Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About One Of Her Most Tragic Decisions

Hayden Panettiere is speaking out about a heartbreaking decision she made for her daughter, Kaya, who she shares with her former partner, boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Us Weekly reported in 2019 that the family were living in separate countries, claiming at the time that Panettiere hadn't spent a lot of time with her only child because she was living with her dad in his home country of Ukraine. "She knows the child being with her is not best for [Kaya right now]. It's a sad situation," a source shared, noting that Klitschko's mom was helping raise Kaya.

Panettiere has since opened up about her decision to send Kaya, who was born in 2014, to Europe while she remained in the U.S., telling People in June that following a crippling bout of postnatal depression she got hooked on pills and alcohol. "I never had the feeling that I wanted to harm my child, but I didn't want to spend any time with her. There was just this gray color in my life," she explained of how she felt after welcoming Kaya. Panettiere shared that she made the decision for her and Kaya to live apart in 2018 after waking up shaking because of her alcohol addiction. "It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. But I wanted to be a good mom to her — and sometimes that means letting them go."

Now, the former "Nashville" actor is shedding even more light on her tragic choice.

Hayden Panettiere got very candid about her relationship with her daughter on "Red Table Talk" with Jada Pinkett Smith and her mom, Adrienne Banfield Norris, and guest host Kelly Osbourne, admitting that sending Kaya to Ukraine was seemingly something she was told was happening rather than an open discussion with Wladimir Klitschko. "Because of the way that it was done, it was very upsetting. I mean, it was the worst signing those papers, the most heartbreaking thing I've ever, ever had to do in my life," Panettiere recalled. She added that she believed the original plan was for her daughter to leave just for a few months while she worked on herself and got herself clean, but sadly is yet to return to Panettiere's custody after she signed papers to give Klitschko full custody.

Panettiere previously spoke out about how difficult she found being away from her daughter, seemingly suggesting that Klitschko spent the most time with her even before he was granted full custody. In May 2017, she told TV Week, "She changes not only weekly, but daily, hourly. Because Wladimir and I don't live in the same country sometimes, there'll be maybe a week that I don't see her. And then when I see her, it's like night and day."

Back in February, Panettiere confirmed Kaya was safe and not in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion, but did not share where Kaya had moved for safety.