Clayton Johnson has revealed the final text Hayden Panettiere sent him before her shocking death.
Nashville-based musician Johnson, who had been friends with the “Heroes” star, took to Instagram on Monday to share details of their last exchange. Panettiere died Sunday at age 36 in Greenville, South Carolina, just five days before her 37th birthday. Her father, Skip Panettiere, confirmed the news in a statement Sunday night.
“It’s been a couple of weeks since our last phone call, but the last thing you ever texted me was, ‘Honestly, people think it’s a joke to ask for world peace, but that would be me,'” Johnson wrote in his Instagram tribute. “That was you in a nutshell.”
Johnson’s post included a video clip of the pair singing together while he played guitar, capturing a lighter moment between the two musicians. The “Nashville” actress had pursued her own music career alongside her acting, recording songs for film soundtracks and releasing her debut album “Fallen Love” in 2008.
“Sweet Hayden. I spent last night trying to process, to try to find the right words, but there really aren’t any,” Johnson continued in his caption. “More than anything, I hope you’re at peace now and reunited with Jansen,” he added, referring to Panettiere’s younger brother Jansen Panettiere, who died in February 2023 at age 28 from an undiagnosed heart condition.
Johnson further wrote, “I’m grateful I got to know you, and I’ll always be grateful for the memories. Fly high, Hayden. 🤍.”
Panettiere’s father had addressed the loss in his own statement, telling Page Six, “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 on-screen,” He added, “We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”
Emergency responders were called to a luxury apartment complex in Greenville on Sunday after reports of an unresponsive female. Dispatch audio obtained by outlets revealed officials discussed “cardiac arrest” and a suspected “overdose” at the scene. Attempts to revive Panettiere were unsuccessful.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed to Page Six on Monday that an autopsy showed “no signs of trauma” at the time of death. Police have stated there were “no signs of foul play,” though a formal cause of death has not yet been determined. The investigation remains open.
Panettiere had reportedly flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina on Saturday with her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson. Sources said that Hickerson’s family was aware of the trip.
In the viral moment that now bookends her public life, Panettiere had appeared hopeful about her future just months before her death. During a May 26 Los Angeles event for her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” at the Harmony Gold Theater, she spoke about her desire to make a positive impact. “So many people have come up to me within the industry and outside of the industry and shared their stories with me and said, ‘Because you’ve talked about your mental health, it gave me the courage to be honest about mine and get myself help, and you saved my life,'” she said at the time. She added, “I was like, this is worth it. I can hopefully leave the world a better place than I found it. The strength is in our vulnerability.”
That same month, Panettiere appeared on the “On Purpose With Jay Shetty” podcast and teased “exciting” future plans. “I finally feel like I have shaken off all of this darkness and this negativity,” she said. “I’ve closed one door and another door is opened. I feel like I have a lot more life to live.”
Panettiere’s final Instagram post, shared July 27, showed her with director and photographer Randall Slavin. “Good times and good friends @randallslavin,” she captioned the black-and-white photo. Actress Selma Blair left a devastated comment on that post after news broke: “I love you. Don’t be gone. Don’t be gone. Please. Please.”
The former soap star’s memoir had delved deeply into her struggles with postpartum depression, addiction, and the trauma of growing up in Hollywood. She wrote candidly about an eight-month rehab stint in 2020, where a doctor warned her she would be dead within five years if she didn’t stop drinking. She also chronicled the devastating impact of her brother Jansen’s sudden death, which left her grappling with grief and guilt.
Panettiere shared 11-year-old daughter Kaya with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko; the child primarily lives with her father in Ukraine. The actress had maintained she remained close with her daughter through frequent visits and FaceTime calls.
Her family has requested privacy as they process the loss.