Hayden Panettiere Remembers Late Brother Jansen on the 2-Year Anniversary of His Death: 'The Pain Isn't Quantifiable'

Mar. 15, 2025

Hayden Panettiere (L) and Jansen Panettiere.Photo: Amanda Edwards/Getty

Hayden Panettiereis honoring her late brother,Jansen Panettiere.

On Feb. 19, theNashvillealum, 35, paid tribute toher brother on the two-year anniversary of deathwith a touching tribute post shared to Instagram.

“2 years ago today, I lost my little brother,” she wrote alongside a black and white photo of the two on a boat. “This amazing human being touched the lives of so many. Especially mine. The pain isn’t quantifiable.”

“I pray you’re in a beautiful place J. That you’re at peace and that when all is said and done…I’ll see you again. Rest easy brother,” she continued. “You are so missed and beyond loved. 💜

In February 2023, PEOPLE confirmed that Jansen died at age 28 from aortic valve complicationsand an undiagnosed enlarged heart.

Days after learning of her only sibling’s death, Hayden recalled how her entire body began swelling up as she was grieving her brother’s loss.

“I just ballooned out,” Hayden told PEOPLE of her rapid 40-pound weight gain in September 2024. “It didn’t matter what I did, what I ate. I know stress and cortisol running through your body can do that. Now I think my body was protecting itself, shielding itself from the world.”

(L) Hayden Panettiere with her mom, her brother Jansen and her father.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

She revealed that the sudden change was a result of her brother’s death, adding that she felt a duty to “protect him” as Jansen’s older sister.

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The statement concluded, “We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning. We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever.”

source: people.com