Hayden Panettiere had plans to visit her daughter, Kaya, before her death.
Hayden shared her 11-year-old daughter with her ex-fiancé, Wladimir Klitschko. After their split, she agreed to give him full custody in 2018 as she battled postpartum depression, addiction, and other mental health challenges. It was an incredibly tough decision for her, but she made sure to maintain a tight bond with her child, video chatting often and visiting Ukraine, where Kaya and her father lived, as much as possible.
Related: Hayden’s Ex-Fiancé Wladimir Klitschko Breaks Silence On Her Death
According to Hayden’s hairstylist and good friend Erick Orellana, who spoke with Page Six this week, the Ice Princess star had plans to travel to Europe for a visit before her unexpected passing this weekend. Erick said:
“I last saw her a few months ago. … She was talking about how she wanted to take a vacation, and that she wanted to go and see her daughter. Her daughter was always her absolute priority. She loved her so much.”
The stylist emphasized that the actress “loved spending time” with Kaya and would always show off photos of her and share stories about the little girl as she grew up. He reflected:
“Her daughter was the absolute light of her life. She lit up when she spoke about her. Everything she did revolved around her.”
He added:
“I can’t imagine that this is anything but accidental because she just loved her daughter and would never have left her.”
So very sad.
Our heart breaks for Kaya right now. We’re sending her and her father so, so much love.
The beauty guru went on to share that the Heroes alum was “super happy” and “so positive” ahead of her death:
“She had really good friends here in LA. It was a small group of people, but they were also supportive of her. And she loved spending time with them.”
He called the 36-year-old a “kind and encouraging friend,” noting:
“She was always so positive, and always so happy when a friend had good news. … She would always want to celebrate her friends in every single way she could. She laughed a lot. She had the most infectious energy.”
Beloved by many, Hayden will be forever missed. Her legacy lives on now through the positive impact she left, the awareness she cultivated in society surrounding postpartum depression, and most importantly, through her daughter.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]