Hayden Panettiere to be Honored at Celebration of Life Amid Fentanyl Overdose Report
Loved ones will gather to remember the actress's legacy, one month after her death at 36, with reports suggesting fentanyl played a role.
Hayden Panettiere, the actress known for her roles in "Heroes" and "Nashville," will be honored at a celebration of life this weekend, approximately one month after her death at the age of 36. The event will take place in Malibu, California, a location chosen for its connection to Panettiere's ocean conservation activism.
Sources have indicated that the service aims to "remember Hayden's legacy and not focus on the struggles she endured." Around 150 guests are expected, including her father, Skip Panettiere, and some celebrity attendees. It remains unclear if her estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, or ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson will be present.
The actress died on August 16 in Greenville, South Carolina, just days before her 37th birthday. Reports from TMZ suggest that Panettiere died after allegedly taking oxycodone laced with fentanyl. According to the outlet, she purchased several black-market prescription drugs, including oxycodone, in Los Angeles before traveling to South Carolina with Hickerson. Authorities are reportedly investigating the possibility that the pill she took on the morning of her death contained fentanyl, a powerful opioid that can be fatal in small doses.
Brian Hickerson reportedly administered Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, after finding Panettiere unresponsive. Police are working to trace the origin of the fatal pill. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reportedly met with Hickerson as part of their ongoing investigation into Panettiere's death, a probe that aligns with initial reports of a suspected overdose by first responders. Narcan was found at the scene where the actress was pronounced dead.
No arrests have been made in connection with Panettiere's death, and the official toxicology report has not yet been released. Autopsy results reportedly found no signs of trauma on her body.
Panettiere's struggles with alcohol and opiates were documented in her memoir. She previously spent eight months in rehab in 2020 after contracting jaundice, and a doctor reportedly warned her she would be dead within five years if she did not stop drinking. She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whose custody was granted to her ex-partner Wladimir Klitschko in 2018 amid Panettiere's battle with postpartum depression and addiction.
Hickerson, Panettiere's on-off boyfriend, has faced multiple domestic violence charges during their relationship, including a 2021 incident where he served 13 days in custody for injuring her. He was present at the scene with his brother Zachary when Panettiere was pronounced dead.
Panettiere gained fame for her roles as cheerleader Claire Bennet on "Heroes" and Juliette Barnes in "Nashville," for which she received two Golden Globe nominations. She also appeared in the Scream franchise and lent her voice to video games. Her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died in February 2023 from an enlarged heart at the age of 28. Panettiere described his death as feeling like losing "half of her soul."