Inside Hayden Panettiere's Close Relationship With Her Late Brother Jansen

On February 19, Jansen Panettiere, the younger brother of Hayden Panettiere, tragically died at 28 years old. Jansen had taken a similar career path as his sister and started acting at a young age, as he appeared in several projects on the Disney Channel as a youngster. He even worked with Hayden on "Tiger Cruise" in 2004. Eventually, Jansen had a career in voice acting working on projects such as "Ice Age: The Meltdown," and "The X's." In addition to his film and television work, Jansen was a talented artist, and he often showcased his work on Instagram.

Not long after his death, the Panettiere family released a statement about Jansen's death. "His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered," the family wrote, per ABC News. They revealed the cause of his death as being "due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications."

Years earlier, Hayden had spoken about her brother's heart, but in a much different context, while he worked as a child actor. "He is a very balanced child. He has a heart of gold and would never wish bad on anyone. Sometimes I need to take a lesson from him," the "Heroes" star told TV Guide in 2007. The two had formed a special bond over the years.

Hayden Panettiere made the promotional rounds for "Scream VI" while still mourning Jansen Panettiere, who had died weeks earlier. Near the end of an appearance on "Good Morning America" on March 6, Michael Strahan mentioned Jansen's passing and offered condolences. Almost immediately, Hayden became visibly emotional, and she tapped her heart. "He's right here with me," she said while seemingly choking back tears.

Up until Jansen's untimely passing, the brother and sister duo had remained close. Only weeks before he died, the Disney Channel alum uploaded a snap of Hayden chopping his locks. "Not the first haircut she's tried to give me," Jansen wrote in the caption of the Instagram post on January 24. In the black and white photo, Jansen had his hair up in a bun as his older sister stood behind him with a giant smile on her face.

In 2007, leading up to Jansen's role in the Nickelodeon movie "The Last Day of Summer," the Panettiere siblings interviewed each other for TV Guide. They were also asked about their relationship. "I can still beat him in a fight," the "I Love You, Beth Cooper" actor said. "When I turn 14, dude, I'll beat the shiitake mushrooms out of you," Jansen jokingly replied. They also found common ground while agreeing that child actors were underappreciated in the industry. Even once Jansen had grown up, he still remained close to his older sister.

In 2016, when Jansen Panettiere was well past his child actor days, Hayden Panettiere uploaded a selfie with her brother that had people buzzing. The "Nashville" actor tweeted a black and white photo of the two in a raft together. "Baby brother time!" she wrote in the caption. That rafting trip must have been a memorable experience for Jansen, as he re-posted the adorable pic to his Instagram page in November 2022.

A few years before she posted the rafting photo, Hayden brought Jansen as her plus-one to the Environmental Media Awards in 2013 where was presented with the futures award. The brother-sister duo hammed it up on the red carpet as they posed for the press. For one particularly cute photo, Hayden playfully held her hand against her brother's face.

Playing the big sister role was one that Hayden appeared to relish. She participated in a fundraiser at Jansen's private school in 2007. At the event, Hayden auctioned off a dress she had worn to a Vanity Fair Oscars party. That was just the appetizer, as the main prize that Hayden auctioned off included a fan visiting the set of "Heroes" with her as their personal escort. That package went for $4,000, per Just Jared. Even as the star of a hit TV show, Hayden made time for her brother and his endeavors.