The tragic incident occurred on August 16 at a residential Airbnb in Greenville, South Carolina, where the 36-year-old actress was staying alongside her on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach. According to toxicology findings and official investigations, Panettiere died from the "toxic effects" of multiple drugs, with fentanyl playing a critical role in her passing, which authorities ultimately ruled as accidental.
The harrowing audio recording, which was obtained by CBS and made public on Wednesday, provides an inside look at the chaotic scene inside the loft apartment as the Hickerson brothers realized the severity of the emergency. The recording begins mid-crisis, capturing Zach exclaiming "oh God, oh my God!" while anxiously waiting for the automated system to connect him with a 911 dispatcher.
When the dispatcher answers, Zach speaks with an unmistakable sense of panic and urgency. "I walked in after church to my brother and his girlfriend’s apartment and she’s unconscious," Zach tells the dispatcher, explaining that he had just arrived at the residence. He adds that his brother Brian had managed to wake up, but Panettiere remained completely unresponsive.
As the gravity of the situation sets in, Zach informs the dispatcher that Panettiere is not breathing. In response, the dispatcher asks if there is a defibrillator available on the premises. Zach voices his uncertainty, questioning whether a typical apartment complex would stock such life-saving medical equipment.
The situation escalates rapidly as the dispatcher instructs both Zach and Brian to immediately "start CPR." In the background of the recording, other voices can be heard shouting amid the rising tension. The dispatcher directs Zach to switch his phone to speaker mode so both brothers can hear and follow the life-saving steps precisely. They are instructed on the proper techniques for rescue breathing into Panettiere’s mouth and administering chest compressions.
The audio captures a palpable wave of panic as the dispatcher tells the brothers to lay Panettiere "flat on her back and remove anything from under her head." Amid the instructions, a pause in the dialogue prompts one of the brothers to desperately cry out, "What do we do?!" before the dispatcher resumes guidance.
"Oh my god! I know how to do this! How many times!" one of the brothers yells out during the grueling chest compressions, followed by an emotionally charged shout of "Come on!" echoing in the background as they fought to revive her.
The heartbreaking phone call ultimately comes to a close as emergency medical services arrive at the scene and take over the resuscitation efforts from the exhausted brothers. Despite their frantic intervention and the swift arrival of first responders, the attempts to save her life were ultimately futile.
In the weeks following the tragedy, investigators with the Greenville Police Department pieced together the sequence of events leading up to the fateful morning. In August, detectives confirmed to the Daily Mail that they had responded to an emergency call placed by an acquaintance of Panettiere who reported that the actress was unresponsive.
Further details emerged regarding medical interventions taken prior to the arrival of professional paramedics. According to police incident reports, Zach told authorities that when he arrived at the Airbnb after church, his brother Brian had been sleeping in a separate room while Panettiere was discovered unresponsive sitting in a chair. Zach stated that Brian had administered Narcan—a specialized nasal spray widely used to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose—and that the two brothers attempted to perform CPR while simultaneously maintaining a connection with 911 dispatchers.
Earlier reports from media outlets such as TMZ also noted that Narcan was found resting on a mattress inside the loft apartment where the actress was staying, though the newly released audio recording does not capture the actual administration of the medication.
The sudden loss of Hayden Panettiere sent shockwaves through Hollywood and among her massive global fanbase, cutting short a life that had long been lived in the public eye. She is survived by her young daughter, Kaya, whom she welcomed during her long-term, nine-year romance with her ex-fiance, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko.
Panettiere’s personal journey had faced significant challenges in the years preceding her death. In 2018, amid a public and deeply personal battle with severe postpartum depression and substance addiction, Panettiere made the difficult decision to sign full custody of her daughter over to Klitschko. Following the custody agreement, Wladimir relocated the toddler to his native Ukraine, where she was raised while Panettiere continued navigating her personal struggles and professional life.
Long before her tragic passing, Panettiere was celebrated as one of television and film’s most recognizable faces, having built a prolific acting career that spanned nearly three decades. She began her journey in the entertainment industry as a child star, appearing in various soap operas before capturing mainstream attention with breakout cinematic roles. Among her most memorable early performances was her portrayal of a young girl in the 2000 sports drama Remember the Titans alongside Denzel Washington, as well as lending her voice to the character of Dot in Pixar’s beloved 1998 animated feature A Bug’s Life.
As she transitioned into adulthood, Panettiere cemented her status as a television icon. She achieved global superstardom playing the indestructible cheerleader Claire Bennet in the hit NBC superhero drama series Heroes, a role that defined an era of supernatural television. Following her run on Heroes, she went on to showcase her vocal and dramatic talents as country music star Juliette Barnes for six critically acclaimed seasons on the musical drama series Nashville, earning multiple award nominations and solidifying her legacy in television history.
