Hayden Panettiere was reportedly seeking alcohol and nitrous oxide in May, just three months before her death at age 36, according to sources speaking to Page Six. Panettiere was in Nashville to promote her memoir, "This Is Me."
Sources told the outlet that Panettiere allegedly attempted to have nitrous oxide, commonly known as whippets, delivered to her hotel. Hotel security reportedly intervened and stopped a delivery service from bringing several industrial-grade nitrous oxide cans to her room, with one insider claiming she intended to "huff" them.
Another source confirmed that alcohol and whippets were delivered, but hotel staff would not allow the items to be taken up to her room. The actress was reportedly unhappy about the refusal. Panettiere's representative, Kasey Kitchen, has since denied these claims, stating that Panettiere was in Nashville for a short period, primarily slept, and had private security with her.
During her appearance on "Tamron Hall" in May, Panettiere spoke candidly about her struggles with addiction. She revealed that she was first given "happy pills" at age 16 and detailed the serious health consequences of her addiction, including a doctor's warning that she would need a liver transplant if she did not stop immediately. She told Hall that the possibility of not living to see age 35 motivated her to seek treatment for her child's sake.
Panettiere entered a treatment facility in 2020. She died on Sunday, August 16, reportedly from an apparent drug overdose. She was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest at an Airbnb in Greenville, South Carolina. The actress was with her on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach, at the time of her death. Preliminary investigations by police did not indicate signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances, though an investigation into her death is ongoing.