Hayden Panettiere’s Mother and On/Off Boyfriend Were Absent From Her Memorial Service

A little over a month after Hayden Panettiere’s sudden death at 36, a memorial service was held for her in Malibu.

According to Us Weekly, among those who attended the event were the late actress’s Nashville co-star Connie Britton as well as celebrities Evan Ross and Ruby Rose. Close friends of Panettiere Sanoe Lake, Allie Beattie, Emily Buckingham, and Kasey Kitchen were also in attendance. 

“We wanted to honor Hayden in the best way we knew how: with as much love as possible,” said the close friends to Us Weekly. “It was a beautiful and intimate ceremony where friends came together to celebrate her life and honor the beautiful, magnetic light and love she infused into the world.” 

During the event, a hula dance was performed to pay homage to Panettiere’s love for Hawaii. Charles Esten and Isabella D’Amore sang “Free,” which Panettiere performed on Nashville. 

The memorial service ended with rings of three bells, led by one of Panettiere’s close friends, who had spoken about the ringing as a symbol of a fallen soldier’s farewell. 

Following the ceremony, a reception was held, where guests were served pizza and salad. Guests were also given Aviator Nation hats bearing Panettiere’s initials. 

Panettiere’s father, Skip, attended the event.  

The Heroes star’s mother, Lesley Vogel, and her on/off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, did not attend the event. Although it was recently reported that neither was invited, Us Weekly later revealed that Vogel did receive an invitation but was unable to attend. A source told TMZ that Vogel had to miss the event due to a family emergency.

A family source also told TMZ that Brian and his brother, Zach, were initially not invited. The brothers were the last to see Panettiere before she was discovered unconscious in an Airbnb on August 16. Although Zach told law enforcement that Brian had attempted to save her using Narcan, the actress passed away.  

Neither Brian nor his brother is suspected of being involved in Hayden’s death. Her official cause of death has not been revealed.

She is survived by her parents and her daughter, Kaya, whom she shares with ex-fiancé, former professional heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko.