Hayden Panettiere endured a heartbreaking loss three years before her own death. In 2023, the actress’ younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, died unexpectedly at the age of 28, dealing a devastating blow to the actress. Jansen had followed his sister into the entertainment industry, building his own acting career before his life was tragically cut short.
On August 16, Hayden Panettiere’s rep released a statement confirming the death of the actress at 36 years old, as The Blast reported. Details about her passing have not been made public.
Hayden is best known for playing high school cheerleader Claire Bennet in “Heroes” and ambitious country music star Juliette Barnes on “Nashville.” The actress also appeared in a number of films, including “Remember the Titans,” “Scream 4,” and “Bring It On: All or Nothing.”
A little more than three years before her death, Panettiere grieved the loss of his younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who suddenly died in February 2023 at the age of 28. The siblings had an extremely close relationship and supported each other’s creative pursuits.
Jansen, who is five years his sister’s junior, followed in Hayden’s footsteps and pursued an acting career. He made appearances in “Even Stevens,” “The Walking Dead,” and “The Martial Arts Kid.”
Jansen Panettiere Died Of An Undiagnosed Heart Condition
3A week after Jansen’s sudden passing, his family revealed his official cause of death. According to the medical examiner’s report, the actor died of cardiomegaly, or an enlarged heart. He also had complications with his aortic valve.
An enlarged heart may be a permanent or temporary condition, and its symptoms often include shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, fatigue, or palpitations. If left undiagnosed, it can cause heart failure, blood clots, a leaky heart valve, or sudden death, per Mayo Clinic.
Hayden was distraught following Jansen’s death, and in an interview, she reflected on her grief. “He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him. When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul,” the actress said.
Hayden Panettiere Struggled With Her Brother’s Loss
More than a year after Jansen’s death, Hayden recalled how she was affected, both physically and mentally. As The Blast reported, the actress gained about 40 pounds after her brother’s death due to stress. Looking back, she said it was her body’s way of “protecting itself, shielding itself from the world.”
Moreover, seeing the paparazzi photos of herself attending her brother’s funeral was startling, and it triggered her agoraphobia, a condition she battled in the past.
“I will never be able to get over it. No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss,” Hayden said at that time.
The Actress Found Healing In Wellness And Exercise
3Hayden began healing after she sought help from trainer Marnie Alton. They went on long walks to burn stress and uplift the actress’ mood, which became a form of therapy for her. “My body just started reacting, not just from the working out. It allowed me to release the stress, the high expectations I’d always put on myself,” she said.
Later, the actress began to publicly open up about her grief, which helped her process the pain of losing her brother. In an interview on the “Jay Shetty Podcast” in May, Hayden said she kept some of her brother’s paintings and finds solace and comfort whenever she sees them.
Apart from acting, Jansen was a visual artist and painter. Following his death, the Jansen Rane Panettiere Art Foundation was established to support struggling artists.
Hayden Panettiere Released A Memoir Months Before Her Passing
In May, Hayden released her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” in which she discussed her life as a child star, her struggles with addiction and personal trauma, as well as her reflections over the years. At one point, she also wrote about her brother’s death.
Hayden revealed that Jansen also struggled with substance abuse, particularly cocaine and heroin, prior to his death. “I, of all people, should have understood,” she told E! However, she also acknowledged that she could not have helped someone who didn’t want to help himself. “It’s just a sad fact,” she added.
“I didn’t think that I would have to do life without him, but I’m grateful that I had the time I had with him,” Hayden said.