Hayden Panettiere’s ex

Hayden Panettiere’s ex-fiancé says he's in 'profound shock and grief'

'She left this world far too soon,' he wrote on Instagram

Hayden Panettiere’s ex-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko is speaking out about the actress's sudden passing.

The Ukrainian boxer — who is also the father of her only child — shared a heartfelt statement following Panettiere's death on Sunday at 36.

"Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief," he wrote on his Instagram, alongside a photo of himself, Panettiere and their daughter Kaya, 11.

"The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply. 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."

The late actress and Klitschko welcomed Kaya in December 2014. After they ended their relationship in 2018, Panettiere gave Klitschko full custody of their daughter, as she struggled with addiction and postpartum depression.

"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," he wrote, promising their daughter that he’d always speak of her mother with respect.

"I ask everyone to please respect our family's feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say."

Tributes pour in for Hayden Panettiere after her death at 36

Police said Panettiere was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, S.C., shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday. Life-saving measures were performed, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

In a 9/11 dispatch recording, a first responder references an overdose. But authorities say no cause of death has been determined and Panettiere's death remains under investigation.

The Greenville County Coroner's office said crews treated a woman in cardiac arrest. An autopsy found no signs of trauma, and police said officers saw no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.

Hayden Panettiere, troubled star of Heroes and Nashville, remembered as 'brave and brilliant soul'

Heroes, Nashville star Hayden Panettiere dead at 36

The actor, who would have turned 37 on Friday, had been open about her private struggles and wrote at length about them in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, which came out in May.

In it, she opened up about troubles with early fame, addiction and postpartum depression.

In an interview with podcaster Jay Shetty earlier this year, Panettiere talked about the custody arrangement for her daughter, who lives full time with Klitschko in Ukraine.

"I think there's been this very common misconception that I just gave up my child," she said. "That could not be farther from the truth."

Tributes continue to pour in for the late actress.

"I have no words for this sad song. Just heartbreak,” Nashville co-star Connie Britton wrote on Instagram. “I love you, girl. Sleep easy now."

Her Heroes co-star Masi Oka also shared a message on X sharing he was “absolutely heartbroken.”

"I had the privilege of working closely with her, and I'll always remember her for her beautiful spirit, immense talent and the joyful energy she brought to everything she did and the people around her."

In a statement to CBC News, Heroes creator Tim Kring said, "Hayden was an extraordinary talent. We were all in awe of her. You dream of writing for an actress like her."

Before her breakout roles in Heroes and Nashville, Panettiere got her start as a child actor, starring in films like 2000's Remember the Titans alongside Denzel Washington.

Griffin Jaeger is a reporter and producer with CBC's entertainment unit. He also formerly hosted and produced content for The National’s digital platforms. You can reach him at griffin.jaeger@cbc.ca

With files from The Associated Press