Hayden Panettiere’s Family Reveals Jansen Panettiere’s Cause of Death
A week after the sudden death of Jansen Panettiere (28), his family is honoring him. Jansen was the younger brother of actress Hayden Panettiere and was found dead in his New York apartment.
Hayden and her parents gave a statement to E! News, saying, “Jansen’s heart could be seen in his eyes, and his charm in his brilliant, engaging smile; his soul in his masterful and revealing paintings, and the joy of life in his dry wit. 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.”
Speaking about the cause of death, his family noted that, while it offered little solace, Jansen’s untimely passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with problems with the aortic valve.
His family went on to say how much they appreciated the support that they were receiving during this difficult time and requested privacy as they grieved the loss. While concluding, the family declared their love for Jensen and that he would be in their hearts forever.
The actor missed an appointment earlier this month, and his friends found him unresponsive on February 19. Just a week ago, on January 24, the actor shared a sweet Instagram picture of his sister Hayden giving him a haircut. He captioned the image, “Not the first haircut she’s tried to give me.”
The siblings shared a strong bond, which they documented over the years. Captioning the trip they took together in September 2021, Hayden wrote, “Sibling time at the amaaaaazing market in #Tahiti,”
Jansen’s first role was in 2002 as a voice artist for the animated TV series Midori’s Nintendo Land Bakery followed by appearances in some other series named Hope & Faith, Third Watch, and Even Stevens.
He also co-starred with his sister in the 2004 Disney film Tiger Cruise and in the 2005 movie Racing Stripes. He also worked for many other voice credits and on-screen parts in movies like Robots, Ice Age: The Meltdown, The X’s, The Last Day of Summer, The Walking Dead, The Babysitters, The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry, and The Perfect Game. His last role was in the 2022 romantic comedy “Love and Love Not.”
Jensen was also an artist and loved displaying his art in Instagram posts. Besides posting his technicolor portraits on Instagram, he also printed his art on tote bags, bomber jackets, and sneakers.
Two days before his death, on February 17, Jensen shared an Instagram post of a picture of his girlfriend Catherine Michie, posing next to a colorful painting.
Catherine honored Jensen in an Instagram post, saying, “Jansen, I met you only a year ago, but you have been my best friend and biggest fan. I will never forget the first time I saw your face and the first things you said to me. Words cannot express the pain of knowing I won’t hear your laugh again.”
She went on to say that she hoped he would find peace and apologized for not being there when he needed her the most.
