Hayden Panettiere Tears Up During 1st Interview After Brother Jansen’s Sudden Death: ‘He’s Right Here’

Always with her. Hayden Panettiere got emotional while participating in her first TV interview since the death of her brother, at the age of 28.

While appearing on the Monday, March 5, episode of Good Morning America to promote Scream VI, Hayden, 33, made a brief comment about her brother’s passing after Michael Strahan expressed his condolences.

“He’s right here with me,” she said with tears in her eyes.

Jansen was found dead inside his New York City residence on February 19.

“The Orangetown Police responded to 41 N. Broadway in Nyack on February 19, 2023, at 5:03pm,” police told In Touch in a statement on February 20. “Our detectives are currently continuing an investigation from that response, and we cannot provide further information at this time.”

Jansen was already dead on the living room floor when authorities arrived at the scene, according to the Orangetown Police Department’s initial report obtained by In Touch. A friend found his body when he grew concerned that Jansen didn’t show up to their planned meeting. The friend performed CPR in an attempt to revive the artist, though Jansen was pronounced dead at 5:11 p.m. by EMTs.

While no foul play was suspected at the time of his passing, Jansen’s cause of death wasn’t revealed until one week later. On February 27, the Panettiere family explained that Jansen died of an enlarged heart.

“Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen’s sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications,” his family said in a statement to ABC News.

The statement continued, “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.”

In addition to working as an artist in his adult years, Jansen started out as a child actor like his older sister. According to his Twitter bio, Jansen described himself as an “artist, actor, writer, director, producer, entrepreneur, enviro-activist, creative mind.”

The Nashville alum has a close relationship with her late brother. According to his employment history, Jansen was working for Hayden at the time of his death.

The Perfect Game actor posted his last photo with Hayden via Instagram on January 24, 2023, which showed the siblings smiling as she trimmed his hair. “Not the first haircut she’s tried to give me,” he captioned the black and white snapshot.