On Saturday evening, September 19, a memorial ceremony for American actress Hayden Panettiere, who passed away on August 16, was held at the Malibu Pacific Church in Malibu, California. According to sources, around 150 people gathered to say goodbye — the star's relatives, friends, and Hollywood colleagues. The seaside location was chosen by the family for a reason: Hayden loved the ocean and whales, so the farewell took place surrounded by the sea, giving the event a particularly personal atmosphere.
Who Came to the Farewell
Among the guests at the ceremony, reportedly, were Paris Hilton, Ruby Rose, Evan Ross, Connie Britton, Charles Esten, Lennon Stella, Jonathan Jackson, Beverly D'Angelo, Cameron Richardson, Storm Santos, and Caroline D'Amore. Particular attention went to Panettiere's co-stars from the series 'Nashville': Connie Britton and Charles Esten delivered a speech, and Esten, together with musicians, performed one of the songs his character sang in the series. According to a source present at the event, the ceremony was 'emotional and beautiful.'
An Emotional Ceremony by the Ocean
Before the main part began, guests watched white doves being released near the church, after which they went inside. In the hall, a sign with a photograph of Hayden in a swimsuit was placed, showing her smiling on board a boat, with the caption 'Honoring the life and legacy of Hayden Panettiere.' The actress's father, Alan 'Skip' Panettiere, also attended the event — at the ceremony he was wearing a suit with a Hawaiian floral lei around his neck.
Contradictory Reports
Accounts of exactly who was present at the farewell differ across publications. Hayden's mother, Leslie Vogel, was not at the ceremony. It was initially reported that she had allegedly not been invited, however, a source close to the woman denied this: according to him, Leslie did not come because of the family situation. Similar uncertainty remains regarding Vladimir Klitschko — the actress's former fiancé and the father of their 11-year-old daughter Kaya. According to Page Six, the boxer and the girl were 'not photographed during the event,' but it has not been officially stated whether they were invited. Meanwhile, Panettiere's controversial boyfriend Brian Hekser and his brother Zac, according to sources, were not invited; at the time of the tragedy they were staying in a rented home in South Carolina, where Hayden was found unconscious on August 16, and the brothers, sources note, understood the family's decision.
Context of the Tragedy
The ceremony became a public farewell to the actress, whose death on August 16 caused widespread resonance in Hollywood. As publications remind, Hayden was found unconscious in a rented house in South Carolina, where her close ones were at the time. The ceremony in Malibu, held a month after the tragedy, became the place where relatives and colleagues gathered to honor the memory of the actress and her legacy in her beloved place — by the ocean.
