“I’m sorry you suffered,” says Jack Coleman, Hayden’s father in “Heroes”

O actor Jack Coleman spoke on social media days after Hayden Panettiere's death. This Wednesday, August 19, the interpreter of the character Noah Bennet, father of Claire Bennet (Hayden's paper) in "Heroes", published a text on his Instagram page where he begins by stating that "is heartbroken". 

“It is only now that I have been able to start putting my thoughts into words, and yet they will be insufficient. I have loved Hayden since the first day of the pilot episode of "Heroes" 20 years ago, when she stood up and cried "Daddy" and threw herself into my arms. From that day on, he called me "daddio". She was Haydini, because she was a magician”, she affectionately recalled, stressing that the actress “was a prodigious talent”.

Jack Coleman continued to recall “one of the first scenes” in which “a tear ran down Hayden Panettiere’s face”. “I was amazed by your technique. 'It is not technical', she corrected me. «[...] I feel it and tears simply arise at that moment.» He was 16 years old”, shared the actor when talking about that particular moment in the recordings of “Heroes”.

“ By 17, it was number one on IMDB Pro. They constantly asked him unpleasant questions, mostly variations in 'when are you going to derail'. Today, we would recognize these questions as the misogynistic provocations they were. She was pursued. Wherever it was, there were photographers with lenses of 300 mm – the kind that can make even the most innocent activity seem sinister. Once, when she came to our house, the paparazzi hid in the bushes behind our garden and entered the neighbor’s lawns”, she continued to tell the followers, commented that “no one, especially a teenager, should be the target of this type of treatment”.

“She brought joy to the set and had a photographic memory. Everyone was amazed at their ability to do their best in every action. [...] We laughed a lot. That radiant face, that gorgeous smile, it wasn't just for the camera. That's how she was. She was glowing,” she said. 

“ Today I have sadness and regret in me. And anger. But that's another time. Right now, I want to remind you of an extraordinary young woman who was blessed and cursed. She was vulnerable. I felt everything. This made her a remarkable actress and susceptible to heart pain [...]”, she can still read in the same publication.

“I love you, Hayden. I'm gonna miss you. I'm so sorry you suffered. I'll remember how happy you were on the set and the press tour across Europe; how you defended Tess when she was being bullied; your commitment to animal welfare and the courage to put yourself in danger to protect them. I just wish they'd given you that same protection. Good night, dear girl. And let the angels sing to pack you in your rest," he said.

Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday, August 16, at age 36, days before celebrating the 37th anniversary, on August 21. The actress was found “unconscious”. Emergency services were alerted to an “unconscious woman” through a call. The woman was later identified as Hayden Panettiere.

The rescuers tried to revive the actress, but her death was eventually declared at 2:32 [local time]. “The preliminary investigation did not indicate any signs of crime or suspicious circumstances,” the police said.

After the news of his death there were many who reacted and honored Hayden Panettiere, among them Wladimir Klitschko, former companion and father of both their daughter, Kaya.

“Hayden was, although she was no longer my companion, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya. She built an incredible career thanks to her immense talent, while facing the darkest sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the moments we shared or the place she occupied in our lives. To our daughter Kaya, I will always talk about her mother with respect and I will make sure that she remembers the person she was”, she can read in her message. 

Also the actress's mother has already publicly manifested herself. “I think Hayden was an incredibly talented person in many ways and I believe that for young people growing up in the entertainment industry, the fight is great, it is a very challenging medium and it is not uncommon for them, unfortunately, to go the wrong way. [...] I just feel that she is with her brother and that they are both at peace,” she said.

It is recalled that Hayden Panettiere's younger brother, Jansen, died suddenly at age 28, in 2023.

Sylvia Jefferies, who gave life to Jolene Barnes, the mother of the character Juliette Barnes played by Hayden Panettiere in "Nashville", also joined the many tributes made to the actress.

“[...] Our hearts are broken, knowing that you are no longer far from a phone call or a message, but we can rest assured that you are at peace with your brother, dancing in that water with the dolphins you loved so much. I love you, my dear”, you can read in your long message.