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Bachelor Nation stars don’t always get a happy ending.
A number of people who have appeared on “The Bachelor” franchise have died over the years.
The ABC reality franchise started with “The Bachelor” in 2002 and has spawned numerous spinoffs, including “The Bachelorette,” “Bachelor in Paradise,”“The Golden Bachelor,”“The Golden Bachelorette,” “Bachelor Pad” and “The Bachelor Winter Games.”
Across all of those shows, ten former contestants have tragically passed away.
Here are all of the Bachelor Nation stars who have died.
Julien Hug
Julien Hug competed on Jillian Harris’ season of “The Bachelorette” in 2009. He was eliminated Week 2.
Hug died at the age of 35 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on November 3, 2010. He was found dead in a remote area off a highway in Riverside County, California.
The late reality star left behind a suicide note that explained his battle with depression. It was read out loud at his funeral.
Gia Allemand
Gia Allemand appeared on Jake Pavelka’s season of “The Bachelor” in 2010. She was also on Seasons 1 and 2 of “Bachelor Pad” in 2010 and 2011.
Allemand died by suicide at age 29 on August 14, 2013. She was taken off life support two days later.
Eric Hill
Eric Hill appeared on Andi Dorfman’s season of “The Bachelorette” in 2014. He went home Week 4.
The 31-year-old died in an accident in April 2014 before the season aired. He was paragliding in Utah when his parachute collapsed, leaving him in a coma before he passed away.
In a statement, “Bachelorette” producers said, “We are deeply saddened to hear about the tragic passing of our friend, Eric Hill. Eric inspired us every day with his passion, his courage and his adventurous spirit, and for that we are very thankful. On behalf of our cast, crew and producers, we send our love, our thoughts and our prayers to Eric’s family.”
Lex McAllister
Alexa “Lex” McAllister was also on Pavelka’s season of “The Bachelor,” where she was sent home Week 1.
At the age of 31, McAllister died of an intentional drug overdose on February 16, 2016.
She was initially stable when she was taken to the hospital, but her condition quickly deteriorated and her devastated family made the painful decision to take her off life support.
Erin Storm
Erin Storm was on Matt Grant’s season of “The Bachelor” in 2008. She was eliminated Week 3.
In March 2016, Storm died at age 41 in a plane crash.
The single-engine plane she was piloting crashed after taking off from Hawthorne Municipal Airport near Los Angeles. Storm was reportedly in cardiac arrest when emergency crews arrived and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Michael Nance
Michael Nance was on Emily Maynard’s season of “The Bachelorette” in 2012. He was eliminated Week 4.
Nance was 31 when he died on May 29, 2017. He died from “multiple drug toxicity” and his death was ruled an accident.
Christy Caserta
Christy Caserta was eliminated the first week on Brad Womack’s season of “The Bachelor” in 2011.
Caserta died at the age of 38 in October 2018. It was later revealed she died due to an enlarged heart and an overactive thyroid, which caused her to have a seizure.
Tyler Gwozdz
Tyler Gwozdz was on Hannah Brown’s season of “The Bachelorette” in 2019. During Week 3, he left the show for unknown reasons.
Gwozdz passed away January 22, 2020 at the age of 29. He died of opioid toxicity (heroin) and the manner of death was ruled an accident.
Clint Arlis
Clint Arlis competed on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of “The Bachelorette” in 2015. He was eliminated Week 3.
Arlis died in January 2022 at 34 years old. His cause of death was ruled a suicide by the coroner’s office. He was reportedly struggling with his mental health and believed people were watching him.
Hailey Merkt
Hailey Merkt was on Nick Viall’s season of “The Bachelor” that aired in 2017. She was eliminated Week 2.
Merkt lost her battle with leukemia on July 26, 2024. She was 31 years old.
“Hailey faced this journey with unimaginable strength, grace, and selflessness,” her loved ones said on Instagram after her death. “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.”
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.