Hayden Panettiere had reportedly been dealing with serious physical pain in the months before her death at 36. A longtime friend has now shared more about the actress’ back problems.
They have revealed that her condition became so difficult at one stage that even moving her legs was hard. The new details come as authorities continue investigating her death following an autopsy that found no signs of trauma.
Hayden Panettiere’s Friend Says Her Back Pain Became ‘Really Severe’
Panettiere’s longtime hairstylist and friend Erick Orellana spoke about her health struggles in an interview with Page Six. He said, “I know she suffered earlier this year with her back”. Then added, “At one point, it was even hard for her to move her legs.” Orellana also said he understood that Panettiere had been “starting to be on the mend” before her death.
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The Nashville star had previously opened up about injuries she sustained while working on movie sets. In her memoir, ‘This Is Me‘, which she released in May, Panettiere recalled falling off a zebra while filming the 2005 movie Racing Stripes. She later explained that “two vertebrae” were pushed into her neck following the accident.
Panettiere wrote about continuing to work despite the injury. “I kept my mouth shut and endured the pain in my back and neck,” she wrote. “Over 20 years later, these injuries still bother me.” Her comments make it clear that the effects of the accident had continued long after filming ended.
Hayden Panettiere Previously Said She Feared She Could Be Paralyzed
Concern about Panettiere’s health grew earlier this year after photographers spotted her using crutches at Los Angeles International Airport. During a May interview with Women’s Health, she revealed that another unexplained physical issue had left her struggling to walk.
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“I quite literally woke up, and felt nothing but pins and needles from my waist down,” she said in a clip shared via Instagram. “I wasn’t able to bend my toes, lift my foot at all.” The Heroes actress also explained that “no one” had been able to give her “a solid answer” about what caused the problem.
The uncertainty left Panettiere fearing the condition could become permanent. “It was like that for so long that I was sitting there going, ‘Oh, my gosh, am I going to be paralyzed for the rest of my life?’”, she continued. “It’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me physically, for sure.”
Panettiere’s long-running health struggles add another heartbreaking layer to the news of her death, but officials have not linked her back problems to what happened. As the investigation continues, her family, friends and fans are still waiting for clearer answers about the circumstances surrounding her passing.
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