Hayden Panettiere’s Musician Friend Reveals Heartbreaking Final Text She Sent Before Her Sudden Death at 36 From Suspected Overdose.
Hayden Panettiere’s close friend has shared the poignant final message she sent him shortly before her sudden death at the age of 36.
Panettiere, who would have celebrated her 37th birthday on August 21, was reportedly found unresponsive by police officers and paramedics at an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday. She was later pronounced dead at the scene following what has been described as a suspected overdose.
Authorities and the local coroner’s office are investigating her death. However, officials said the preliminary investigation has found no evidence of foul play or suspicious circumstances.
Panettiere and her on-again, off-again boyfriend, real estate agent Brian Hickerson, who had previously served jail time for abusing the actress, were reportedly said to have traveled from Los Angeles to South Carolina—Hickerson’s home state—just one day before her death.
Following her passing, Panettiere’s close friend, 37-year-old musician Clayton Johnson, paid tribute to the actress and revealed that her final text message to him expressed her hopes for “world peace.”
Sharing a video of the pair singing together, Johnson wrote: “Sweet Hayden.”
“I spent last night trying to process everything and find the right words, but honestly, there are no words that feel adequate.
“More than anything, I hope you’re finally at peace and reunited with Jansen.
“It’s been a couple of weeks since we last spoke on the phone, but the final message you ever sent me was: ‘Honestly, people think it’s a joke to ask for world peace, but that would be me.’”
“That was you in a nutshell. I’m so grateful I had the chance to know you, and I’ll always cherish the memories we shared. Fly high, Hayden.”
Reports on Monday said that Narcan was found inside the apartment where Panettiere died. The medication, a nasal spray commonly used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, was reportedly discovered on a mattress in the loft apartment where she had been staying.
It remains unclear whether the Narcan was administered in an attempt to revive Panettiere. However, 911 audio released earlier on Monday reportedly indicated that the actress had gone into cardiac arrest following a suspected overdose.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that Panettiere’s autopsy had been completed and that no signs of trauma were found on her body.
Further investigation will now be carried out to determine the official cause of Panettiere’s death. Chief Deputy Coroner Shelton England said it was still too early to confirm whether a drug overdose was involved.
In a 911 call made at around 1:51 p.m. on Sunday, a female dispatcher reportedly described the actress as being in “cardiac arrest.”
A short time later, a male dispatcher reportedly stated that Panettiere had suffered a suspected overdose at the residence.
The actress was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m., approximately 40 minutes after the initial 911 call.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office has completed Panettiere’s autopsy. According to the coroner, “no signs of trauma were discovered” that would have contributed to her death.
Panettiere was found unresponsive inside the residence, where she had been staying temporarily, according to a statement from the coroner’s office.
The office added that investigators will conduct additional testing and examinations as they continue to determine the circumstances surrounding her death.
The actress had previously spoken openly about her struggles with substance addiction, which she said began when she was just 15. At the time, she revealed that she started taking so-called “happy pills” in an effort to appear more energetic and upbeat during interviews.
Her substance use later intensified as she struggled with postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.
However, Panettiere said she had maintained her sobriety in recent years. In a 2022 interview, she described recovery as “an everyday battle,” emphasizing that staying sober was a daily choice.
“I’m just so grateful to be part of this world again, and I will never take it for granted again,” she said at the time.
Panettiere had also previously revealed that she nearly died while giving birth to Kaya. She later transferred full custody of her daughter to her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Kaya, now 11, lives in Europe with her father.
Speaking about the decision, Panettiere explained that she “desperately” needed help at the time and said she wanted to make clear that Kaya never felt “abandoned.”
During an appearance on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast, the actress said the idea that she willingly gave up her child was deeply painful and far from the reality of what happened.
“The idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking. It couldn’t be further from the truth,” Panettiere said.
She went on to explain that she had been struggling with her mental health, anxiety and postpartum difficulties while trying to continue working.
“I was struggling with mental health and anxiety and postpartum and having to act my way through it, and just feeling like I completely lost myself,” she said.
The actress also opened up about how difficult it was to make the decision to give Klitschko full custody of their daughter.
“It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, nor was it a decision I even wanted to make,” she said.
Panettiere explained that she was going through an extremely difficult period in her life and realized she needed to prioritize her daughter’s wellbeing while seeking the treatment and support she needed.
After giving birth to Kaya in 2014, Panettiere recalled experiencing severe hemorrhaging. She underwent seven blood transfusions and surgery to repair blood vessels that had begun to fail.
“I closed my eyes and just prayed for my daughter to be OK. I truly was ready to go if it was my time. Kaya being safe and healthy was all that mattered,” she recalled.
However, in the days that followed, Panettiere said she found herself emotionally disconnected from her newborn daughter and began experiencing postnatal depression. She eventually turned to alcohol as a way of coping.
“I turned to wine, which ultimately ended up leading to an alcohol dependency. It was how I would get through each day,” she said.
Although she later sought treatment, Panettiere felt that the underlying cause of her drinking—her depression—had not been properly addressed.
“I wish more people had known what it was at the time. Maybe I wouldn’t have waited so long to get help,” she said.
Six years after relinquishing custody, Panettiere opened up about her relationship with her daughter and how deeply she remained connected to her.
“I love my daughter, and I’m so proud of the young woman she is becoming. I talk to her all the time, and I feel so connected to her. She’s like a mini-me,” she said.
The actress added that, regardless of what she had been going through, she had always tried to put Kaya first. She expressed hope that her daughter would eventually understand what she experienced and why she was unable to be with her all the time.
Describing herself as “resilient” and a “work in progress,” Panettiere said she was continuing to do the work and give her best.
In May, the actress released her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, in which she also wrote candidly about being separated from her only child.
“Not being under the same roof with her every day has been the most gut-wrenching experience of my life, and it’s hard to describe the layers of emotion—including sadness, resentment, and anger—I’ve felt because of it,” she wrote.
She reflected on grieving the mother she had imagined herself becoming, adding that raising a child from a distance through FaceTime had been incredibly painful. Despite missing Kaya deeply, Panettiere said she remained grateful to be her mother.
“She is the greatest gift of my life, with all the best parts of her father and me,” she wrote.
