In the days since Hayden Panettiere’s death at 36, friends and former coworkers have begun sharing memories that reveal a more personal side of the actress millions knew from Heroes and Nashville.

Those who worked with Hayden remember someone who could be remarkably warm and supportive. Marylynne Stella, whose daughters Lennon and Maisy worked alongside Hayden on Nashville, recalled how eager Hayden was to support the young performers — perhaps because she understood better than most what it was like to grow up in Hollywood.

But others who saw Hayden more recently remembered a woman still carrying private struggles.

Actor Justin Chatwin, who worked with Hayden on her final film Sleepwalker, said she remained professional, funny and kind on set, but he also sensed loneliness and felt she was struggling beneath the surface.

Only weeks before her death, Hayden was still sharing happier moments publicly. Her final Instagram post showed her smiling alongside photographer Randall Slavin with the simple message, “Good times and good friends.”

Friends have since shared their own memories. Musician Clayton Johnson revealed that one of Hayden’s final messages to him was an affectionate note of friendship after the two had spent time singing together.

Her colleagues’ stories paint a complicated but deeply human picture — not simply of a celebrity whose struggles became headlines, but of a daughter, mother, friend and performer who continued trying to move forward.

For those who knew her personally, that may be the Hayden Panettiere they hope people remember most.