Actress Hayden Panettiere died on August 16 at the age of 36. Had she not died, she would have turned 37 on August 21.
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“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her father Alan said in a statement shared by multiple outlets. “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.”
Little is known right now about how the actress died, but the Greenville Police Department said in a statement obtained by People that the “preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.”
If you look at Pantettiere’s Instagram account, there is no indication that she would die so soon.
Her last post is from July 27, a black and white picture of Panettiere winking and smiling while photographer Randall Slavin stands facing her with his arm around her.
“Good times and good friends,” she captioned the post, tagging Slavin. He shared the post on his Instagram story on August 16, writing “Peace be with you, H.”
Other posts indicate that Pannetiere was on a journey of healing and coming back to herself after years of struggle. She famously dealt with postpartum depression, drug and alcohol addiction, and the loss of her younger brother unexpectedly from heart issues.
“My little brother Jansen would’ve turned 31 today. He was a remarkable human being. He was wise beyond his years and operated at a higher spiritual level than anyone I’ve ever met. He was everything that is good and pure in this world. I miss him every single day but I know his spirit is always near, watching over and protecting me and my family. I love you to infinity and beyond J and we will be together again one day,” she wrote in an Instagram post on September 25, 2025.
The last time she commemorated her own birthday on social media was in 2024. She shared a picture on Instagram of her blowing out candles on an elaborately decorated cake.
“Couldn’t have asked for a better birthday! Thank you to everyone for all the love and a special thanks to @crumbles__patisserie @createwith__katie for the most beautiful and delicious cake I’ve ever had!”