After the heartbreaking and unexpected death of 36-year-old Hayden Panettiere on Sunday, August 16, her fellow Disney star Alyson Stoner broke in tears while mourning the actress in a raw and emotional video.
Speaking through tears, Stoner told her followers, “Hey. This is very raw. It’s very messy. Please give me some grace. I wanted to acknowledge Hayden’s passing. I’ve worked with Hayden. I worked with Hayden’s brother Jansen. And from one Kairi to another, I just wanted to acknowledge this tremendous loss, not only for the Kingdom Hearts family but of course all of the close loved ones and the millions of lives that Hayden reached.”
Kairi is the name of the character both Stoner and Panettiere previously voiced in the video game series “Kingdom Hearts.”
Stoner went on to say she was “sending so much love to Hayden’s family” before adding, “I’ll be thinking of Hayden and the legacy that she has left. And sending lots of love to the ‘Kingdom Hearts’ community too and how we’re sharing in this loss.”
She finished the emotional video by asking her fans to “take care of yourselves, take care of each other.”
In the caption, Stoner wrote the following message:
“From one Kairi to another… One sky, one destiny. 🕊️
My deepest condolences to Hayden’s family, community, and the many lives Hayden reached.
May you rest in freedom, Hayden. 💕✨
And sending love to my fellow KH community worldwide who have cherished Hayden’s work as Kairi through the decades.
Take care.”
Hayden Panettiere & Alyson Stoner Were Both Child Stars & Prominent Disney Faces
Stoner, 33, rose to recognition as the “little white girl” who danced in Missy Elliott’s “Work It” music video before becoming a Disney Channel staple. From 2002 to 2007, they appeared as Sally on the channel’s popular “Mike’s Super Short Show” segment, and played Caitlyn in the “Camp Rock” franchise. Stoner is also remembered for her role as Sarah in “Cheaper by the Dozen.”
In the meantime, Panettiere’s first Disney role was as Princess Dot in 1998’s “A Bug’s Life,” and received a Grammy nomination for “A Bug’s Life Read-Along.”
She starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie “Tiger Cruise” in 2004, before gracing the big screen as Gen in 2005’s nostalgic “Ice Princess.” The star-studded cast also included Kim Cattrall, Joan Cusack, and the late Michelle Trachtenberg.
Fans Can’t Believe Both ‘Ice Princess’ Stars Are Gone
Panettiere’s gut-wrenching death comes the year after her “Ice Princess” costar Michelle Trachtenberg succumbed to complications of diabetes.
Fans are now rewatching clips of the coming-of-age sports flick and grieving the girls.
One wrote, “Ouch, my childhood. R.I.P. to these 2 beautiful icons.”
Another remarked, “This hurts. Both were such talented actresses. 90’s kids were shaped by their performances. RIP Michelle and Hayden!”
How Did Hayden Panettiere Die? What We Know So Far
TMZ reports they learned Panettiere was found deceased in a South Carolina home by a friend who then placed a 911 call that described her as “unresponsive” and mentioned “cardiac arrest.”
In the dispatch audio, responders are heard talking about sending someone to do CPR on a potential overdose victim.
TMZ reported a few hour later that Narcan, a mediation used to revive victims of opioid overdose, was found in the “Remember the Titans” star’s apartment.
The exact cause of death has not been released.
