Hayden Panettiere passed away on August 16, 2026, at the age of 36. The actress was found unresponsive in Greenville, South Carolina, after a cardiac arrest. Now, as per the report, Panettiere wanted her ex, Brian Hickerson, away from attending her book tour.
Hayden Panettiere had security keep Brian Hickerson away before her death
Hayden Panettiere wanted former partner Brian Hickerson away from her much before her death. In May 2026, she visited Barnes & Noble in Manhattan to promote her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. According to The New York Times sources, the bookstore was given “clear instructions to keep [Hickerson] away.” The Nashville star reportedly got private security, allegedly with the goal of keeping Panettiere away from her.
Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, told the outlet about visiting her daughter in Los Angeles last year. Vogel shared that she visited her daughter “when she was in pain.” She added that Panettiere
“was afraid” and “couldn’t physically function properly.” Vogel also took her to doctors and an acupuncturist as Panettiere was dealing with pain like “pins and needles” in her legs. She said her daughter was unable to function physically.
Moreover, Vogel told the publication that Hickerson allegedly pawned some of her daughter’s belongings, which included a vintage guitar. She was shocked to find some of Panettiere’s belongings in Hickerson’s storage unit. A second person reportedly supported Vogel’s story that Hickerson ended up selling some of Panettiere’s possessions.
For the unaware, a local report claimed Hickerson and his brother, Zach, were present at the scene where Panettiere died. “When we went in and tried to wake Hayden up for lunch, we realized she was unconscious,” Zach told TMZ. He continued, “I immediately called 911 and Brian gave her Narcan. We then jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until Fire and EMS arrived.” Zach added, “At that point we watched as they tried every measure possible to save her life.” However, Vogel told in an interview that she believes Hickerson is “culpable” for her daughter’s death.
