Published: 13:48 BST, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 17:42 BST, 18 August 2026
Hayden Panettiere’s Nashville mom, Sylvia Jefferies, has broken her silence on the death of the actress aged just 36 on Sunday.
Panettiere, who would have turned 37 on Friday, died in Greenville, South Carolina. Narcan was found in the apartment where she died, it was reported, after the Heroes actress suffered an apparent overdose.
On Monday, Greenville County Sheriff's Office said that Panettiere's autopsy had been completed and that no signs of trauma were found on the star's body.
Jefferies, 57, who had a recurring role as Jolene Barnes, the mom of Panettiere's singer character Juliette Barnes, posted a poignant tribute in which she acknowledged the late star's 'inner demons.'
Alongside photos of the pair on set and friendly texts in which Panettiere addressed her as 'mama', she wrote, 'This hits deep. I’ve had to take the day to let the idea that Hayden is not with us, wash over me. I shoot straight from the hip.
'At times, Hayden was not easy to be around. I remember calling her a downright tornado. But she was our tornado. The sun that appears, the light mist that begins, the rain that gets heavier, the swirling of everything around her, and then the gentle tapering rain returns, along with the calm and sun and light in her eyes, and the giggle in her voice.
Hayden Panettiere’s Nashville mom, Sylvia Jefferies, has broken her silence on the death of the actress aged just 36 on Sunday. Above, on set with Paul McCrane
Panettiere, who would have turned 37 on Friday, died in Greenville, South Carolina. Narcan was found in the apartment where she died, it was reported, after the actress suffered an apparent overdose
'She had an incredibly bright future ahead of her, although her inner demons were at times too much to bear.
'I pause as I reflect on her, looking at photos, remembering scenes, listening to voicemails, and remembering the first time she called me ‘Mama’ while she shared stories of her youth.
'We seemed far apart, but we were very close in our hearts. Our birthdays even being one week apart. 20 years (!) and one week apart.
Jefferies said the pair reconnected after she read Panettiere's memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, saying, they 'had plans to see each other when she was passing through again.
'Hopefully surprising Deacon @charlesesten at his show on my birthday in Greenville. I was so proud of her for sharing the real Hayden, something that had to be excruciatingly painful for such a gentle soul.
'Our hearts are shattered, knowing that you are not just a phone call or text away, but we can rest easy knowing that you’re at peace, with your brother, dancing in that water with the dolphins for whom you cared so dearly. I love you, sweet girl. Always, in all ways. Love, Mama.'
