Hayden Panettiere honors late brother Jansen by wearing his custom jacket at his funeral
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Hayden Panettiere attended the funeral of her late brother Jansen Panettiere on Wednesday, wearing a custom jacket he designed himself. A statement from his family, confirmed by the coroner, said Jansen Panettiere, 28, was found dead in his New York apartment on February 19. He apparently died of an "enlarged heart," the statement said. Panettiere attended the funeral service at Palisades Presbyterian Church in Nyack with friends and family to celebrate his life.
Before his death, Jansen liked to showcase his vibrant and abstract artwork on his Instagram page. The 33-year-old actress attended the funeral service with her parents and ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson. Jansen wore a bright bomber jacket designed by Jansen and sold under his brand r.a.n.e.38, reports TMZ. The front of the black bomber jacket featured his artwork in orange, red, purple and black.
RELATED ARTICLES
'He's right here with me'
After the service, the 'Heroes' actress was seen leaving the chapel in mourning, and her still-boyfriend Brian Hickerson was also seen in tears. Panettiere recently spoke to 'Good Morning America' for the first time since the death of her younger brother. She put her hand over her heart and responded "Thank you" to condolences from GMA host Michael Strahan', saying, "He's right here with me," as her voice began to waver.
After his death, Jansen's family released a statement that read, "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," as per ABC News.
The family continued, "Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen’s sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications. 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."
The statement concluded with "We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever."
How did Jansen die?
A police report said Jansen's body was found in his apartment by three friends who had tried to revive him after finding him 'unresponsive' in a chair. Us Weekly announced that Jansen, who was 28, died Feb. 19 in New York. Although the cause of death was not immediately known, the Panettiere family eventually released a statement about Jansen's death.
The statement read, "Though it offers little solace, the Medical Examiner reported Jansen’s sudden passing was due to cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications."
Jansen Panettiere was a Disney star
Jansen started his acting career in the early 2000s with roles in movies like Hayden's Disney Channel Original 'Tiger Cruise' and a one-off 'Even Stevens' episode in 2002. The 'Fog' actor also contributed four episodes of his voice to the popular Nickelodeon children's program 'Blue's Clues' in the same year.
Jansen was an actor on his own. He provided the voices for several blockbusters from the 2000s, including 'Ice Age: The Meltdown,' 'Blue's Clues,' and 'Robots.' He voiced Truman X in the animated television series 'The X's' on Nickelodeon from 2005 to 2006, and he had a cameo on one episode of 'The Walking Dead' in 2019.
In addition to continuing to work as an actor over the years, the New Yorker also became committed to his job as an artist, frequently posting images of his artwork on Instagram. Jansen's paintings centered on bright, vibrant colors and abstract forms. Before his death, he was very pleased with two pieces of work that he had completed using spray paint and graffiti. He posted a colorful artwork on February 17, with the caption "I like this one. #rane," next to it.
View this post on Instagram
Jansen and Hayden were really close to each other. The artist shared an Instagram picture of his elder sister giving him a hairdo a month before he died suddenly. He jokingly said at the time, "Not the first haircut she’s tried to give me."
View this post on Instagram