Greenville, South Carolina – The community mourns the sudden death of actress Hayden Panettiere, 36, whose body was discovered in a local apartment on Sunday. Police reports indicate she was found in cardiac arrest and resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful.
Final PETA campaign captured in Los Angeles
Earlier this week, PETA released an image of Panettiere standing in a bathtub, urging an end to marine‑park captivity such as that practiced at SeaWorld. The organization quoted her pleading, “Can you imagine their frustration, their trauma, their depression? All that is important and crucial for their well‑being is ripped away. … We can end this. You and me.” The photograph was taken in Los Angeles weeks before her death.
Decades‑long dedication to marine life
Panettiere’s advocacy began as a teenager with the Whaleman Foundation, where she campaigned for dolphin and whale protection. In 2007 she traveled to Taiji, Japan, with actress Isabel Lucas and other activists to protest dolphin hunts. She entered the water on a surfboard, forming a memorial circle for dolphins killed that morning. The demonstration turned violent when fishermen attacked the protesters with poles and propellers.
Footage of the Taiji protest appeared in the Oscar‑winning documentary “The Cove.” Panettiere later returned to Japan with Whaleman founder Jeff Pantukhoff, seeking dialogue with local officials about ending the hunts. Although she was barred from the town hall, she expressed optimism, saying she had “never been more hopeful” for change.
Recognition and public appearances
Her work earned her a spot on TIME’s celebrity “do‑gooders” list and the Humane Society’s Wyler Award in 2008, an honor previously given to Paul McCartney and Ellen DeGeneres. That same year she stood beside Senator John Kerry on Capitol Hill to call for stronger opposition to commercial whaling.
Investigation continues
Greenville County Coroner’s Office confirmed no signs of trauma were found at autopsy, and the cause and manner of death remain pending further study. Both the coroner’s office and Greenville Police are conducting parallel investigations, with the Drug Enforcement Administration assisting.
Family
Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya, born in 2014, and the late actress’s ex‑fiancé, former Ukrainian heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko.
Friends, fans, and animal‑rights groups have taken to social media to share memories of Panettiere’s compassion and dedication to protecting marine life.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
