{"id":115297,"date":"2024-07-31T19:06:55","date_gmt":"2024-07-31T19:06:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/31\/the-bachelor-season-21-contestants-react-to-hailey-merkts-death\/"},"modified":"2024-07-31T19:06:55","modified_gmt":"2024-07-31T19:06:55","slug":"the-bachelor-season-21-contestants-react-to-hailey-merkts-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/07\/31\/the-bachelor-season-21-contestants-react-to-hailey-merkts-death\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bachelor Season 21 Contestants React to Hailey Merkt\u2019s Death"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Hailey Merkt.<\/span> Courtesy of Hailey Merkt\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Members of The Bachelor<\/em><\/a> season 21 cast are mourning Hailey Merkt<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Hailey died at age 31 on July 26 following a battle with leukemia<\/a>. Days later, news broke of her death when a post was uploaded via her Instagram honoring her.<\/p>\n

\u201cHailey faced this journey with unimaginable strength, grace, and selflessness,\u201d a post via Hailey\u2019s Instagram read at the time. \u201cHer 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bachelor Nation<\/a> met Hailey when she vied for the affections of Nick Viall<\/strong> during The Bachelor<\/em> in 2017. Hailey was eliminated during the second week of the ABC reality series. (Nick ultimately popped the question to Vanessa Grimaldi<\/strong> in the 2017 finale, but the pair split<\/a> later that year.)<\/p>\n

Scroll down to see which season 21 contestants have paid tribute Hailey:<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>\u2018Bachelor\u2019 and \u2018Bachelorette\u2019 Tragedies<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tOver the years, several former Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants have tragically died after competing on the show. Us Weekly confirmed in April 2014 that Eric Hill, who appeared on season 10 of The Bachelorette, passed away at the age of 26 after part of his parachute collapsed while he was paragliding in Utah. The accident [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Vanessa Grimaldi<\/h3>\n

\u201cOur beautiful girl!! \ud83d\udc94,\u201d the season 21 winner wrote in the comments section. \u201cThis news broke me. You are such a light, your beautiful big smile will always be something I remember. Always. Rest easy, friend! \ud83e\udd0d\ud83d\udd4a\ufe0f Sending big hugs to your loved ones xoxo.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Courtesy of Raven Gates Gottschalk\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Raven Gates<\/h3>\n

\u201cOh my gosh!!! I\u2019m so so sad to hear this \ud83d\ude22,\u201d she wrote in the comments section. \u201cI was so hoping for her recovery. Rest easy, Hailey \ud83e\udd0d you\u2019ll never be forgotten.\u201d<\/p>\n

The season 21 runner-up also honored Hailey via her Instagram Story, writing, \u201cI\u2019m stunned by this news. @haileymerkt and I connected immediately night 1 of the bachelor mansion. I was so hoping for her recovery. Rest easy, Hailey.\u201d<\/p>\n

In another slide, Raven reposted an Instagram<\/a> photo with Hailey from 2017 alongside a dove emoji.<\/p>\n

Danielle Maltby<\/h3>\n

\u201cI count myself so lucky to know your laugh and grateful to have met and loved the realest, warmest, most beautiful soul in the weirdest of places \ud83c\udf39forever grateful for your friendship there and in the real world\u2026. What a force my girl, rest easy \ud83e\udd0d\ud83e\udeb6 so much love to all your people,\u201d Danielle wrote in the comments section.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Celebrity Deaths of 2024: Stars We Lost This Year<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tHollywood mourned many celebrities in 2024. Speed Racer star Christian Oliver (born Christian Klepser) died at the age of 51 during a fatal plane crash on January 5. Oliver was traveling home from a Caribbean vacation with his two daughters \u2014 Madita and Annik, whom he shared with wife Jessica Klepser \u2014 on January 4. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Liz Sandoz<\/h3>\n

\u201cI am so blessed I got to encounter your beautiful soul in this lifetime. Rest in peace, Hailey. \u2764\ufe0f\u2764\ufe0f,\u201d she wrote in the comments section.<\/p>\n

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Courtesy of Hailey Merkt\/Instagram<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dominique Alexis<\/h3>\n

\u201cMy love, I hope you are in the most beautiful peaceful place,\u201d Dominique wrote. \u201cI can\u2019t imagine that I won\u2019t see you again but I\u2019ll cherish every memory together. Love you \ud83d\udc94.\u201d<\/p>\n

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