Hayden Panettiere, known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36. The actress had previously revealed in her memoir that a doctor warned she would be dead within five years if she continued drinking.
Memoir Details Addiction Struggles
In her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, released earlier this year, Panettiere detailed her years-long battle with alcoholism, abuse, and depression. She described alcohol as an escape from pain, calling the feeling “the f*** its.” She wrote, “Alcohol let me say ‘F*** it, I'll deal with everything later,' and within thirty seconds, I was in the zone. It was like coming up for air and breathing again.”
She added, “I've said it before and I'll say it again: addicts aren't patient. When we're shaking, nauseated, anxious, lonely, or depressed, we need instant relief that sends us into that pain-free place called denial.”
Warning and Withdrawal
Panettiere entered treatment in 2020 for an eight-month stay. During that time, a doctor gave her a dire warning. She shared, “A doctor told me that if I didn't stop drinking, I'd be dead within five years.”
Withdrawal was difficult, with painful symptoms and a terrifying experience where she heard voices. She wrote, “Once during withdrawal, I heard voices that were so terrifying I got on all fours and crawled to my bathroom, where I lay on the cool, clean tiles and waited for the panic to pass.”
After Rehab and Death
When she left rehab in 2021, she felt “more clear-headed than I'd ever been.” She wrote, “The sun seemed brighter, the sky looked bluer, and all around me, I could hear the hum of creatures doing the hard work of being alive.”
Sadly, the TV star died not long after her book was released. The cause of death is currently unknown. Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed her death in a statement to ABC News, saying, “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen.” He asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
