Who was Hayden Panettiere’s younger brother, Jansen Panettiere? The Heroes star is opening up about her heartbreak after his sudden death last year

Hayden Panettiere is opening up about the heartbreak she felt after suddenly losing her younger brother to an undiagnosed heart condition last year. He was just 28 years old at the time.

Speaking with People magazine on September 18, the Scream 6 actress talked about the difficulties she faced during her grieving period. “He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him,” she told the publication. “When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul.”

Just before he died, 35-year-old Panettiere had finally got clean and sober after her struggles with drug and alcohol addiction in the past, per People. She was also single, after reportedly coming out of an abusive on-off relationship with her ex-boyfriend.

After finding out about her sibling’s death, she says she stopped leaving the house. “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 told People. “My agoraphobia came out, which is something I’ve struggled with in the past.”

The former child star said that slowly, she was able to get back on her feet in the months that followed. Here’s what we know about her beloved late sibling:

Jansen Panettiere’s background

Per People, Jansen Panettiere was born to Skip Panettiere and Lesley Vogel, on September 25, 1994.