Hayden Panettiere dies at 36

For fans who watched Panettiere grow up on television, the news is particularly difficult to absorb. She entered the entertainment industry as a child and spent much of her life in front of cameras. Audiences watched her transform from a young performer into a successful actress, singer, mother, and advocate for greater honesty around personal struggles.

Her career included some of television and film’s most recognizable projects, but her story was about much more than acting.

A Career That Began in Childhood