New 911 audio obtained by CBS News is giving the public a raw look at the morning of August 16, when Zach Hickerson, brother of Hayden Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson, walked into a South Carolina apartment after church and found the actress unresponsive. On the call, Zach tells the dispatcher she isn’t breathing, and the operator calmly guides him through CPR and mouth-to-mouth until paramedics arrive. Panettiere was pronounced dead at the scene. She was 36.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office later ruled her cause of death as accidental toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine. Panettiere is survived by her father Skip, her mother, and her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya — the family’s statement remembering their“beloved Hayden”still hits hard months later.
For a generation who grew up watching her on Heroes and then Nashville, this one stings. It’s also renewed conversation about accidental overdose, the opioid crisis, and the role 911 dispatchers play in life-or-death moments. If you or someone you know is struggling, support resources are available — reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.