Hayden Panettiere: Ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko

The hours since actor Hayden Panettiere’s sudden death over the weekend have proved to be a “time of profound shock and grief” for her ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko and their daughter, the Ukrainian boxing star said on social media.

Klitschko, a multiple-time heavyweight world champion, on Monday night mourned the “Heroes” star and his former accomplice in an emotional tribute shared to Instagram. The former professional athlete posted a household photograph of himself, Panettiere and their daughter Kaya (whose face is censored by a vivid orange dot) all smiles against a cloudy sky. Klitschko wrote that news of the actor’s death “saddens me deeply” and echoed a recurring sentiment expressed in a majority of tributes to Panettiere: “She left this world far too soon.”

“Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya,” Klitschko said. “She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.”

Panettiere, whose profession spanned TV, movie and video video games, died Sunday at age 36, her father announced in a assertion. A trigger of death was not revealed, but an post-mortem Monday discovered no indicators of trauma that would have been a contributing issue. She was discovered unresponsive at an condominium advanced in Greenville, S.C., shortly before 2 p.m. Eastern time after an acquaintance called 911, police said in a assertion. Police said a preliminary investigation had not indicated any indicators of foul play.

Panettiere and the boxer have been in an on-and-off relationship from 2009 to 2018 and have been engaged in 2013. The “Nashville” and “Ice Princess” star welcomed their daughter in 2014 but relinquished full custody to Klitschko in 2018. In her past, Panettiere had been outspoken about her struggles with postpartum depression. She beforehand refuted hypothesis that she just gave up her baby.

“It was the hardest thing I could do,” she said during a 2022 look on “Red Table Talk.” “But the best thing for my daughter was to make sure she was OK, take care of myself and make sure I could be a good mom to her. And sometimes that means letting go.”

Klitschko said in his post that he’ll carry on Panettiere’s legacy at home, while making a promise to Kaya: “I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.” He concluded his post by sending his condolences to Panettiere’s family members and followers. He also requested followers to respect his household’s privateness as they mourn the loss.

He added: “Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.”

Klitschko joins Panettiere’s co-stars and Hollywood friends in paying tribute to her life and profession on social media. “Heroes” star Masi Oka said Panettiere was “wiser beyond her years and now gone too soon” while “Nashville” co-star Connie Britton recalled Pannettiere was “bursting with brilliance” during their time on the ABC collection.

To Viola Davis, “Custody” co-star Panettiere was a “beautiful Phoenix rising from the ashes.”