Hayden Panettiere's death at 36 in South Carolina on 16 August came just one day after a rare live tribute to her Kingdom Hearts character Kairi was staged in California, leaving fans of the series stunned. The Kingdom Hearts II scene, recreated at Disney's D23 event in Anaheim on 15 August, has since taken on a bittersweet tone for those who grew up with Panettiere's voice in the games.
Panettiere's family confirmed her death on 16 August and asked for privacy while they mourn. At the time of writing, no official cause of death had been released, and the case was reported to be under investigation.
