Three months before Hayden Panettiere‘s death, which was announced on Sunday, August 16, she appeared in an interview with Gayle King for “CBS Mornings.” During her May appearance to promote her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” released on May 12, the “Heroes” actress discussed several aspects of her life, including her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with her ex, Wladimir Klitschko.
King addressed Panettiere’s passing on “CBS Mornings” on Monday, August 17, expressing her sadness. However, she also revealed how she felt she was struggling while they were speaking off-camera.
Hayden Panettiere Was Struggling, Gayle King Says
“We all woke up to the news this morning. I felt so, so, sad,” King said, Daily Mail reports. “It was hard when she was here that day.”
King continued, “I was talking to her off-camera; she was saying that she felt like she was in a good place. Her daughter meant everything to her, and giving up her daughter, [giving] custody to the dad was one of the hardest things, but she thought that was what was best for her daughter. But she was clearly still struggling, and to wake up to hear this news was really tough.”
Among the things that Panettiere discussed that day was her preteen daughter. She told a sweet story about how she calls her “Britney” because of her role as Britney Allen in the 2006 film, “Bring It On: All or Nothing.”
“I’m so blessed to have a great relationship with her,” Panettiere said, People reports. “I fly over there as much as I can. I’m on FaceTime with her all the time. She’s now 11 years old, and she’s calling Mommy more and more.”
She continued, “She actually called me and FaceTimed me the other day, and she calls me ‘Britney.’ She goes, ‘Hey Britney.’ It took me a second, and I realized she was talking about ‘Bring It On,’ because her friends are fans of ‘Bring It On.'”
New Details Emerge About Hayden Panettiere’s Passing
Panettiere’s father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement to ABC News. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” he said. “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 onscreen.” She was just 36 years old.
New details have emerged about Panettiere’s death, with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office sharing a statement. “An autopsy was completed today. At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death,” coroner Mike Ellis shared, People reports. “The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time.”
The statement also addressed the “Nashville” star being found unresponsive. “First responders and Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest,” the statement reads. “EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM.”
