Hayden Panettiere got emotional as she opened up about her rapid weight gain after the sudden loss of her brother – admitting that she lived in sweatpants and unflattering T-shirts because she hated the way she looked and was terrified to leave the house.
The actress younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, passed away in February 2023 from an enlarged heart.
Now, the Heroes alum, 35, spoke about how his shock death impacted her to People magazine, explaining that it felt like she lost half of her soul.
She also revealed that the stress from his passing resulted in her body ballooning out, which left her in a really bad and destructive place.
When my little brother passed away my body did something Ive never really seen it do before, she said.
Hayden Panettiere got emotional as she opened up about her rapid weight gain after the sudden loss of her brother. Shes seen before (left) and after (right) her brothers death
The actress younger brother, Jansen Panettiere, passed away in February 2023 from an enlarged heart. Theyre seen together in 2011
Within days, I basically ballooned out. I know stress and cortisol running through your body can do that.
The star said she tried everything to shed the pounds but, no matter what she did, she couldnt lose weight.
I tried everything, everything unhealthy, everything healthy, she continued. It didnt matter what I ate, it didnt matter what I did.
My body was just like protecting itself, shielding itself from the world.
Hayden said she began to get so self conscious about the way that she looked she developed agoraphobia – a fear of going outside.
I lived in sweatpants and a T-shirt, things that swallowed me up and were not flattering on me, she recalled.
It took me so long to pick out an outfit that I felt comfortable enough in to leave the house just to go meet up with my friends.
It became this really bad, destructive hamster wheel of like, do I feel good enough to go out? I dont feel confident enough to but if I dont go out and I dont keep moving then Im never going to move away from looking like this.
Now, the Heroes alum, 35, spoke about how his shock death impacted her to People magazine, explaining that it felt like she lost half of her soul
She also revealed that the stress from his passing resulted in her body ballooning out, which left her in a really bad and destructive place. Shes seen weeks after his passing
Hayden said she couldnt even work because she didnt want to go to fittings and look at herself in the mirror and hate everything that she saw on herself.
Eventually, the blonde beauty said her publicist got her in touch with personal trainer Marnie Alton, who changed everything for her.
Eventually, the blonde beauty said her publicist got her in touch with personal trainer Marnie Alton (seen), who changed everything for her
She said she always hated working out, but that Marnies approach gave her a newfound love of exercise.
Its not a boot camp [with Marnie], its not somebody yelling at you, leaving you feeling disappointed in yourself, she dished.
She became a friend and a life coach. Its not easy for someone in my position to trust people, especially people I havent known for a very long time.
But she earned my trust and I told her I would confide in her and confess everything.
She knew how to make you feel empowered.
While reflecting on her brothers death, Hayden admitted that one year on, she still feels like shell never get over the loss of him.
He was my only sibling, and it was my job to protect him. When I lost him, I felt like I lost half of my soul, she said as she held back tears.
I remember saying to somebody, “Dont ever, ever expect me to get over the loss of him.”
She said she always hated working out, but that Marnies approach gave her a newfound love of exercise. Shes seen in August
While reflecting on her brothers death, Hayden admitted that one year on, she still feels like shell never get over the loss of him. Theyre seen in 2013
Because no matter how many years go by, it will always be beside me and I will always be heartbroken about it. I will never be able to get over it.
She added that losing him taught her not to let the little things upset her.
When something that massive has happened to you, you really learn to pick your fights and not let the little things upset you, she said.
Once something so horrific, so deep, and so catastrophic happens in your life, theres not much that can really rock you.
Jansen passed away in February 2023 at age 28 after he was found unresponsive by friends in his apartment in Nyack, New York.
Afterwards, sources told DailyMail.com that he previously struggled with drug addiction, and had gone to rehab a year before his shock death.
Neighbors recalled how Jansen would often return to his apartment in the early hours of the morning looking wasted and shabbily dressed.
They said the 28-year-old seemed to have sobered up after completing a stint in rehab last year, before falling off the wagon again in recent months.
Afterwards, his family said in a statement that he had died from an enlarged heart.
As a child, Jansen dabbled in acting like his sister, starring in Disneys Tiger Cruise, the 2005 sports comedy Racing Stripes, and the drama The Perfect Game.
Later, he stepped away from the movie industry to pursue a career as an artist.
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