Wladimir Klitschko says he will raise Hayden Panettiere’s daughter, Kaya, in tribute to late actor

Wladimir Klitschko said he will raise Hayden Panettiere’s daughter, Kaya, and remember the late actor’s “immense talent” and “incredible career,” according to a tribute posted by the former heavyweight boxing champion on social media Tuesday.

In the message, Klitschko, who described Panettiere as his ex-partner, said she “left this world too soon,” and framed the tribute as a way to ensure their child grows up knowing what he called her mother’s work and impact. He also wrote that Kaya will be raised to remember her mother’s “immense talent,” and that her career will not be forgotten.

Panettiere, a Hollywood actor known for television and film work, died at an undisclosed time and location as reported by The Guardian. The report did not provide additional details about her death beyond the tribute and the circumstances implied by the announcement.

Klitschko’s post follows a public history of him and Panettiere appearing together in connection with their personal and family life, and it places their daughter at the center of a new public statement after Panettiere’s death. The Guardian described the tribute as being posted on Tuesday and tied it directly to Klitschko’s role as Kaya’s father.

The tribute adds to a pattern seen when celebrities with publicly known family ties respond to a death with statements that emphasize family continuity. Here, the message is directed at Kaya’s upbringing, with Klitschko positioning memory of Panettiere’s career and talents as part of the family’s forward-looking responsibility.

No further official details were included in the Guardian report about arrangements for Kaya’s custody, guardianship, or any related legal filings. The next concrete developments are likely to be further statements from family representatives or legal disclosures, if any, regarding family responsibilities and how Kaya’s upbringing will be supported in the wake of Panettiere’s death.