00:00Hayden Panettiere's ex-fiance, Vladimir Klitschko, honored the late actress on
00:04what would have been her 37th birthday, sharing a heartfelt tribute and
00:08reflecting on the life they built together. Klitschko took to Instagram on
00:12August 21st to pay tribute to the Ice Princess star, sharing a photo of
00:17Panettiere.
00:17Today is Hayden's birthday, he wrote. Instead of celebrating the way we had
00:21planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought
00:25into this world. He also thanked Panettiere's fans, friends, and everyone
00:30who reached out with messages of support following her death.
00:33At a time filled with so much sadness, your kindness has reminded me that there
00:37is still so much good in humanity, he wrote. Klitschko then encouraged his
00:41followers to embrace love, reconnect with friends, offer forgiveness, and show
00:45kindness. Love is a superpower. Use it, he wrote. Happy birthday, Hayden. You are
00:51loved, you are missed, and you will never be forgotten.
00:54The tribute comes just days after Klitschko publicly mourned Panettiere's
00:58death for the first time. In a Facebook post, he described her as an important
01:01part of his life and the mother of their daughter, Kaya.
01:04Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief, he wrote.
01:08The announcement of Hayden's tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world
01:12far too soon. Klitschko also said that he would always speak about Panettiere
01:17with respect, so that their daughter would remember the person her mother was.
01:20The former couple had a relationship that lasted nearly a decade, beginning in 2009 and ending
01:26for good in 2018. Panettiere and Klitschko first met in 2008 at a party for a mutual friend.
01:33At the time, Panettiere was dating Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia.
01:37During a 2013 appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres show, Panettiere recalled making the first move on Klitschko.
01:53After Panettiere split from Ventimiglia in 2009, she and Klitschko began dating. The relationship
01:59faced an early setback when they split in May 2011, after about two years together. At the time,
02:04Panettiere said they had an amazing amount of love and respect for each other and remained very close
02:09friends. Klitschko similarly said they had a great time together, but that managing a relationship
02:14between two continents was difficult. The two eventually reconciled, and their relationship
02:19became more serious. In 2013, Panettiere confirmed that they were engaged after appearing on Live with
02:25Kelly and Michael and being asked about the large diamond ring on her finger.
02:29I'm distracted not just by the snake, but there's a very large diamond ring on your ring finger.
02:35I'm not sure if you want to announce anything.
02:40Does that signify anything? Is that a promise or something?
02:45It might be. It might be. I mean, I think it speaks for it.
02:48So are you engaged? I think if you scared me, we need a direct answer.
02:52Congratulations! Oh my gosh, it's awesome!
02:55The couple purchased a home together in Nashville, Tennessee, as they planned their wedding.
03:00In May 2014, Panettiere announced that she was pregnant with their first child.
03:04Seven months later, she gave birth to their daughter, Kaya. But the years that followed were
03:08difficult for Panettiere, who struggled with severe postpartum depression and addiction.
03:13In 2018, Panettiere made the heartbreaking decision to relinquish custody of Kaya Teklitschko.
03:19Kaya, who was two at the time, moved to Ukraine to live with her father full-time.
03:23Panettiere later explained that letting go was one of the hardest things she could do,
03:27but she believed it was what was best for her daughter while she focused on getting better and
03:32becoming a good mother to her. The couple officially went their separate ways in 2018,
03:36with Panettiere later beginning her on-again-off-again relationship with Brian Hickerson.
03:41Despite their breakup, Panettiere and Klitschko maintained a co-parenting relationship
03:45and remained connected through their daughter. In the months before her death,
03:49Panettiere also spoke about visiting Kaya and their relationship.
03:52Now, Klitschko is honoring the actress not only as his former fiancée,
03:56but as the mother of his daughter, and someone who remained an important part of his life.
04:01And on what would have been her 37th birthday, his message was simple.
04:05Hayden was loved, missed, and in his words, never forgotten.
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