Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16. Fans are mourning the loss, but they are also eager to learn more about the circumstances surrounding her death and her health struggles in the months before her passing.
No official cause of death has been made public while the Greenville County Coroner’s Office awaits toxicology reports, but there have been several reports about the “Heroes” actress struggling before her tragic and sudden passing at age 36.
Hayden Panettiere’s Silent Struggles on Set
Panettiere’s last film was “Sleepwalker,” released in January 2026, and her co-star Lori Tan Chinn has shared previously untold details about Panettiere’s health and her caution on set. In an interview with Page Six, published on Wednesday, August 19, Chinn said: “Hayden was careful not to injure herself on set, moved a little slower for her age, but did not mention back pain or hurting.”
She also said Panettiere “was a sweetheart,” and she enjoyed working with her.
Justin Chatwin, who also starred with Panettiere in “Sleepwalker,” shared insight into her struggles. “Hayden seemed different when I met her this time than when I met her in the early years. I’ve been sober for 15 years, so I know this world of addiction, and Hollywood — it takes, and it takes from youth,” he told People.
He continued, “I could tell she was struggling, and I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s this movie.’ There’s a handful of women that I’ve worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely.”
Hayden Panettiere’s Health Decline & Pain
On Monday, August 17, Erick Orellana, described as Panettiere’s good friend and hairdresser, shared information with Page Six about the star before her death. “I know she suffered earlier this year with her back,” Orellana said. He also claimed that Panettiere had intense pain, referring to it as “really severe.” He continued, “At one point, it was even hard for her to move her legs.”
First responders “arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest,” a statement from the Greenville County Coroner’s Office revealed about Panettiere, People reports. “EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM.”
A representative for the Greenville County Coroner’s Office told TMZ on Tuesday, August 18, that Panettiere’s parents, Lesley Vogel and Skip Panettiere, had been informed “her body is ready to be turned over to them.”
Skip confirmed the news of his daughter’s passing 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.” Tributes have been pouring in for Panettiere after the news of her death. Fans, friends, and celebrities are heartbroken by the passing of someone so kind and talented.
