Before her sudden death at age 36, Hayden Panettiere was a proud mom of one.
The Heroes and Nashville alum welcomed daughter Kaya, now 11, in 2014 with then-fiancé Wladimir Klitschko, a former professional boxer. (The couple split in 2018.)
Earlier this year, Panettiere opened up about her heartbreaking decision to give up custody of Kaya after battling postpartum depression and an addiction to alcohol and opioids.
“It was a nightmare,” Panettiere exclusively told Us of the day she signed over custody of Kaya to Klitschko, 50. “It was a living nightmare, and I felt so out of control. There’s nothing that I could do about it.”
Scroll down for more details about Panettiere’s motherhood journey and her relationship with her daughter.
Hayden Panettiere Welcomed Kaya in 2014
Panettiere’s rep confirmed to Us at the time that Kaya was born on December 9, 2014. She weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces, and measured 20 inches.
Panettiere’s Struggles With Postpartum Depression
“I had it like all planned out in my head, and as the plans just collapsed, the postpartum came, and I was completely out of control, and suddenly I was this … I was nowhere near the mom that I had sworn to myself that one day I was going to be and that was devastating,” Panettiere told Us earlier this year.
Hayden Panettiere reflected on “good times” in her final Instagram post prior to her death. “Good times and good friends @randallslavin ✨,” the Nashville alum captioned a black-and-white photo of herself with photographer and director Randall Slavin. The July 27 post captured Panettiere winking at the camera while Slavin, 56, wrapped his arm around her. […]
“That was devastating,” she added. “[It] was heartbreaking. I’m such a perfectionist in so many ways that being at least a good mother was just so, so important to me. And such a crushing blow when I was incapable of being, an even semi-decent mom, in my mind.”
Relinquishing Custody of Kaya
Kaya predominantly lives in Ukraine with her father after Panettiere sought treatment for her depression and addiction.
“There’s so much of me that wanted to fight, but I had to ultimately take into consideration the most important thing, which was how this was all going to affect my daughter,” the actress exclusively told Us in May. “Sometimes that means having to do the hardest things in the world, for their sake.”
Coparenting With Wladimir Klitschko
“Wlad is an incredible father, and I know he was doing what he felt was best for our daughter,” Panettiere said of her relationship with her ex in May.
She added, “I’m so grateful for Wlad. We’re very close, and have had a deep friendship, along with a relationship, since I met him when I was 19. So to see that we still have this bond and the ability to coparent and show our daughter [that] even though we’re not together, doesn’t mean that there’s a lack of love here, and it doesn’t mean that you’re unsafe.”
Hayden Panettiere’s family is mourning the actress’ tragic death at age 36. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement to Us on Sunday, August 16. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love […]
Panettiere’s Recent Relationship With Kaya
In May, Panettiere gushed to Us that Kaya was “just an incredible gift.”
“She’s otherworldly and so kind and so fierce and surrounded by good people, and it’s incredible for me to be able to watch her thrive in areas that I struggled with growing up,” she continued. “She’s just the best thing, all the best parts of me and Wlad.”
During a May appearance on the “On Purpose With Jay Shetty” podcast, the Scream 4 actress reiterated that Kaya “in no way feels abandoned,” saying, “That’s something I’ve made sure to stay on top of and be very aware of.”
“She’s an incredible little girl. So happy. [She] speaks five languages and rides horses and knows that she has two parents that love her,” Panettiere explained. “I know in my heart that she feels supported. I have an incredible relationship with her. I travel [to see her] as much as I can. We have a really intense, incredible bond, and I’m very grateful for that.”
“There’s been a common misconception that I just gave up my child, when that couldn’t be farther from the truth,” she said.
