Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died Sunday at age 36. The official cause of death has not been released, but in recent years, Panettiere had openly discussed the significant toll addiction had taken on her health.
In a 2022 interview, Panettiere revealed that doctors had warned her liver was failing and that she would be dead within five years if she did not stop drinking. She described how addiction began in her teenage years when she was given unspecified "happy pills" by someone on her team to make her appear more energetic during public appearances. Her alcohol abuse escalated after she moved to Tennessee in 2012 to star in "Nashville."
Panettiere also battled postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014, during which her drinking intensified. A subsequent injury led to a prescription for opioids, and she quickly developed a dependency. The actress stated that her tolerance for the painkillers increased rapidly, leading to a significant problem.
By her 30th birthday in 2019, Panettiere began experiencing severe physical side effects. She reported that her face was swollen, her eyes were jaundiced, indicating poor liver function, and she was retaining abnormal amounts of weight. Her hair had become thin and was falling out in clumps. A liver specialist confirmed the extent of the damage.
Panettiere first sought treatment in a rehabilitation facility in 2015, describing the experience as feeling like she was "drowning." Despite this, she relapsed, using alcohol as a coping mechanism for anxiety and the pressures of public life, as well as sleep deprivation. At her lowest point, she experienced withdrawal tremors and could only function by consuming alcohol.
Following her health crisis around age 30, Panettiere entered an eight-month treatment program. She detailed the difficult withdrawal process in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," published earlier this year, describing terrifying hallucinations and severe headaches. She stated that she undertook significant personal work during her recovery.
Police sources reported that on Sunday, a friend found Panettiere unconscious in a Greenville, South Carolina, apartment and called 911, reporting cardiac arrest. Paramedics attempted resuscitation with advanced cardiac life support measures. She was pronounced dead at 2:32 p.m. on Sunday, five days before her 37th birthday.