Hayden Panettiere's Estranged Mom Shares Daughter Was In 'Pain' Before Death, 'Couldn't Function...'

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Actress Hayden Panettiere passed away at the age of 36. She was found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on August 16, 2026. While the official cause of Hayden's passing has not been revealed yet, an autopsy report revealed that there were no signs of foul play. Hayden was with her on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, when she passed away. 

There have been several conversations surrounding Hayden's passing, and Brian is at the center of the controversy. Hayden's estranged mom, Lesley Vogel, has been taking shots at him, even seemingly calling him 'toxic'. Speaking of Hayden's mom, she has also faced criticism, and the reason was her statement after her daughter's death.

Hayden Panettiere's mom talked about her daughter's 'pain' before passing at 36

Earlier, Lesley released a statement and responded to the criticism she faced. And now, she shared that her daughter was 'in pain' before she passed away. Lesley Vogel, in an interview with The New York Times, revealed that her estranged daughter was in pain. According to Lesley, while she was staying with her daughter (one year ago) in LA, the actress "was afraid" and "unable to function physically properly". 

Vogel also reportedly revealed that she took her daughter to various doctors in order to help her with the 'pins and needles' feeling that she was experiencing in her lower extremities. According to the actress's estranged mom, Hayden tried massage and acupuncture treatments to treat her pain, as it was becoming difficult to work with the same.

To mention, the cause of the symptoms was unclear; however, according to the reports, the actress wondered if the pain was in any way connected to the various injuries that she had faced on film sets as a child. Fitness expert Marnie Alton revealed to The New York Times that Hayden was working really hard during 2024, both mentally and physically, because she felt she could 'get herself back' if her strength returned. According to Marnie:

"She was really smart. She kept fighting for her body because she felt like, ‘If I can get my strength back, I can get myself back.’”

Hayden Panettiere's mom reacted to the criticism she felt due to her statement on the actress' death

Hayden Panettiere's mom released a statement after the actress' sudden passing. She called her daughter talented and added that for young people who grew up in the industry, it's not 'unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path'. Lesley also talked about Hayden's on-and-off beau, Brian, and mentioned that he was with her at the time of her passing. Her statement drew flak from the industry, including from well-known personalities such as Gayle King, Holly Robinson Peete, and Megyn Kelly.

Following the criticism, Lesley released a statement to the Daily Mail and revealed that she felt hurt and was disappointed by the lack of professionalism and compassion of people towards someone who lost two children. Hayden's brother, Jansen, also passed away only three years ago.

In her statement, Lesley also mentioned that while she's hurt, it's not the time to be weak, as she has a lot to do for her daughter, and only then can she mourn deeply. Earlier, speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Lesley said that the estrangement between her and Hayden was not caused by a lack of love and care, but because her daughter chose to be with someone who was 'toxic'.

What do you think about Hayden Panettiere's mom's revelation about the 'pain' the actress faced?

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