Hayden Panettiere was already receiving CPR when paramedics arrived at a South Carolina home on Sunday.
The 36-year-old actress was discovered unresponsive by an acquaintance at a Greenville, South Carolina residence where she had been staying temporarily, according to reports. That person dialed 911 at roughly 1:51 p.m. on August 16th. Emergency dispatchers initially described the situation as involving an "unresponsive female" experiencing cardiac arrest. A second unit was then sent to the same location for what was classified as an "overdose."
First responders performed chest compressions and delivered advanced cardiac life support measures, but nothing worked. Panettiere was officially declared dead at the scene at 2:32 p.m., roughly 41 minutes after that first frantic call.
Here is where things get even more revealing. People magazine obtained the actual dispatch audio and reported that Narcan, the well-known opioid reversal drug, was discovered inside the residence. When asked whether an overdose was responsible, Panettiere's representative told the outlet, "I don't have any more information at this time, but it's looking as though that is the case."
No official agency has formally confirmed overdose as her cause of death yet. Greenville police stated their initial investigation turned up zero evidence of foul play or anything suspicious. The county coroner completed an autopsy the following day and found no signs of trauma that could have played a role. Her official cause and manner of death are still pending as investigators await toxicology results.
Panettiere had been remarkably open about her battles with alcohol and opioid addiction over the years. During a 2022 sit-down with People, she detailed a prolonged struggle that ravaged her health and nearly destroyed her career. She eventually completed an eight-month rehabilitation program and described recovery as a daily choice to resist falling back into what she called a "cycle of self-destruction."
Just three months before her sudden passing, she released a memoir titled "This Is Me: A Reckoning." The book chronicled her childhood growing up in Hollywood, her addiction battles, postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, experiences with domestic abuse, and her long road toward putting her life back together.
Panettiere got her start as a child performer on soap operas like "One Life to Live" and "Guiding Light" before landing the role of Sheryl Yoast in "Remember the Titans." She became a household name portraying the indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet on NBC's hit series "Heroes." Her turn as country music star Juliette Barnes on "Nashville" earned her two Golden Globe nominations, and she also took on the role of Kirby Reed in the "Scream" franchise.
She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whose father is former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko. Her father, Alan "Skip" Panettiere, confirmed her passing through her representative and requested privacy. "She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her," he said.
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