Wladimir Klitschko, the retired heavyweight boxing champion, has paid tribute to his former partner, the actor Hayden Panettiere, following news of her death, pledging to raise their daughter Kaya to remember her mother's "immense talent" and "incredible career". Panettiere, best known for roles in Heroes and Nashville, died in Greenville, South Carolina, with no cause of death given; her passing was reported on Sunday. The tribute highlights both her professional achievements and the personal struggles she faced, adding her to a long line of former child stars who encountered difficulties later in life.

Klitschko, who has had full custody of Kaya since 2018 after Panettiere stepped back to address alcoholism, depression and substance abuse, shared an Instagram post describing his family's "profound shock and grief" alongside a beach photo of the pair with their daughter. The couple met in 2009, got engaged in 2013 and had Kaya in 2014, before separating for good in 2018 amid Panettiere's postpartum depression. In a May interview, Panettiere had spoken of her hope to reunite with her daughter, saying she believed they would eventually build "an incredible relationship".