A celebration of life will be held this weekend for actress Hayden Panettiere, who died on August 16 at the age of 36. The event will honor Panettiere's legacy among family, friends, and former colleagues in Malibu, California, a location chosen due to her ocean conservation activism. Sources indicate that around 150 guests are expected to attend, including her father, Skip Panettiere.
Panettiere, known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," died days before her 37th birthday in Greenville, South Carolina. Reports suggest that the actress allegedly consumed oxycodone laced with fentanyl on the day of her death. According to TMZ, she purchased prescription drugs, including oxycodone, from a dealer in Los Angeles before traveling to South Carolina with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson.
First responders were called to an apartment in Greenville where they found Panettiere unresponsive. Paramedics administered Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. Law enforcement is reportedly investigating the source of the fatal pill, and Hickerson has met with investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
While an official toxicology report has not yet been released, authorities have stated that no signs of trauma were found on Panettiere's body. No arrests have been made in connection with her death.
Panettiere's life was marked by struggles with alcohol and opiates. She previously entered rehab in 2020 for jaundice and addiction, and in her memoir, she wrote that a doctor had warned her she had five years to live if she did not stop drinking. Her daughter, Kaya, now 11, was placed in the full custody of her ex-partner, Wladimir Klitschko, in 2017 amid Panettiere's battle with postpartum depression and addiction.
The actress's death follows that of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who died in February 2023 at the age of 28 from an enlarged heart. Panettiere had spoken about the profound grief she experienced after his passing.
Brian Hickerson has faced multiple domestic violence charges in connection with their relationship, including serving jail time in 2021 for injuring Panettiere. He was present at the scene when she was pronounced dead and reportedly handed authorities a bag of medication she had been taking.