Hayden Panettiere explains how she dealt with grief after her brother's death

Hayden Panettiere has recently explained how grief affected her body days after her younger brother Jansen’s death in 2023.

In a new interview with PEOPLE, Hayden revealed, “I just ballooned out.”

"It didn't matter what I did, what I ate. I know stress and cortisol running through your body can do that,” continued the 35-year-old.

Hayden remarked, “Now I think my body was protecting itself, shielding itself from the world.”

The Scream actress told the outlet, “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...I will always be heartbroken about [him], I will never be able to get over it,” pointed out Custody actress.

Hayden further said, “No matter how many years go by, I will never get over his loss.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the Bring It On actress opened up that her weight gain made things worse and she hardly left her house.

“I had to see horrific paparazzi pictures of myself coming out of Jansen’s funeral, which happened in a very private place, and it was shocking,” she stated.

Hayden added, “I didn't recognise myself. My agoraphobia came out, which is something I’ve struggled with in the past.”