Brian Hickerson’s Sister Speaks Out After Hayden Panettiere’s Death

Watch: Brian Hickerson Gave Hayden Panettiere Narcan After Apparent Overdose, His Brother Zach Says

Brian Hickerson’s half-sister is detailing his ties to Hayden Panettiere.

After police confirmed that Brian and his brother Zach Hickerson were present when the Heroes star died of an apparent overdose on Aug. 16 at age 36, their sister Ashley Hickerson broke her silence on the “massive tragedy” while sharing her perspective on her sibling.

“If I can say one thing about Brian, it’s that he is the most charismatic person and he draws you in,” Ashley told the Daily Mail in an interview published Aug. 24. “I get why Hayden was with him. Brian is just the type of person who can make you laugh no matter what and he can be fun.”

A police incident report obtained by E! News Aug. 18 confirmed that Brian—Panettiere’s on and off boyfriend—and Zach were inside the South Carolina apartment complex where the Nashville actress went into cardiac arrest on Aug. 16.

Police have confirmed that there are no immediate signs of foul play in the case, and an autopsy completed by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office Aug. 17 stated that no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to Panettiere’s death

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E! News has previously made attempts to reach Brian for comment but has not heard back.

However, two days after Panettiere’s death, Brian’s attorney Sloan Ellis reiterated the police report findings of no foul play, adding in his statement to TMZ, “Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”

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After the Remember the Titans alum’s death, Ashley shared that her family “is really feeling this loss,” noting that the siblings’ father David Hickerson is “devastated” and has taken the news “pretty hard.”

Panettiere’s relationship with Brian began in 2018, with them breaking up in 2020 following a domestic violence incident that led to his arrest.

The 37-year-old, who pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend, per the District Attorney’s Office, was subsequently sentenced to 45 days in jail, according to court records obtained by E! News.

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He was also sentenced to four years of formal probation, had to attend 52 domestic violence classes, paid $500 in restitution and received a five-year protective order.

“We all have our demons,” Ashley said of her brother’s arrests. “Brian was not raised that way. It wasn’t until he got into drugs that he went south.”

Following his legal troubles, Ashley noted that “he did seek treatment and he was getting help. He did own up to his s–t.”

She added, “My family, they are amazing people.”

Keep reading for everything we know about Panettiere’s death…

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When Did Hayden Panettiere Die?Hayden Panettiere died in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug. 16. She was 36.

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How Did Hayden Panettiere Die?After receiving a 911 call at around 1:51 p.m. on Aug. 16, first responders and emergency medical services arrived at a residence in Greenville and found a woman—later identified as Panettiere—in cardiac arrest, according to a release shared by the Greenville County Coroner’s Office the following day. While “advanced cardiac life support measures” were provided, the release continued, the “resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful” as Panettiere was unresponsive. The actress was pronounced dead at the scene a little after 2:30 p.m.In audio of the emergency dispatch call obtained by CNN and TMZ, EMS responders can be heard discussing an apparent overdose. However, the official cause and manner of death have yet to be released as the coroner’s office and Greenville City Police Department continue their investigations.

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What Has Hayden Panettiere’s Autopsy Revealed So Far?In its Aug. 17 release, the coroner’s office confirmed an autopsy was completed and that “no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death” of the Heroes star.

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Who Was With Hayden Panettiere When She Died?The Greenville City Police Department noted in its Aug. 17 release that “an acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call,” with a redacted police report obtained by E! listing both Brian Hickerson—her on-again, off-again boyfriend since 2018— and his brother Zach Hickerson as the ones to call 911.Zach later told officers investigating Panettiere’s death that she was Brian’s girlfriend, according to Greenville City PD’s report.Zach also shared in an Aug. 21 statement to TMZ that Brian gave Panettiere Narcan—an opioid overdose reversal medication—after the pair found the actress unconscious in the apartment she was renting. Zach also said that he and Brian “jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until Fire and EMS arrived.” Police noted in an Aug. 16 release that “the preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances” around her death.

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How Did Brian Hickerson and Zach Hickerson React to Hayden Panettiere’s Death?In the police report, an officer noted Zach was “very emotional while EMS were working on” Panettiere, though
“Brian did not become emotional until EMS declared her officially deceased.”E! News has reached out to Zach for comment but has not heard back. Meanwhile, Brian’s attorney Sloan Ellis has spoken out.”Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,” Ellis told E! News Aug. 20. “As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”And while police told People officers “responded to a call for a welfare check at a home belonging to Brian Hickerson’s family” on Aug. 19, they noted “the call is unrelated to the Hayden Panettiere death investigation and did not require an incident report.”

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What Has Hayden Panettiere’s Family Said About Her Death?After Panettiere died, her father Skip Panettiere told ABC News 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.”Two days later, her mother Lesley Vogel broke her silence.”This person in her life that we have been trying to get rid of for quite some time was with her at her death,” she told NBC News Aug. 18, “and that was Brian Hickerson.”
While Panettiere—whose brother Jansen died in 2023 at ae 28—and her mom had publicly spoken about their estrangement, Vogel remembered her daughter as “an amazingly talented person in so many departments.””I think young people who grow up in the entertainment industry—it is a struggle and it’s a very challenging industry,” she added, “and it’s not unusual for them to sadly find the wrong path.”Additionally, her ex Wladimir Klitschko addressed his “profound shock and grief” he and their daughter Kaya were facing in the wake of Panettiere’s death. The Ukranian boxer further vowed to keep the Nashville alum’s legacy alive in Kaya’s memory.

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