Hayden Panettiere’s ‘pain’ comes to light after her tragic death

Hayden Panettiere passed away on August 16 at the age of 36

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Published August 24, 2026
Hayden Panettiere’s ‘pain’ comes to light after her tragic death

Hayden Panettiere was struggling with "pain" before her death, according to her mother Lesley Vogel.

The Heroes star, who died on August 16 at the age of just 36, was estranged from Lesley but they are said to have spent some time together in Los Angeles last year and Lesley has claimed her daughter was battling a mysterious condition that left her in agony.

Lesley Vogel told The New York Times, "She was in pain. She was afraid. She couldn’t physically function properly."

Lesley added that Hayden had "pins in needles" in her lower extremities which made it difficult for her to walk and she went to a number of doctors and tried massage and acupuncture treatments in a bid to ease her suffering.

She also claimed the actress wondered whether the mysterious condition was linked to injuries she suffered while working in Hollywood as a child.

Fitness expert Marnie Alton, who started working with Hayden in 2024, told the publication the actress was working hard to build up her strength, saying, "She was a badass. She was really smart. She kept fighting for her body because she felt like: 'If I can get my strength back, I can get myself back.'"

The Nashville actress passed away on August 16 at an apartment in South Carolina. Her cause of death has yet to be confirmed and an investigation remains ongoing.

A statement from Greenville County Coroner's Office read, "An autopsy was completed today. At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death. The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time."

The statement confirmed first responders had found the actress suffering a cardiac arrest when they arrived.

It added, “First responders and Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest. EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM."

TMZ obtained dispatch audio of the call to emergency services, which appears to pick up officials discussing an “overdose.”

The short recording included one officer saying: “Responding. Overdose. CPR is in progress."

After receiving the emergency call, paramedics rushed to the apartment and tried to resuscitate Hayden Panettiere using “advanced cardiac life support.”

Sadaf Naushad
Sadaf Naushad is a Journalist and Neurochemistry master's graduate with over four years of experience. Leveraging her scientific background, she specialises in celebrity wellness, mental health, and the psychology of lifestyle trends, bridging the gap between science and pop culture to provide expert insight into global icons' well-being.
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