenging time in my life," she said.
Speaking on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast that same month, Panettiere pushed back against criticism regarding the custody choice. "I have been the one who sought it out, who was saying, 'I desperately need help. I know this is going to look terrible, but I am. I cannot live like this anymore,'" she told Shetty.
"The idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be OK with it is heartbreaking. It couldn’t be further from the truth," Panettiere said, describing years of battling depression, anxiety, and addiction while trying to recover.
Panettiere expressed pride in her daughter, calling her a mini-me and confirming they spoke regularly. She explained that after recovering her health, she chose not to remove Kaya from her established life in Ukraine, saying it would have been unfair and selfish to uproot her.
Decades of Acting Success in Film and Television
Panettiere began acting as a child in soap operas before earning widespread recognition in the 2000 sports drama Remember The Titans alongside Denzel Washington. She also voiced the character Dot in the 1998 Pixar animated feature A Bug's Life.
She achieved global fame playing high school cheerleader Claire Bennet in the NBC superhero drama series Heroes. She later starred as country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville.
Her performance on Nashville earned her two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress. As a singer, her musical performances on the show yielded 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Panettiere's additional film credits include the 2006 comedy Bring It On: All Or Nothing, the comedy-drama Raising Helen, and portraying character Kirby Reed in horror films Scream 4 and Scream VI.
