Hayden Panettiere's mother, Lesley Vogel, has publicly stated that Brian Hickerson, the actress's on-again, off-again boyfriend, was with Panettiere at the time of her death. Panettiere, known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina, at the age of 36.
Vogel told NBC News that Hickerson was "with her at her death" and that he was "a person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time." According to a police report obtained by the outlet, Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were present when first responders arrived.
Preliminary autopsy results have indicated no signs of trauma that would have contributed to Panettiere's death, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed. Emergency medical services initiated resuscitation efforts upon finding the actress in cardiac arrest, but they were unsuccessful. She was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM. The coroner's office and the Greenville City Police Department have launched parallel investigations into the circumstances surrounding her death, with the cause and manner of death pending further studies.
Vogel, who previously managed her daughter's career, reflected on the challenges faced by young people in the entertainment industry. "I think Hayden was an amazingly talented person in so many departments and I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry — it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path," she said.
Panettiere had a complicated relationship with her mother, with whom she was estranged earlier this year. In May, Panettiere told US Weekly, "Unfortunately, we don’t have a relationship right now. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t leave the door open for the opportunity to present itself one day."
Panettiere's former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, also shared his grief. "The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon," Klitschko wrote on social media. He expressed his intention to keep Panettiere's memory alive for their daughter, Kaya, born in 2014. "To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was."
Panettiere's younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly in February 2023 at the age of 28. The actress had previously discussed relinquishing full custody of Kaya to Klitschko in 2018, explaining in her memoir "This Is Me: A Reckoning" that she was in a difficult place and wanted her daughter to be safe and well-cared for with a strong support system in Europe.