‘She was an incredible light’: Hayden Panettiere’s father released one devastating statement after her death at 36

The investigation into the death of Hayden Panettiere remains active after an autopsy revealed no signs of trauma. The 36-year-old actress was found unresponsive on Sunday at a residence in South Carolina where she had been staying temporarily.

Emergency services were dispatched to the property after a 911 call reported a female in cardiac arrest at 1:51 PM. Paramedics attempted advanced cardiac life support measures to revive her, but the efforts were not successful, and she was pronounced dead at 2:32 PM. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office has completed an autopsy, though the official cause and manner of death are still pending further testing.

As detailed by VT, dispatch audio from the initial emergency response referenced a potential overdose and cardiac arrest, and unconfirmed reports noted that Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, was present at the residence. Officials have not confirmed whether it was administered, and Panettiere had traveled to South Carolina from Los Angeles with her on-and-off partner Brian Hickerson the day before the incident occurred.

Her father shared a heartfelt tribute to her legacy

Following the news, Panettiere’s father released a public statement regarding the loss. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature,” he said, adding that the family was asking for privacy while they take time to process the loss.

Panettiere had previously discussed her struggles with substance abuse, postpartum depression, and the pressures of early fame, recalling being introduced to substances as a teenager. “They were to make me peppy during interviews,” she said, describing it as something she did not realize would later contribute to her addiction. Amid a stretch of Hollywood casting shakeups this week, Disney’s live-action Tangled casting also made headlines, a reminder of how closely the industry Panettiere came up in continues to be covered.

Those difficulties eventually led to her decision to have her daughter, Kaya, live with the child’s father, former boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, starting in 2018. Panettiere said at the time that the choice was not made lightly, but that she needed to put her daughter first while she got the help she needed.

The actress also faced the sudden loss of her younger brother, Jansen, in 2023 due to an undiagnosed heart condition, a loss she described as devastating to her sense of family. Coverage of unrelated entertainment controversies has continued elsewhere this week, including an on-set kissing scene dispute that drew backlash from a cast member.

Wladimir Klitschko also shared a tribute reflecting on their shared history and their daughter. “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief,” he said, adding that he would always speak of Panettiere to their daughter with respect.

Authorities have not released any further details regarding the ongoing investigation.