One month after Hayden Panettiere’s sudden death at age 36, the actress’s longtime on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, has spoken publicly about the loss for the first time — just as new reports indicate that neither he nor Panettiere’s mother will attend a private celebration of her life in Malibu.

Hickerson, 37, was approached at a gas station in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sept. 16 and asked how he had been coping since Panettiere died.

His response was brief.

“How do you think I’m doing?” Hickerson said.

When condolences were offered, he added, “Appreciate it. That’s all I got for you, man.”

The exchange marked the first time Hickerson had personally addressed Panettiere’s death in public since she was found unresponsive at a South Carolina residence on Aug. 16.

Days later, another development brought renewed attention to the complicated relationships surrounding the actress during the final years of her life.

Hickerson, his brother Zach Hickerson and Panettiere’s mother, Lesley Vogel, were reportedly not invited to a private memorial planned for Saturday, Sept. 19, at a church in Malibu.

A Private Memorial Focused on Hayden’s Life

Approximately 150 people are expected to gather for the celebration of life, including Panettiere’s father, Skip Panettiere, close friends, former colleagues and others who knew her personally and professionally.

The Malibu location was reportedly chosen because of Panettiere’s deep affection for the ocean and whales.

The event is expected to emphasize her life, career and relationships rather than the unresolved questions surrounding her death.

Sources close to Brian and Zach Hickerson said the brothers understand why they were excluded and are not challenging the decision.

They reportedly hope the memorial will be a meaningful celebration of Panettiere’s life and legacy.

Those close to Brian also say he has struggled considerably since her death and has lost significant weight in the weeks since the tragedy.

The reported exclusion of Panettiere’s mother adds another layer to the family tensions that had become public before and after the actress’s death.

Panettiere and Her Mother Had Been Estranged

Vogel has said that she and her daughter stopped communicating approximately a year before Panettiere died.

According to Vogel, the estrangement developed during a period when she had moved in with her daughter in an effort to support her through personal struggles.

The relationship later broke down after a difficult conversation, and the two remained apart.

Vogel has publicly maintained that the estrangement did not mean she stopped loving or caring about her daughter.

She has also openly criticized Hickerson and questioned his influence on Panettiere’s life.

That tension has drawn fresh attention since Panettiere’s death, particularly because Hickerson was with her in South Carolina during the period leading up to the emergency.

Hickerson Was Present When Panettiere Was Found Unresponsive

Panettiere died on Aug. 16 while staying in Greenville, South Carolina.

Brian Hickerson and his brother Zach were both present in connection with the events surrounding her death.

According to accounts of the emergency response, Zach discovered that something was wrong and called 911, while Brian attempted to assist Panettiere before emergency personnel arrived. Reports have said Narcan and CPR were used during efforts to revive her.

Panettiere was ultimately pronounced dead.

An initial police report found no signs of trauma, and authorities have not announced evidence of foul play.

Her official cause and manner of death, however, have not yet been publicly confirmed.

Toxicology testing remains pending, and representatives for the actress have urged people not to treat unverified reports about what caused her death as fact.

The investigation has since expanded to include federal drug authorities.

Hickerson has reportedly met with federal investigators as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Their Relationship Had a Difficult History

Panettiere and Hickerson began dating in 2018, and their relationship repeatedly drew attention because of domestic violence incidents.

Hickerson was later criminally charged in connection with multiple alleged incidents involving Panettiere.

In 2021, he pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend and served jail time.

Panettiere publicly discussed the relationship and abuse in later years.

In her memoir, released before her death, she wrote candidly about what she had experienced and about her complicated decision to eventually forgive Hickerson.

She also acknowledged that the fear of being alone had sometimes made it difficult for her to leave the relationship permanently.

Despite their history, the pair remained connected.

By the time of Panettiere’s death, reports described them as having resumed an on-and-off relationship.

Investigation Into Her Death Is Still Ongoing

Much of the public attention in recent weeks has focused on reports that investigators are examining whether Panettiere may have obtained drugs before traveling to South Carolina.

Federal agents reportedly searched her Los Angeles-area home nine days after her death as part of that inquiry.

A neighbor later claimed that a man she believed to be a drug dealer had visited Panettiere shortly before the South Carolina trip. That account has not been independently established as proof of what Panettiere consumed or what caused her death.

Some reports have suggested investigators are examining the possibility that she ingested a pill containing fentanyl.

However, without completed toxicology findings and an official determination, the precise cause of death remains unresolved.

Hickerson’s attorney previously emphasized that the investigation should be allowed to proceed before conclusions are drawn.

His legal team also noted that authorities initially found no signs of foul play.

Another Painful Loss for Panettiere’s Family

Panettiere’s death came only three years after the loss of her younger brother, actor and artist Jansen Panettiere, who died in 2023 at age 28 from complications related to an enlarged heart.

The siblings were known to have been extremely close.

Hayden is also survived by her daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with former fiancé Wladimir Klitschko.

Throughout her career, Panettiere was known for roles in Heroes, Nashville, Remember the Titans, Bring It On: All or Nothing and the Scream franchise.

In recent years, however, she had increasingly spoken publicly about experiences away from the screen, including addiction, abuse, motherhood and grief.

Friends have described a more private side of her life as well.

Actress Ruby Rose recently revealed that she and Panettiere had spoken nearly every day for five years and had developed an unusually close friendship.

A Memorial Without Several Key Figures

Saturday’s memorial is expected to provide Panettiere’s friends and family with a quieter opportunity to remember the person behind the headlines.

But the reported guest list also reflects how complicated some of her closest relationships had become.

Her father is expected to attend.

Her mother reportedly will not.

Neither Brian nor Zach Hickerson is expected to be present.

Those absences are likely to fuel continued public discussion, but no official explanation has been given for every decision surrounding the invitations.

For now, the people organizing the gathering appear focused on celebrating Panettiere’s life rather than revisiting the conflicts that surrounded her final years.

At the same time, the investigation into her death remains open.

Until toxicology results and an official determination are released, one of the most important questions surrounding Hayden Panettiere’s final hours remains unanswered.