Hayden Panettiere has shared her emotions regarding the sudden passing of her brother, Jansen, who died at the age of 28 last year. In a candid interview with People for its latest cover story, the Scream actress opened up about her struggles following his unexpected death, which was attributed to an enlarged heart and complications related to the aortic valve.
“He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him,” Panettiere recalled. “When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul.”
In the aftermath of his death, she found herself reluctant to leave her home, particularly after being followed by paparazzi who took photos of her at Jansen’s funeral, which was meant to be a private event. “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,” she reflected. This experience exacerbated her previous struggles with agoraphobia.
Panettiere described how she experienced significant weight gain during this time, feeling less confident in herself and her appearance. “It became a destructive hamster wheel of, do I feel good enough to go out?” she added.
With assistance from her publicist, she began working with personal trainer Marnie Alton, who helped her regain control of her life. The training sessions evolved into a form of therapy, where they would take long walks and talk.
As she started to see physical changes from her training, Panettiere mentioned that it also allowed her to release the stress and heavy expectations she had placed on herself. Learning to cope with her brother’s loss has changed her perspective on life, teaching her to prioritize what matters and not sweat the small stuff. “Because once something so horrific, so deep, so catastrophic happens in your life, there’s not much that can really rock you,” she noted.
Looking ahead, Panettiere is set to appear in the film Amber Alert alongside Tyler James Williams from Abbott Elementary. The movie portrays a tense rideshare journey as the characters pursue a vehicle linked to an Amber Alert. While she is eager for its release on September 27, she acknowledges that she is still grappling with her brother’s death. “I will always be heartbroken about it. I will never be able to get over it,” she said. “No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss.”