Wladimir Klitschko, the former world heavyweight boxing champion and former partner of actress Hayden Panettiere, has said his family is enduring "profound shock and grief" after her death at age 36. Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, was found dead in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, and authorities have said there are no signs of foul play, though the exact cause of death remains under investigation.
According to TMZ, Panettiere was discovered by a friend inside a South Carolina home, and law enforcement sources confirmed that the investigation into her death remains open. The New York Times reported that police said an acquaintance made the 911 call and that officers responded to reports of an unresponsive woman at an apartment complex in Greenville's Judson Mill district.
What did Wladimir Klitschko say about her death?
Klitschko, who shares an 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, with Panettiere, posted an emotional tribute describing her as a talented performer whose life ended too soon. He said the news of her death had affected him and his family 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.
She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.
He added that he intends to preserve her memory for their daughter and asked for privacy during this difficult period.
To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.
I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden's parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.
I ask everyone to please respect our family's feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say.
Thank you to everyone who is supporting my family and expressing their sincere condolences.
Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace.
What new details have emerged about the circumstances of her death?
Officials have provided additional information about the moments leading up to Panettiere's death and the ongoing inquiry into its cause. The ABC News report said the Greenville County Coroner's Office confirmed that responders found Panettiere unresponsive and in cardiac arrest, and she was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m.
An autopsy conducted on Monday found no signs of trauma, though the coroner's office said the official cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and additional studies, according to the same ABC News report. Separately, TMZ reported that Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, was found inside the apartment where Panettiere died, according to a follow-up TMZ report.
The New York Times noted that Panettiere had spoken openly for years about her struggles with mental health, a topic that has resurfaced amid public reaction to her death.
How did Panettiere and Klitschko's relationship evolve?
Panettiere met Klitschko, who is 13 years her senior, at a party in Los Angeles when she was 19. The couple became engaged in 2013 and welcomed their daughter, Kaya, the following year, though they never married.
After Kaya's birth, Panettiere experienced severe postpartum depression and increased alcohol use. Klitschko supported her in seeking treatment, but when their daughter was three years old, he requested that Panettiere transfer custody to him, which she agreed to reluctantly.
In her autobiography, published earlier this year, Panettiere reflected on the pain of not living with her daughter full-time.
Not being under the same roof with her every day has been the most gut-wrenching experience of my life, and it's hard to describe the layers of emotion, including sadness, resentment, and anger I felt because of it...
I grieve that I'm not the mother I thought I'd be, and definitely not the mother I want to be. Trust me, no one should ever have to raise a child on FaceTime.
Despite the distance, she wrote that her connection with her daughter remained strong, describing the bond between them as unbreakable.
What have colleagues and friends said in tribute?
Following news of her death, numerous actors and collaborators shared memories of Panettiere. Connie Britton, her co-star on the musical drama Nashville, posted photographs of the pair performing together.
This was Hayden. Bursting with brilliance, shining so bright.
I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak. I love you girl. Sleep easy now.
Masi Oka, who appeared with Panettiere in the supernatural drama Heroes, said he was devastated by the loss and praised her professionalism and energy on set.
I had the privilege of working closely with her, and I'll always remember her for her beautiful spirit, immense talent, and the joyful energy she brought to everything she did and the people around her.
She was way wiser beyond her years and now gone too soon... My heart goes out to her family and everyone who loved her. Rest in peace, Hayden.
Before her breakout roles, Panettiere worked as a child actor in films such as Remember the Titans and Raising Helen. Beth Chamberlin, who portrayed her on-screen mother in the soap opera Guiding Light for three years, recalled her exceptional discipline and memory as a young performer.
The things she could do, the way she could remember 20+ pages of dialogue, day after day.
Even on days where the director would come out between dress [rehearsal] and tape and make huge cuts to the scenes, Hayden, never once forgot a line or missed her blocking. The adults would, but not Hayden.
I felt blessed to work with her. And always perfect in her playing of the scene.
Panettiere's final film appearance came earlier this year in the thriller Sleepwalker. Her co-star Justin Chatwin told a celebrity news outlet that he noticed changes in her demeanour while filming in early 2025.
Hayden seemed different when I met her this time than when I met her in the early years.
I've been sober for 15 years, so I know this world of addiction, and Hollywood - it takes, and it takes from youth.
I could tell she was struggling, and I was like, 'I don't think it's this movie'.
There's a handful of women that I've worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely.
What happens next in the investigation?
Authorities have not yet finalised the official cause and manner of Panettiere's death. The Greenville County Coroner's Office said, per ABC News, that additional studies are needed before a determination can be made public.
Meanwhile, TMZ reported that law enforcement continues to treat the case as an open investigation, and Panettiere's publicist, Kasey Kitchen, confirmed to a Brazilian outlet that the death is being formally examined, according to a report from G1.
Key Facts
- Hayden Panettiere died on 16 August 2026 in Greenville, South Carolina, at age 36.
- Coroner officials say she was found in cardiac arrest and pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m., with no signs of trauma on autopsy.
- Narcan was reportedly found in the apartment where she died, according to TMZ.
- Wladimir Klitschko, her former partner and father of her daughter Kaya, described the family as being in "profound shock and grief."
- The official cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation.
