Hayden Panettiere's Boyfriend Brian Hickerson Understands Memorial Snub
Brian Hickerson, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of the late Hayden Panettiere, acknowledges the decision to exclude him from her upcoming celebration of life event.
Brian Hickerson, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of the late Hayden Panettiere, understands and respects the decision to leave him off the guest list for her upcoming celebration of life. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday.
Hickerson and his brother, Zach, who was also not invited, are reportedly not contesting the organizers' decision. Sources close to them told TMZ that they recognize the sensitivity surrounding the memorial and accept the exclusion.
Despite not being invited, Hickerson and his brother hope the service will be a "beautiful celebration of Panettiere, her life and her legacy." The brothers are said to still be processing Panettiere's death, with Brian experiencing particular difficulty adjusting to life without her. Reports indicate that Brian has lost approximately 40 pounds since Panettiere's passing and struggles to regain a sense of normalcy, occasionally expecting her to call and believing her death might be a "horrible dream."
Both Brian and Zach have consistently denied any involvement in Panettiere's death. The celebration of life for Panettiere is planned for Saturday at a church in Malibu, California, with approximately 150 family members, close friends, and former colleagues expected to attend.
Panettiere died at the age of 36 on August 16 in Greenville, South Carolina. Her family confirmed her death at the time. Reports stated that Zach discovered her unresponsive while Brian was asleep in another room. Zach later claimed that Brian administered CPR and Narcan after waking up from a nap. Dispatch audio from the 911 call reportedly mentioned a possible overdose.
A recent report alleged that Panettiere consumed a single oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl on the morning of her death. However, a representative for Panettiere called this claim "unverified hearsay" and stated that her death remains under investigation.
In a separate incident, Brian Hickerson was handcuffed by police on September 12 following an alleged altercation at a bar in Greenville, South Carolina. During the incident, he was reportedly heard shouting about the police leaking information related to Panettiere's death.
When asked by a photographer on Wednesday how he was coping, Hickerson responded, "How do you think I'm doing?"