Hayden Panettiere, who died at 36, shared an incredible bond with her daughter Kaya Evdokia Klitschko despite living apart while the actress sought treatment. Panettiere gave birth to Kaya in December 2014 with her then-fiancé, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Following the couple's split, Kaya relocated to live with her father in Europe while Panettiere underwent treatment for addiction and postnatal depression.
Representative Confirms Death
Panettiere's representative confirmed on Sunday that the "Heroes" and "Nashville" star had passed away. No cause of death was disclosed immediately.
Addressing Misconceptions
The actress subsequently dismissed claims that she had simply abandoned motherhood.
"I mean, the idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking. Couldn't be farther from the truth," Panettiere said in May 2026 on Jay Shetty's "On Purpose" podcast. "I think a misconception is that I have been, in the past, forced into treatment when, in fact, I have been the one who has sought it out."
Physical separation, she explained, did not prevent the pair from developing a strong relationship. Panettiere travelled to visit Kaya and depended on FaceTime when they were separated.
A Strong Relationship Despite Distance
"I have an incredible relationship with her. I go travel as much as I can. I see her. I do spend a lot of time on FaceTime with her, but we talk about really deep things," Panettiere said. "We have a really intense, incredible bond and I'm very grateful for that."
She also stated she ensured Kaya recognised that both parents remained active in her life.
"I know that she knows that she has two parents that would do anything in the world to make sure that she is happy and healthy, mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually. She in no way feels abandoned and that's something that I've made sure to stay on top of and be very aware of."
A Mother's Perspective
Kaya, who was raised predominantly in Europe, was frequently characterised by her mother as intelligent, adventurous and loving.
"We are fortunate that we can travel a lot," Panettiere told PEOPLE in 2022. "She's a happy kid open to a huge world. And she has more love than anybody I've ever met. She has a beautiful life. I was just with her. She's just an amazing child. She's smart and she's funny and for whatever reason, she still loves me."
Panettiere portrayed living separately from Kaya as an agonising choice made for her daughter's stability and long-term emotional wellbeing during treatment.
"It was the hardest thing I could do," she said. "But the best thing for my daughter was to make sure she was okay, take care of myself and make sure I could be a good mom to her. And sometimes that means letting go."
