Former ‘Bachelor’ contestant Hailey Merkt has passed away.
Merkt competed for Nick Viall’s love during season 21 of the show. In a post shared on her Instagram account, Merkt’s family confirmed her passing.
“It is with broken hearts we share that our beloved Hailey has passed away after a courageous fight for her life,” the statement began. Prior to her passing, Merkt had a long battle with cancer.
She was 31 years old.
“Hailey faced this journey with unimaginable strength, grace, and selflessness. Her determination, courage, and will to live surpassed every timeline the doctors gave her, and she chose to spend her final moments surrounded by loved ones and doing what she cherished most with no regrets,” her family added.
Merkt was diagnosed with leukemia in October 2023. In April, she revealed on her GoFundMe page that she was cancer free.
“After the bone marrow transplant had taken, she was told she had nine months to not even think about cancer, but in truth she only had 6 weeks before she got the terrible news that leukemia cells were back and moving fast,” the GoFundMe account reads.
According to the account, Merkt’s reaction to the news was to say, “I don’t care about myself anymore, but I can’t bear being the cause of so much pain for the people I love.”
As her family’s statement concluded, they wrote that she “will forever be remembered as anything but boring, always hysterically funny, and as someone who lived fully in the present moment. Hailey embraced life with an unmatched zest; her beautiful spirit has touched countless lives.”
She “will be profoundly missed by all who knew her. Her laughter, her love, and her vibrant spirit have left an undeniable mark on our hearts. While we grieve her loss, we find comfort in knowing that her spirit will live on in all the lives she touched. Rest in peace, Hailey,” the statement continued.
Several women from her season of the Bachelor took to the comment section to share their condolences.
“Our beautiful girl,” Vanessa Grimaldi wrote. “This news broke me. You are such a light, your beautiful big smile will always be something I remember. Always. Rest easy, friend! Sending big hugs to your loved ones xoxo.”
“Oh my gosh!!! I’m so so sad to hear this. I was so hoping for her recovery. Rest easy, Hailey. You’ll never be forgotten,” Raven Gates added.
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