Paris Hilton remembers Hayden Panettiere as 'beautiful soul' in emotional tribute after death

Paris Hilton sent her love to Hayden Panettiere and her family, saying the actress would be deeply missed
Paris Hilton said she was heartbroken by Hayden Panettiere’s death and struggled to believe that her friend was gone (Chris Polk/FilmMagic)
Paris Hilton said she was heartbroken by Hayden Panettiere’s death and struggled to believe that her friend was gone (Chris Polk/FilmMagic)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Paris Hilton has remembered her old friend Hayden Panettiere after her untimely death.

The ‘Nashville’ actress was only 36 when she died earlier this week in Greenville, South Carolina. Her death was announced by her father, Skip.

Paris Hilton calls Hayden Panettiere 'kind and full of so much love and light'

Following the tragedy, several celebrities have paid tributes. Hilton also joined them on Tuesday, August 18, by sharing a carousel of photos of herself with the late former child star.

The socialite wrote on her Instagram account, “Heartbroken over the loss of my friend Hayden 💔🥺 She was such a beautiful soul — so talented, strong, kind and full of so much love and light. ✨ It’s impossible to believe she’s gone😢.”

Further continuing, Hilton said that she’ll “cherish our friendship, all the memories we shared, and the special moments we had together. 🥺💖”

The ‘House of Wax’ star then mentioned Panettiere’s grieving family in her tribute as she added, “Love you forever, Hayden. Rest in peace, angel. 🕊️✨ You will be so deeply missed.”

Hayden Panettiere's death was confirmed by her dad 

This came after Panettiere’s dad, Skip, confirmed that his daughter had died.

HAMBURG, GERMANY - OCTOBER 16: Hayden Panettiere girlfriend of Wladimir Klitschko poses before the WBC Heavyweight World Championship fight between Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine and Shannon Briggs of USA at O2 world on October 16, 2010 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Hayden Panettiere poses before the WBC Heavyweight World Championship fight between Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine and Shannon Briggs of USA at O2 world on October 16, 2010 in Hamburg, Germany (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)

In a statement, he shared, “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her -- and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

The devastated father also urged people for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”

Officials found no 'signs of foul play' in Hayden Panettiere's death

Her cause of death is not known yet, but as per a spokesperson for the Greenville Police Department, “The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms Panettiere placed the 911 call.”

Actress Hayden Panettiere at the Scooby-Doo DVD Launch Event
Actress Hayden Panettiere at the Scooby-Doo DVD Launch Event 'Escape From Spooky Island' on Roosevelt Island in on October 9, 2002 in New York City (Photo by Scott Gries/Getty Images

Also, the Greenville County Coroner’s Office revealed, as per PEOPLE, that “an autopsy was completed today. At autopsy, no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death.”

“The cause and manner of death remain pending further investigation and the completion of additional studies. This investigation remains active and ongoing. No further details are available for release at this time,” they added.

Hayden Panettiere hoped her book would inspire people

Just a few months before her death, Panettiere released her memoir, ‘This Is Me: A Reckoning’, in which she openly mentioned about her struggles she faced being a child actor and her battle with addiction.

“You may laugh a little, cry a little, but most importantly, you’ll hopefully finish it feeling inspired. I’ve grown so much from my experiences,” she told PEOPLE in 2024 about her then-yet-to-be-released book.

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