Jay Shetty pays emotional tribute to Hayden Panettiere after her death, ‘You said I was now like a big brother to you’

Jay Shetty has paid an emotional tribute to Hayden Panettiere after her tragic death. The Heroes star was interviewed by Shetty in May 2026, just months before her August 16 death.

Panettiere, 36, died in Greenville , South Carolina. Police said that there were not "any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances,” per the BBC. The Greenville County Coroner's Office revealed that crews treated a woman in "cardiac arrest" and her autopsy showed "no signs of trauma.”

Shetty wrote on X that he was “devastated and heartbroken” at the news of Panettiere’s death.

“Just a few months ago, I had the privilege of sitting down with you on On Purpose. After the episode you told me it was truly healing. You said I was now like a big brother to you and that I helped you be brave,” Shettu wrote. “But Hayden, you were the brave one. You were courageous, resilient, and so incredibly strong through so many difficult moments in your life. You should never have had to experience the things you did.”

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He added, “I hope you know how loved you are. How many people you helped. How your vulnerability moved others. My heart and prayers are with you, your daughter, your family, friends and fans. Rest in peace, Hayden”.

Panettiere discussed her life in a podcast interview with Shetty in May, including how discussing her battle with postpartum depression during an appearance on Live! With Kelly and Michael in 2015 allegedly resulted in Neutrogena “firing” her in 2016. She said in her 2015 interview that “postpartum depression was “completely uncontrollable and really painful,” adding, "It's really scary, and women need a lot of support."

Panettiere shared her version with Shetty, saying, "Neutrogena and I were together for 10 years. They had morality clauses that had a huge impact on my life, because I was a teenager and I had all the paparazzi around me capturing these gory moments. Every moment - every cigarette I smoked, every bad outfit, or [comments like], 'She’s looking chunky in a bathing suit', or, 'She has a fat vagina'.”

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She added, "They caught absolutely everything and out of all the things they would fire me over, this is the last thing I thought they would ever fire me over."

Panettiere starred in several campaigns and was a brand ambassador for the firm, but all of this came to an abrupt end in 2016, she said.

Panettiere’s representative told ABC News in a statement after her death, "It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her -- and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news.