Hayden Panettiere’s Ex Wladimir Klitschko Breaks His Silence After Her Sudden Death

Hayden Panettiere‘s ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko has broken his silence following her sudden death at age 36.

The former boxer, 50, who shares 11-year-old daughter Kaya with the late actress, said his family is “going through a time of profound shock and grief.”

“The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon,” Klitschko wrote on Instagram on Tuesday, August 18. “Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.”

Klitschko, who dated the Scream 4 star on and off from 2009 until 2018, also paid tribute to her accomplishments as an actress.

“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry,” he continued. “Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.”

Klitschko then shared a heartbreaking promise about how he plans to keep Panettiere’s memory alive for their daughter.

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

Alongside a photo of the former couple with their daughter during happier times, Klitschko offered his condolences to Panettiere’s loved ones and fans.

“I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today,” he wrote. “Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.”

Klitschko also asked for privacy as his family mourns the devastating loss.

“For now, this is all I wish to say,” he continued. “Thank you to everyone who is supporting my family and expressing their sincere condolences. Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace.”

Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, died on Sunday, August 16, at age 36.

Police responded to a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, where Panettiere was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest. Authorities said there were no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.

As Star previously reported, a 911 call referenced a possible overdose and cardiac arrest. However, Panettiere’s official cause and manner of death remain under investigation.

Less than 24 hours before her death, Panettiere was spotted boarding a flight out of Los Angeles with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson.

Panettiere and Klitschko welcomed Kaya in 2014. Following their 2018 split, Kaya went to live with her father while Panettiere sought treatment for addiction.

According to a BBC report, the Remember the Titans actress later spoke candidly about her struggles with substance abuse as well as postpartum depression following Kaya’s birth.