Hayden Panettiere’s untimely death has left the entertainment world in deep shock. As the world grapples with the devastating loss, more details are emerging on what Panettiere had planned for her coming months.
According to a Page Six report on Monday, August 17, Panettired had been looking forward to spending time with her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, before her sudden death at 36.
Hayden Panettiere Was Planning to Take a Vacation to See Daughter Kaya
The ‘Heroes’ actress’ longtime hairstylist and friend, Erick Orellana, said Panettiere had recently spoken about taking a vacation and traveling to see Kaya, who lives with her father, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
“I last saw her a few months ago,” Orellana told Page Six. “She was talking about how she wanted to take a vacation, and that she wanted to go and see her daughter. Her daughter was always her absolute priority. She loved her so much.”
Hayden Panettiere’s Daughter Was the ‘Light of Her Life’
Orellana, who worked with Panettiere for three years, said the actress frequently talked about Kaya and proudly shared photos and stories about her.
“Her daughter was the absolute light of her life,” he said. “She lit up when she spoke about her. Everything she did revolved around her.”
Panettiere shared Kaya with Klitschko, whom she dated from 2009 until 2018. Kaya has primarily lived with her father in Europe since Panettiere stepped away from full-time parenting while seeking treatment for postpartum depression and addiction.
Hayden Panettiere Previously Defended Her Bond With Kaya
Just months before her death, Panettiere spoke candidly about the distance between herself and her daughter during a May appearance on Jay Shetty’s ‘On Purpose‘ podcast.
“I go travel as much as I can. I see her. I do spend a lot of time on FaceTime with her, but we talk about really deep things,” she said.
Panettiere also pushed back against the suggestion that she had willingly walked away from motherhood.
“I mean, the idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be OK with it is heartbreaking. Couldn’t be further from the truth.”
She described being separated from Kaya as deeply painful.
“That was incredibly difficult,” she continued. “The fact that my child wasn’t going to be with me all day, every day was … you can’t put words to it. It’s just a really intense feeling or multiple feelings really layered together.”
Friend Says Hayden Panettiere Was ‘Super Happy’ Before Her Death
Orellana said Panettiere appeared hopeful in the months before her death and remained surrounded by a close circle of friends in Los Angeles. He described her as “super happy” and “so positive,” adding that she took genuine joy in celebrating the people around her.
“She would always want to celebrate her friends in every single way she could,” he said. “She laughed a lot. She had the most infectious energy.”
Orellana said the news left him “in complete and utter shock.”
What Is Known About Hayden Panettiere’s Shocking Death?
Panettiere died Sunday, August 16, after emergency responders were called to a Greenville, South Carolina, residence following a report of an unresponsive woman.
Dispatch audio obtained by Page Six referenced cardiac arrest as crews were sent to the scene.
Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a family statement to ABC News.
“She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her on-screen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Panettiere became a household name as Claire Bennet on ‘Heroes’ before starring as Juliette Barnes on ‘Nashville’. Her film credits included ‘Remember the Titans’, ‘Ice Princess’, ‘Scream 4’ and ‘Scream VI’.
For those closest to her, however, Orellana said motherhood remained central to Panettiere’s life right up until the end.
