Family says 28-year-old Jansen Panettiere died suddenly of enlarged heart, Hayden Panettiere honors 'brilliant' brother



Jansen Panettiere's cause of death has been revealed after the 28-year-old died suddenly last month.

Jansen Panettiere, the younger brother of actress Hayden Panettiere, died unexpectedly on Feb. 19 at his apartment in Nyack, New York. Friends of the actor found Jansen "sitting upright in a chair unresponsive." The friends attempted to revive Panettiere with CPR, but were unsuccessful. EMTs pronounced Panettiere dead at the scene.

Jansen's father, Alan "Skip" Panettiere, noted that he talked to his son on the phone the night before and thought he "sounded okay."

The Panettiere family divulged that Jansen suddenly died from 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," the family said in a statement to ABC News.

"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," the family said in the tribute to the actor turned artist.

"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. We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever," said his family — his father, mother Lesley Vogel, and sister Hayden Panettiere.

The Cleveland Clinic describes an enlarged heart as a "heart that’s bigger than what is typical."

"Your heart may be unusually thick or dilated (stretched). An enlarged heart may be temporary or permanent, depending on the cause," the Cleveland Clinic explains. "Cardiomegaly can happen to your whole heart or just parts of it. Heart enlargement can be your heart’s reaction to something that forces it to use more effort to circulate blood."

According to the Mayo Clinic: "An enlarged heart (cardiomegaly) can be caused by damage to the heart muscle or any condition that makes the heart pump harder than usual, including pregnancy."

The Mayo Clinic lists several medical conditions associated with an enlarged heart, such as damage from a heart attack, high blood pressure, low red blood cell count, diseases of the heart muscle and valves, unusual accumulation of protein deposits in the heart, thyroid issues, and heart conditions that have been present since birth.

Dr. Shriprasad R. Deshpande, medical director of the Heart Transplant and Advanced Cardiac Therapies Program at Children's National Hospital, told Yahoo Entertainment the possible symptoms of an enlarged heart.

"There may be a decrease in exercise capacity, they may have a fast heartbeat, and sometimes they may experience syncope (blackout/passing out)," Deshpande said. "In children, the only presenting symptom may be breathing problems and stomach pains or loss of appetite. Serious presentations are sudden cardiac arrest, which may result in sudden death."

Jansen Panettiere was a painter and an actor who appeared in "The Walking Dead," "Ice Age: The Meltdown," "Blue's Clues," "Even Stevens," "Perfect Game," and the animated Nickelodeon series "The X's." Jansen most recently appeared in the 2022 holiday movie "Love and Love Not."

Jansen and his celebrity sister Hayden Panettiere appeared together in the 2004 TV movie "Tiger Cruise" and in the "Racing Stripes" animated TV show in 2005.

Just weeks before his death, Jansen posted a photo on Instagram of his older sister giving him a haircut.

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Actor Jansen Panettiere dies suddenly at 28, brother of Hayden Panettiere 'sounded okay' before unexpected death



New details have been released about the sudden death of Hollywood actor Jansen Panettiere.

Panettiere died shortly after 5 p.m. on Sunday at his apartment in Nyack, New York.

An unresponsive Panettiere was found by three of Jansen's friends: Benjamin Brown, Joe Fails, and Lars Arianti. The friends grew "concerned" when Panettiere didn't show up at a prearranged meeting the night before. The friends went to Pannettiere's home and found the actor "sitting upright in a chair unresponsive." The friends called 911 and attempted to revive Panettiere with CPR.

The initial report from the Orangetown Police Department said officers entered the apartment to find an "unresponsive male with CPR in progress." Police arrived as Brown was performing CPR on Panettiere, who was lying on his back on the living room floor.

According to Fox News, "Panettiere was reportedly not breathing and was cold to the touch with lividity."

Panettiere, 28, was pronounced dead at 5:11 p.m. on Sunday by a responding EMTs at the actor's apartment.

Alan "Skip" Panettiere, Jansen's father, reportedly told EMTs that he talked to Jansen "via telephone the night before" and he "sounded okay."

Officers noted in the police report that "there were no obvious signs of trauma observed."

Orangetown Police Sgt. Peter Maher said, "As part of this ongoing investigation we are awaiting an official determination of the cause of death from the Rockland County Medical Examiner."

There were five lines of the police report that were redacted.

Panettiere's cause of death was not immediately known. An investigation into his sudden death has been launched.

Catherine Michie, the reported girlfriend of Jansen, paid tribute to Panettiere.

"I met you only a year ago, but you have been my best friend and biggest fan," Michie wrote on Instagram. "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."

"I hope you find peace, and I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me most," she continued. "The world is better because you were in it. I know we will paint together again someday. I’ll always be your sugarpop. Someone wake me up and tell me this is a dream."

Like his celebrity sister Hayden Panettiere, Jansen began acting at a young age. Jansen started acting in 2002 and had 43 acting credits to his name.

Jansen had a recurring role as the character "Truman X" in the animated TV series "The X's" on Nickelodeon. Panettiere also appeared in "The Walking Dead," "Ice Age: The Meltdown," "Even Stevens," and "Perfect Game." Most recently, Jansen appeared in the 2022 holiday movie "Love and Love Not."

Hayden and Jansen appeared together in the 2004 TV movie "Tiger Cruise" and in the "Racing Stripes" animated TV show in 2005.

Jansen turned to painting after suffering "terrible anxiety and depression."

Jansen's website states, "After spending time in L.A. as an adult he was ridden with terrible anxiety and depression; this period in his life eventually produced a spiritual clarity that drove him to start painting his problems, one by one."

Jansen is survived by his older sister and their parents.

Hayden Panettiere's Younger Brother Jansen Panettiere Dead at 28 | E! News www.youtube.com

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