Hayden Panettiere Planned to Spend 37th Birthday With Daughter Kaya, 11, in Germany Before Her Tragic 'Overdose' Death
Hayden Panettiere was reportedly gearing up for a vacation.
Aug. 20 2026, Published 12:45 p.m. ET
Hayden Panettiere died just days before her 37th birthday, which she planned to celebrate with her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, RadarOnline.com has learned.
After traveling with her ex, Brian Hickerson, Panettiere suffered from an apparent "cardiac arrest" on August 16.
Hayden Panettiere 'Excited' to See Daughter Before Tragic Death
Panettiere was reportedly excited to see her daughter in Germany.
The mother-daughter duo was reportedly scheduled to spend the actress' birthday week together. Kaya lives in Germany with her father, Wladimir Klitschko, who assumed full custody of the child long before Panettiere's death.
"She was so excited to see her and was telling everyone how much she was looking forward to spending time with her," a source told Page Six.
Her friend, Erick Orellana, confirmed Panettiere was buzzing with excitement for the trip. Even months ahead of time, she was discussing traveling to see Kaya.
"Her daughter was always her absolute priority. She loved her so much," Orellana added.
Actress Suffered From Postpartum Depression
Panettiere was prescribed meds to help with the depression.
He further added that "her daughter was the absolute light of her life." Panettiere reportedly often spoke about Kaya, despite her past struggles with motherhood and postpartum depression.
In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, the Ice Princess star confessed she felt nothing when Kaya was born. Amid her struggle to bond with the baby, Panettiere had difficulty sleeping without taking medication, which was meant to alleviate those depression symptoms.
"I walked into rehab addicted to one substance, and I walked out completely dependent on something else,” she recalled at the time, reflecting on entering rehab when Kaya was only 4 years old.
Hayden Panettiere Signed Away Custody
The 'Heroes' actress' ex, Wladimir Klitschko, asked for custody rights.
Due to her alcohol addiction and drug dependency, Panettiere ultimately signed away her custody rights. When Klitschko approached her with the papers, Panettiere admitted she could have taken on the fight. However, her emotional and energy levels didn't allow for it.
"It’s hard to describe the layers of emotion – including sadness, resentment, and anger – I've felt because of it,” she wrote in her memoir.
However, Panettiere went into recovery, finding moments of joy again. Upon exiting, she was able to rekindle her relationship with her daughter, which started with just FaceTime calls.
Even with her newfound happiness, though, Panettiere still felt the weight of losing custody. "I remember every second of that day. Every f---ing second,” she wrote. “No mother could forget a single thing about the day she signed her child away.”
Hayden Panettiere Death Details
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She died just days before her birthday.
Panettiere was pronounced dead after first responders attempted unsuccessful life-saving efforts. 911 dispatch audio discussed a possible "overdose," but her official cause of death is still pending a toxicology report. The coroners confirmed there was no trauma to her body.
Hickerson, who was with her at the time, allegedly provided police with a bag of medication she was taking. It's unclear if she was abusing the prescriptions.
While no foul play was immediately suspected, a deeper investigation was reportedly launched. Police were seen at Hickerson's home a couple of days after Panettiere's death. He has not been charged or accused of any wrongdoing in connection to the young star's death.
