The actress Hayden Panettiere has died.
Police found her unresponsive in an apartment complex in Greenville, South Carolina. She was pronounced dead at the scene following cardiac arrest. There are currently no signs of foul play.
For most people my age, she will always be Claire Bennet from Heroes. The pop-culture mantra “Save the cheerleader, save the world” became an inescapable piece of mid-2000s television history.
Off-screen, she was remarkably blunt about her own life. In her recent memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, she openly chronicled her struggles growing up as a child star, dealing with addiction, and navigating recovery.
She was a massive talent who fought heavy battles behind the camera. Thirty-six is far too young.