▶ Watch Video: Hollywood grieves Hayden Panettiere as authorities investigate her death at 36
Wladimir Klitschko, the former fiancé of Hayden Panettiere, commented on the actor’s death for the first time on Tuesday, calling it a “profound shock” and “tragic death.”
“Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief,” Klitschko wrote on social media. “The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.”
Panettiere died on Sunday at 36 years old. She was found in cardiac arrest at a home in South Carolina and “resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful,” according to the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.
“The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies,” the coroner’s statement said.
Klitschko, the former heavyweight boxing world champion, and Panettiere began dating in 2009 and got engaged in October 2013. Kaya was born in December 2014. Panettiere gave full primary custody of their daughter to Klitschko in 2018.
“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry,” he said on Tuesday. “Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.”
“To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was,” Klitschko added.
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Panettiere’s career spanned over three decades, starting as a child star in several national commercial campaigns. She was already a show business veteran at 16 when she landed the starring role of cheerleader Claire Bennet in the hit NBC show “Heroes” in 2006. She went on to more starring roles in both movies and television, including in the “Scream” horror film series and the TV drama “Nashville,” where she played country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on ABC and CMT.
Panettiere was open about her struggles with an addiction to opioids and alcohol that began in her teens. She struggled further after the death of her younger brother, Jansen, in 2023 at the age of 28 from a heart condition. Panettiere released a memoir just three months ago, titled “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” which addressed her hardships and recovery from addiction.
“I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today,” Klitschko said. “Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.”
He closed the message: “Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace.”