Hayden Panettiere’s mum and boyfriend miss late star’s memorial as sad ‘reason’ revealed
Hayden Panettiere’s memorial service took place over the weekend however the late star’s mother and boyfriend were not in attendance.
The actress, who starred in Nashville and Heroes, died aged 36 at a property in Greenville, South Carolina, last month (16 August). Police in Greenville said Hayden, who had struggled with addiction and her mental health, was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest, with 'no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances'.
Hayden’s former co-stars and Hollywood friends gathered to pay tribute at the memorial service on Sunday (20 September) in Malibu, California. According to TMZ, 150 people were in attendance, including Connie Britton and Ruby Rose, and the service was organised by Hayden’s family, including her dad Skip Panettiere.
The late star’s mother, Lesley Vogel, and Hayden's boyfriend Brian Hickerson were reportedly not in attendance. Hickerson’s brother, Zach, also did not attend.
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Lesley has spoken out about her daughter following her death in a number of interviews and the pair were estranged in Hayden’s final months.
Brian and Zach Hickerson were at the property where Hayden was found unresponsive and died. Neither has been charged in connection with her death.
It was previously reported that the three individuals were not invited. However, a source close to Lesley allegedly told TMZ that she did not attend due to a family emergency, not because she wasn’t invited.
Hayden and Brian were first romantically linked in 2018 following the Heroes star’s relationship with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she welcomed a daughter, Kaya, in 2014.
In April 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to domestic violence charges, and in 2022, the pair reportedly split.
But the actress later told the outlet that they reconnected and were friends.
She told PEOPLE in July 2022: “It was a very dark and complicated time in my life. But a lot of women go through what I went through, and I want people to know it’s okay to ask for help.”
She added: “I am trying to live in a place of understanding. I think [Brian] has done his time and was willing to get help. I think about the things I have done in my life that people forgave me for.
“Making amends is a really important thing that you learn in treatment. And it gives you a lot of inner peace.”
According to sources, the Hickerson brothers reportedly understand why they were not invited to the memorial and are not disputing the decision, Hola reports.
Zach was ‘very emotional’ while emergency workers were ‘working on Hayden,’ while Brian did not become visibly emotional until the star was pronounced dead, the report says.
The police report also outlined that Brian showed the police a ‘bag of medication’ that Panettiere was taking when she died.
A statement shared by the Ellis Hinton law firm, on behalf of Brian Hickerson, previously read: "Hayden’s death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed.
"As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.
"Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time."
Greg Harris