Hayden Panettiere's Ex-Fiancé Wladimir Klitschko Honors Late Actress on Her 37th Birthday: 'You Will Never Be Forgotten'

Wladimir Klitschko honored Hayden Panettiere on what would have been her 37th birthday, sharing a heartfelt message for the late actress less than a week after her death.

"Today is Hayden’s birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world," Klitschko, 50, wrote via Instagram on Friday, August 21.

"I want to thank all of Hayden’s fans, friends and everyone who has reached out for the incredible outpouring of love and support," he continued.

Klitschko also addressed Panettiere directly with a final birthday message.

"Happy Birthday, Hayden. You are loved, you are missed and you will never be forgotten."

Klitschko encouraged those mourning Panettiere to hold onto compassion during a difficult time.

"At a time filled with so much sadness, your kindness has reminded me that there is still so much good in humanity. If you’re reading this, I ask just one thing: even if only for a moment, think about LOVE. Reach out to a friend. Forgive someone. Be kind. Love is a superpower. Use it," he wrote on the Instagram post.

Panettiere and Klitschko were together on and off from 2011 to 2013, when the retired boxer proposed. The former couple welcomed Kaya in December 2014 before calling it quits in 2018.

"Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief. The announcement of Hayden’s tragic death saddens me deeply," he wrote in an Instagram post on August 18.

"She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya. She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives," he continued.

Klitschko also said he planned to remember Panettiere through their daughter.

"To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was. I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden’s parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon," he said.

Currently, the cause of Panettiere's death remains undetermined.

She passed away on Sunday, August 16, after being discovered unresponsive due to cardiac arrest in an apartment located in Greenville, South Carolina, just under a week before her birthday.

Skip Panettiere, the father of the Nashville TV star, told Us Weekly in a statement shared via a spokesperson.

"It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden," he said.

He continued, "She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss."