Actress Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in the NBC series "Heroes" and the musical drama "Nashville," was found dead Sunday afternoon at the Judson Mill Lofts in Greenville, South Carolina. She was 36 years old.
A neighbor, Micah Lee, described hearing "a bunch of commotion in the hallway" after Panettiere allegedly collapsed in a unit within the building. Lee told WYFF that noise echoes in the building's hallways and that he heard "about someone collapsing," followed by "talk about cardiac arrest."
Audio from a 911 call made at 1:51 p.m. on Sunday indicated a female dispatcher describing the actress as suffering "cardiac arrest." Moments later, a male dispatcher stated that Panettiere had suffered a suspected overdose.
Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m., just over 40 minutes after the initial 911 call. Police and the medical examiner are investigating the death. Preliminary findings have not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Panettiere and her on-off boyfriend, real estate agent Brian Hickerson, reportedly flew from Los Angeles to South Carolina the day before her death. Hickerson is originally from Greenville.
The actress had publicly spoken about her history of drug addiction, which began in her teenage years. Her struggles with addiction were exacerbated by postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014. In a 2022 interview, Panettiere stated she had been sober in recent years, describing sobriety as an "everyday battle" and an "everyday choice."
Panettiere had also shared that she nearly died during childbirth and subsequently gave full custody of Kaya, now 11, to her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere's daughter lives in Europe with her father.
In her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," released in May, Panettiere detailed the emotional challenges of being separated from her daughter. She described the experience as "gut-wrenching" and expressed grief over not being the mother she aspired to be, while emphasizing her love for Kaya.
Panettiere is remembered for her roles as Claire Bennet on "Heroes" and Juliette Barnes on "Nashville." Her family released a statement calling her an "incredible light" who brought "immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her."