How did Hayden Panettiere's brother pass away? Actress says she will always be heartbroken in recent interview

Hayden Panettiere has opened up about her brother Jansen's sudden passing in 2023 and how she would "always be heartbroken" because of the loss. He was only 28 when he passed away last year because of an allegedly enlarged heart along with complications in his aortic valve.

The Amber Alert star opened up about losing her "only sibling" during a chat with People for its September 18, 2024, feature. She recalled feeling "lost" after his brother's death, saying:

"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 is learning to live without her little brother. However, she also admitted that she's not fully healed from Jansen's passing and that she might never be. Panettiere noted:

"I will always be heartbroken about it. I will never be able to get over it. No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss."

The Scream actress also shared a new perspective on life that she learned after her brother's passing. After experiencing something "massive" like that, she learned to pick her fights and "not let little things" rattle her. Hayden Panettiere further noted that it strengthened her somehow because after something "so horrific, so, deep, so catastrophic" happens in one's life, "there's not much that can really rock you."

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Hayden Panettiere recalled how her agoraphobia came out after his brother's death

Hayden Panettiere had to get over his brother's death in 2023, but she also had to navigate being stuck in a rut after the tragic loss. She recalled to People that paparazzi followed her days after Jansen's death, and that made her think twice about leaving the house. She said:

"I had to see horrific paparazzi pictures of myself coming out of Jansen's funeral, which happened in a very private place, and it was shocking. My agoraphobia came out, which is something I've struggled with in the past."

She also recalled how she became virtually recognizable because of the rapid weight gain she experienced at the time. The stress and cortisol didn't help, and she "ballooned out," which also diminished her self-esteem.

Hayden Panettiere admitted in the interview that she "didn't feel confident to put on clothes and get out of the house." She said:

"It became a destructive hamster wheel of, 'Do I feel good enough to go out?'"

However, she acknowledged the need to keep moving to leave her rut. The personal trainer, Marnie Alton, whom she met via her publicist, helped her change bit by bit. She said she started training with Alton and how they developed instant trust and connection.

She recalled loving their long walks and used those times to vent and share stories about the past, like in a "therapy session." The actress admitted that her trainer "empowered" her, and soon, her "body just started reacting" to the workouts and the endorphins she was getting from them. When her insecurities faded, Hayden Panettiere said that she also lost her agoraphobia.