Hayden Panettiere‘s daughter will grow up to remember her mom’s golden final words.
The late actress sat down for a candid interview about her life, parenthood, custody situation, and alcohol dependency before her death, and the words have resonated since she drew her last breath.
Hayden Panettiere was found dead on Sunday, August 16, when Emergency Medical Service workers responded to a call about an unresponsive female in cardiac arrest.
The actress, in her interview with parenting magazine Momé in July, weeks before her death, detailed some intricacies surrounding how her daughter ended up being raised by her former partner.
Panettiere recalled spending a few minutes with her child on her chest as soon as the C-section was done, before nurses began to panic due to her hemorrhaging.
The baby was subsequently handed over to Panettiere’s fiancé at the time, Wladimir Klitschko. The actress revealed she said a little prayer before going into surgery, spending hours taking seven blood transfusions and reloading the damaged vessels.
Hit with depression and alcohol dependency due to the trauma, Panettiere decided to let her daughter live with Klitschko while she sought treatment for her addiction. It was a tough decision, but she understood it had to happen for her to become a better mother for her daughter.
“I love my daughter, and I’m so proud of the young woman she is becoming. I talk to her all the time, and I feel so connected to her. The stranger’s baby of those first weeks is now unmistakably hers. She’s like a mini-me,” the actress noted in the interview.
The Actress Admitted She Was Still A Work In Progress
While she was in a much better place during that interview, the actress did not describe her recovery as a perfect one, but she affirmed her commitment to putting her daughter first, making decisions with her well-being in mind.
Panettiere added that she still carried the pain of not being physically present all the time around her child; however, she hopes her daughter will eventually understand the circumstances behind their time apart.
Treatment has also taught her the importance of forgiving herself, accepting what cannot be changed, and focusing on what she can do differently today.
Rather than striving for perfection, the actress believes motherhood is about loving a child unconditionally and putting their needs first, while remaining a safe zone they can always trust. Despite everything, the actress refuses to portray herself as completely healed, insisting that she is a work in progress.
These days, she is focused on setting boundaries, avoiding pleasing people, and surrounding herself with people who make her secure while hoping struggling mothers like herself will find peace and clarity.
Hayden Panettiere Revealed Motherhood Looked Nothing Like She Had Imagined
Panettiere broke into Hollywood fame, starring as Claire Bennet on the NBC superhero series “Heroes,” Kirby Reed in “Scream,” and Juliette Barnes in “Nashville,” receiving two Golden Globe award nominations for her role.
In 2014, she became a mother for the first time, and while discussing her memoir “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” during a May appearance on CBS Mornings with Gayle King, she discussed the difficult reality of birthing Kaya.
As stated by The Blast, Panettiere recalled enjoying a seamless pregnancy; however, she nearly lost her life at the delivery point, which turned such a joyful milestone into a frightening experience.
This physical trauma soon escalated to postpartum depression, and she struggled to hold the healthy baby girl and recognize how fortunate her life appeared.
Panettiere admitted that she struggled to feel any happiness after Kaya’s birth, and she became deeply depressed, leading her to disconnect from the version of motherhood she had imagined for herself.
The Golden Globe Nominee Confessed That ‘Nashville’ Return Triggered Her Alcohol Relapse
At the start of her postpartum depression, Panettiere confessed that she initially sought solace in learning that other mothers have experienced similar emotions. However, she found herself turning to a few sips of wine and alcohol to get over the feeling to the point that she hid the habit from her former partner.
She did experience a brief moment of sobriety, but once she returned to the set of “Nashville” for the fourth season, her anxiety led her right back into the arms of alcohol. As noted by The Blast, once Panettiere realized her drinking had spiraled beyond her control, she entered rehab for eight months.
Despite her struggles, the actress said she remained determined to maintain her relationship with Kaya through visits and frequent FaceTime conversations.
Panettiere recalled Kaya once calling her “Britney” during a FaceTime conversation instead of “Mom,” referencing her character Britney Allen in “Bring It On: All or Nothing.” She later realized Kaya was proudly showing her famous mother off to her friends.
Hayden Panettiere Admitted She Has Finally Accepted Painful Reality With Estranged Mother
The actress and her mother, Lesley Vogel, have been estranged for years, and it became worse after she publicly pushed against Panettiere’s account and accused her of causing emotional distress.
Panettiere rejected her mother’s claims about the memoir as false and admitted that, like any daughter, she has spent years wishing they could repair their relationship.
Despite their differences, she said she deliberately kept the possibility of reconciliation alive, only to feel that Vogel repeatedly shut it down. Panettiere explained that she has spent years hoping and praying for peace between them but has gradually accepted that reconciliation may not happen.
Vogel, in her opinion, has reportedly made it known that she is not trying to work on their relationship, but is looking after herself. Although Panettiere admitted her mother’s response should not necessarily surprise her, she remains hurt by Vogel’s actions and words.
Meanwhile, the actress found support from her ex, who reportedly defended her against Vogel’s allegations and publicly praised her amid the family fallout.
RIP, Hayden Panettiere!