Hayden Panettiere discussed the long-term effects of injuries sustained from a zebra accident on a movie set in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning." The actress, who died at the age of 36, revealed that she suffered a concussion, whiplash, and injuries to her neck after being thrown from a zebra while filming the 2005 movie "Racing Stripes" in South Africa. She stated that these injuries continued to cause her pain over 20 years later and contributed to her escalating opioid use, particularly after an old neck injury flared up.
Panettiere was found unresponsive at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday afternoon. First responders attempted to provide cardiac life support, but she was pronounced dead at the scene at 2:32 PM. Her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, was present and showed investigators a bag of medication that Panettiere had been taking, which included nine medications.
An autopsy conducted revealed no signs of trauma that could have contributed to her death, according to the Greenville County Coroner's Office. The cause and manner of her death remain undetermined pending further investigation and toxicology results, which could take several weeks. Authorities have not yet established whether opioids, other medications, or Panettiere's previous injuries played a role in her death.