Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Grief and Body Image Journey After Brother Jansen's Death

Hayden Panettiere shares her experience of dealing with the loss of her brother, Jansen Panettiere, and how it affected her mental and physical health. She discusses her struggles with grief, weight gain, agoraphobia, and how she has been able to turn a corner with the help of a personal trainer.

Hayden Panettiere is opening up for the first time about the loss of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, who died last February at the age of 28 from cardiomegaly (an enlarged heart) coupled with aortic valve complications.

"He was my only sibling, and he was my younger sibling and it was my job to protect him," Panettiere told People magazine for their new cover story. "When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul."

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Grief and Body Image Journey After Brother Jansen's Death

The loss of Jansen has left a deep and lasting impact on Panettiere, who says she is not expecting to ever get over it.

"Time does heal things, but time can also make you think differently and ask different questions and wonder different things and realize different things that you wish you'd never realized," she explained.

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Grief and Body Image Journey After Brother Jansen's Death

In addition to the overwhelming emotional pain, Panettiere also experienced unexpected physical changes, including rapid weight gain.

"When my little brother passed away, my body did something I've never really seen it do before, which was within days, I basically just like ballooned. Ballooned out," she said. "Stress and cortisol running through your body can do that. I tried everything — everything unhealthy, everything healthy — didn't matter what I ate, didn't matter what I did. My body… it was like protecting itself, shielding itself from the world."

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Grief and Body Image Journey After Brother Jansen's Death

Panettiere also developed agoraphobia, a fear of being in public places or situations where one feels trapped or helpless.

"I got to see these horrific paparazzi pictures of me coming out of his funeral, which happened in a very private place where we grew up, so it was shocking," she said. "I didn't even recognize myself…It was bringing out the agoraphobia in me as well. Which isn't something I've always struggled with."

Hayden Panettiere Opens Up About Grief and Body Image Journey After Brother Jansen's Death

Through the help of her publicist, who connected her with a personal trainer, Panettiere has been able to make progress in managing her grief and agoraphobia.

"My body just started reacting, not just from the working out. It allowed me to release the stress, the high expectations I’d always put on myself," she said. "There’s nothing like looking in the mirror and feeling like you look good enough to walk out the door."

Panettiere's journey is a testament to the power of seeking help and the importance of self-care during times of grief. As she continues to cope with the loss of her brother, she is finding ways to heal and move forward in a healthy and meaningful way.