Hayden Panettiere’s former partner, Wladimir Klitschko, issued a statement following the actress’ sudden death over the weekend, writing, “Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief.”
Klitschko, a former Ukrainian boxing champion, and
Panettiere met in 2009 and spent much of the 2010s together. In 2014, the couple had a daughter, Kaya, and though they were engaged, they never got married. Panettiere and Klitschko separated in 2018, and while Klitschko got sole custody of Kaya, she and Panettiere maintained a relationship.
In his post, Klitschko shared a photo of himself and Panettiere, with Kaya on her shoulders. He wrote, “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. 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.”
Klitschko went on to say that, when he spoke with Kaya about Panettiere, he would “always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.” And to Panettiere’s family, friends, and fans, he expressed his “deepest condolences.”
“Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon,” Klitschko wrote, adding: “Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace.”
Panettiere, best known for her roles on hit television shows like Heroes and Nashville, died on Sunday, Aug. 16 at the age of 36. An exact cause of death hasn’t been release yet, though police in Greenville County, South Carolina said the investigation had so far not turned up any signs of “foul play or suspicious circumstances.” Additionally, an autopsy found “no signs of trauma… that would have contributed to the death.”
According to dispatch audio obtained by People, officials discussed an “overdose” and “cardiac arrest.” A rep for Panettiere said at the time, “I don’t have any more information at this time, but it’s looking as though that is the case.”
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