Retired boxer Wladimir Klitschko has broken his silence on former fiancée Hayden Panettiere's death.
The Ukrainian heavyweight champion, who is the father of the late star's 11-year-old daughter Kaya, addressed Panettiere's death publicly for the first time on social media on Tuesday.
"Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief," he began. "The announcement of Hayden's tragic death saddens me deeply. She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya."
Klitschko shared a happy throwback snap of himself, Panettiere, and their daughter, with an orange circle obscuring Kaya's face.
The sportsman, who dated the Nashville star on and off between 2009 and 2018, praised her "immense talent" and insisted that "nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives".
"To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was," he continued. "I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden's parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon."
Klitschko asked his followers to give his family privacy at this "incredibly difficult time" and thanked those who had offered support and expressed "their sincere condolences".
"Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace," he concluded the post, adding the hashtag #WeLoveYouHayden.
Panettiere, who died on Sunday at the age of 36, initially dated Klitschko between 2009 and 2011. They rekindled their relationship and got engaged in 2013 and welcomed Kaya in December 2014.
After the couple split in 2018, the Heroes actress relinquished full custody of Kaya amid her struggles with postpartum depression and addiction.
While promoting her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning in May, the Remember the Titans star shared that she had a good co-parenting relationship with Klitschko and frequently visited Kaya in Ukraine.
Since the split, Panettiere had been in an on-and-off relationship with Brian Hickerson.
He was sentenced to 45 days in jail in 2021 on two domestic violence-related charges. According to reports, he recently attempted to have his convictions expunged or reduced to misdemeanours, but a judge denied the motion on 13 August.
Panettiere and Hickerson reportedly flew together from Los Angeles to South Carolina on Saturday, the day before she died at a residence in Greenville. Emergency services found her in cardiac arrest, and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
Police confirmed an "acquaintance of Ms Panettiere placed the 911 call", although they did not name the individual. Hickerson has since deactivated his Instagram account.
The cause and manner of her death are still pending.
