Ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko mourns actress Hayden Panettiere's death

Former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko posted a statement on social media Tuesday after actress Hayden Panettiere was found dead on Sunday at age 36. He said the family was experiencing “a time of profound shock and grief” and described the loss as “tragic.”

The Greenville County Coroner’s Office reported that Panettiere was discovered in cardiac arrest at a South Carolina home and that resuscitation attempts failed. The cause and manner of death remain under investigation pending further studies.

Klitschko, who was engaged to Panettiere from 2013 until their split, noted that she was the mother of their daughter, Kaya, who was born in December 2014. He recalled that Panettiere had given him primary custody of Kaya in 2018 and added that she “built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry.”

"To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was," Klitschko wrote.

Panettiere began acting as a child and rose to prominence with roles such as Claire Bennet on the NBC series "Heroes" and Juliette Barnes on "Nashville." She had recently published a memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," in which she discussed her struggles with opioid and alcohol addiction and the death of her younger brother in 2023.

"I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden's parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today," Klitschko added, concluding with a wish for her peace.