Hayden Panettiere’s ex Wladimir Klitschko honors late actress with emotional birthday tribute

Hayden Panettiere’s ex Wladimir Klitschko honored the late actress with an emotional birthday tribute — just days after her tragic death.

The former professional boxer, whom Panettiere shares daughter Kaya with, shared a heartfelt message via Instagram on Friday, which would have marked the actress’ 37th birthday.

“Today is Hayden’s birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world,” Klitschko captioned a beautiful photo of Panettiere.

“I want to thank all of Hayden’s fans, friends, and everyone who has reached out for the incredible outpouring of love and support,” he continued. “At a time filled with so much sadness, your kindness has reminded me that there is still so much good in humanity.”

Klitschko also urged his followers to embrace love, reconnect with a friend, offer forgiveness and show kindness.

“Love is a superpower. Use it,” Klitschko, 50, said. “Happy Birthday, Hayden. ❤️ You are loved, you are missed, and you will never be forgotten.”

In the days following her death, a source close to Panettiere exclusively told Page Six that she had been planning to spend the week of her birthday with her daughter in Germany.

“She was so excited to see her and was telling everyone how much she was looking forward to spending time with her,” the source added.

The “Heroes” alum welcomed Kaya, now 11, with Klitschko in 2014. Four months after Kaya’s birth, Panettiere was diagnosed with postpartum depression.

Her ongoing struggles with the condition, as well as addiction, ultimately led her to relinquish custody of her daughter to Klitschko in 2018. Since then, Kaya has lived with her father in Ukraine.

Recalling the day she signed over custody, Panettiere told Us Weekly, “It was a nightmare. It was a living nightmare, and I felt so out of control. There was nothing that I could do about it.”

Klitschko and Panettiere began dating in 2009 and split in May 2011 after two years together.

The pair confirmed their engagement in October 2013 and purchased a home together in Nashville, Tennessee, as they began planning their wedding.

In the same year that Panettiere gave up custody of Kaya, her mother, Lesley Vogel, confirmed that she and Klitschko had called it quits.

Panettiere was later romantically linked to Brian Hickerson, with whom she had an on-and-off relationship until her sudden passing. Hickerson was present with his brother Zach when the actress passed away.

Just one day after news of the “Nashville” star’s death broke on Aug. 16, Klitschko took to Facebook to mourn his late ex-fiancée.

“Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief,” he captioned a throwback photo of himself, Panettiere and their daughter. “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.

“She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry,” Klitschko continued. “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.

“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 concluded in part.

Panettiere died Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina, at the age of 36, her family confirmed.

She was found unresponsive at a South Carolina Airbnb following an apparent “overdose.”

The coroner’s office said there were “no signs of trauma” at the scene, though the exact cause and manner of her death remain pending further investigation.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement regarding her death. “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 onscreen.”

Panettiere’s father also asked for privacy as the family processes the “unimaginable loss.”