Hayden Panettiere’s Ex Wladimir Klitschko Remembers Her ‘Immense Talent While Also Facing the Darker Sides’ of the Industry: ‘She Left This World Far Too Soon’
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Wladimir Klitschko, the father of Hayden Panettiere's 11-year-old daughter Kaya, has paid tribute to the actress following her death on Sunday at the age of 36. In an Instagram post, the heavyweight boxing champion said his "family is going through a time of profound shock and grief," praising Panettiere's "immense talent" while acknowledging she also faced "the darker sides of a very demanding industry." His comments add to a wave of tributes from former colleagues and friends since news of her death broke.
Klitschko and Panettiere were together on and off for nearly a decade from 2009 and were briefly engaged before Kaya's birth in 2014, but their relationship ended in 2018 after Panettiere relinquished custody amid postpartum depression and addiction struggles. He said he would "always speak of her mother with respect" to their daughter and extended condolences to Panettiere's family and fans. Panettiere was found unresponsive at her Greenville, South Carolina home on Sunday; police say there were no signs of foul play, though dispatch audio reportedly referenced an "overdose" and "cardiac arrest," with an official cause of death pending autopsy. She had spoken openly about substance abuse issues, stepping back from acting in 2016 before returning in 2023 and publishing a memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," in May 2026.
- Wladimir Klitschko mourns ex-partner Hayden Panettiere's death at 36
- They share daughter Kaya, 11; relationship ended in 2018
- Cause of death pending autopsy; no signs of foul play found
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Wladimir Klitschko is a retired heavyweight boxing champion who was in a relationship with actress Hayden Panettiere, best known for playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the TV series "Heroes", from 2009 for nearly a decade. The couple had a daughter, Kaya, born in 2014, though they never married and split in 2018.
Panettiere has spoken openly in recent years about struggling with postpartum depression and addiction, issues that led her to step back from acting for a period before returning to work in 2023. She also released a memoir about her experiences earlier this year, giving fans further insight into the difficulties she faced away from the screen.
Panettiere died on Sunday at the age of 36, prompting tributes from former colleagues, friends and Klitschko, who remains connected to her as the father of her child. The circumstances of her death have not yet been officially confirmed, with an autopsy pending.
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