Hayden Panettiere Dies at Age 36, Klitschko Mourns Her

Hayden Panettiere, the actress known for roles on “Heroes” and “Nashville,” died Sunday at age 36. Her former fiancé, heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, said on social media that she “left this world far too soon” and was “an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.”

Cause of death still under investigation

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said Panettiere was found in cardiac arrest. An autopsy found “no signs of trauma” contributing to her death, but the official cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation.

A career that began in childhood

Panettiere built her career as a child actor before rising to wider fame playing Claire Bennet on “Heroes” and Juliette Barnes on “Nashville.”

Klitschko remembers her as a mother and partner

Klitschko pledged to honor her memory with their daughter. “To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was,” he said. He extended condolences to her family and fans, adding that talented young people should not pass away prematurely.

Panettiere released a memoir in May, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” in which she wrote about postpartum depression, addiction, recovery, trauma, domestic abuse and loss.