Brian Hickerson's sister reveals why Hayden returned

Ashley Hickerson says her brother Brian's charisma and humor are why Hayden Panettiere kept returning despite their turbulent on-and-off relationship. The sibling told Daily Mail, via Page Six, that Brian "draws you in," adding she understands why the Nashville star stayed with him until her recent death.

In fresh celebrity breaking news, brian hickerson8217s sister reveals that natural charm—not a peaceful history—kept drawing the late actress back. According to Page Six, the pair met in 2018 and dated on and off until Panettiere's death last Sunday of an apparent overdose.

Key Takeaways

• Ashley Hickerson says Brian's charisma explains why Hayden Panettiere kept returning.
• Panettiere reportedly died of an apparent overdose last Sunday at a Greenville, South Carolina, Airbnb.
• Brian and his brother Zach were present at the scene, Page Six reported.
• Ashley called the Nashville alum's death a "massive tragedy" and said the Hickerson family is grieving too.
• Brian's attorney said police confirmed no signs of foul play and the death remains under investigation.

Why did Hayden Panettiere keep going back to Brian Hickerson?

Ashley—who shares her dad, David, with Brian and Zach—described Brian as "the most charismatic person" who "draws you in."

"I get why Hayden was with him," she continued. "Brian is just the type of person who can make you laugh no matter what, and he can be fun."

That pull, she suggested, helped explain a relationship Page Six described as tumultuous, including multiple arrests of Brian for domestic violence against Panettiere.

What did Ashley Hickerson say about her brother's past?

Ashley insisted Brian's abuse history does not reflect how he was raised. "We all have our demons. Brian was not raised that way," she said. "It wasn't until he got into drugs that he went south."

Page Six noted Brian already had a record years before meeting Panettiere, including a November 2010 arrest when he was 21 on two counts of third-degree assault and battery by mob, alongside David and Zach. Ashley said of that episode, "Some people caused a riot with them in 2010. That's what my dad told me."

She also said Brian acknowledged problems: "He did seek treatment and he was getting help," and "He did own up to his s–t."

How has Brian Hickerson's family responded to Hayden's death?

Despite the rocky relationship, Ashley said the Hickerson family—especially her dad—is grieving. "My family is really feeling this loss as well," she said, calling the death a "massive tragedy."

Brian and Zach were at the Greenville Airbnb when Panettiere died, Page Six reported. Brian's attorney, Sloan Ellis, said Hayden's death remains under investigation, that it is important to allow that process to proceed, and that police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.

What else have relatives said about Brian and Hayden?

Panettiere's estranged mom, Lesley Vogel, has spoken out against Brian, doubting his alleged timeline of the day she died and blaming their rocky mother-daughter relationship on him, Page Six reported via the New York Times.

Vogel said Brian had pawned some of Panettiere's belongings before she died, including a vintage guitar, and that the Heroes alum was shocked some personal items were in Brian's storage unit. Page Six also reported Brian faced financial issues after the arrests and filed for bankruptcy in 2022.