Hayden Panettiere's death at age 36 represents a new tragedy for her parents, Lesley Vogel and Alan “Skip” Panettiere. Just over three years earlier, in February 2023, the two had lost their youngest son, Jansen Panettiere, at age 28.
Former actress loses her two children in just over three years
Hayden Panettiere's death at age 36 represents a new tragedy for her parents, Lesley Vogel and Alan “Skip” Panettiere. Just over three years earlier, in February 2023, the two had lost their youngest son, Jansen Panettiere, at age 28....
Hayden was the firstborn in the family and built an internationally known career in productions such as Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise. The actress died on Sunday (16), after being found unconscious in a residence in Greenville, South Carolina.
- Police reported that they did not identify signs of crime or suspicious circumstances.
- The official cause of death still depends on the conclusion of the tests.
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Divorced, Lesley and Alan now face the death of their two children. Hayden was the firstborn in the family and built an internationally known career in productions such as Heroes, Nashville and the Scream franchise.
The actress died on Sunday (16), after being found unconscious in a residence in Greenville, South Carolina. Police reported that they did not identify signs of crime or suspicious circumstances. The official cause of death still depends on the conclusion of the tests.
Alan, known as Skip, is a retired captain in the New York City Fire Department. Lesley has worked as an actress and producer and has been directly involved in Hayden's career since childhood.
Family lost Jansen in 2023
Jansen Panettiere died on February 19, 2023, aged 28. The family later reported that the actor suffered complications resulting from cardiomegaly, a condition characterized by an enlarged heart, associated with problems with the aortic valve.
He also pursued an artistic career. He worked as an actor and voice actor since he was young and, in the last years of his life, he dedicated himself to the visual arts.
Jansen even acted in productions alongside his sister. His death had a strong impact on Hayden, who spoke publicly about the difficulty of dealing with the loss.
With the death of the actress, Lesley and Alan face, in just over three years, the loss of their two children. Hayden leaves behind a daughter, Kaya, aged 11, from her relationship with former boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
The relationship between Hayden and his mother had periods of conflict
The relationship between Hayden and Lesley gained public attention just months before the actress' death.
In May, while appearing on writer Jay Shetty's podcast, Hayden reported that his life with his mother was marked for many years by the mix between family relationships and business related to his career.
“Everything was business,” said the actress.
Hayden started working as a child and said that, as he grew up, he began to play different roles in his relationship with Lesley.
“I became her confidant, her assistant, her therapist, her shoulder to cry on, everything but her daughter,” he declared.
According to Hayden, at the age of 19, while working on the series Heroes, he decided to end his professional relationship with his mother. The actress said she believed the change could allow the two to build an exclusively family relationship.
She also stated that she carried feelings of guilt related to her brother for years. According to Hayden, her mother held her responsible for the time she didn't spend with Jansen while she followed her daughter's career.
Lesley also spoke about the separation
Lesley Vogel publicly presented her own version of the conflicts with Hayden.
In an interview with Page Six, he stated that he stopped contact with his daughter after seeking professional guidance to deal with the relationship.
“We, parents of entertainment children, painfully observe the self-destructive paths they sometimes choose,” he declared.
Lesley did not specify, in that statement, which behaviors she was referring to.
Hayden, however, had spoken openly at different points in his life about problems with alcohol and opioids, as well as periods when he sought treatment for addiction.
The actress also addressed personal and family episodes in her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, released in 2026.
Despite the publicly exposed differences, Lesley previously stated that she wanted her daughter to find peace.
Now, just over three years after Jansen's death, the Panettiere family is once again facing the untimely loss of one of its members. Hayden died at the age of 36, while the official cause of his death is still under investigation.
New details reveal how Hayden Panettiere was found before she died
The “Heroes” and “Nashville” actress was found unresponsive at a residence in South Carolina. Emergency crews tried to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police did not identify signs of foul play, and the cause will be determined after an autopsy