Abigail Heringer has left a mark on Matt James' heart on The Bachelor's 25th season, and she's hoping to be the last woman standing.
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Abigail is a 25-year-old from Beaverton, OR who currently resides in Portland, OR.
Although Abigail received Matt's First Impression Rose, she became discouraged on the show due to a lack of quality time with Matt. Like several other bachelorettes, Abigail has yet to receive a one-on-one date with The Bachelor star.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' SEASON 25 BACHELORETTES ANNOUNCED! MEET ALL OF MATT JAMES' LADIES! (PHOTOS)
"Does he not want to explore our relationship? Reality is just slapping me in the face right now," Abigail lamented in a confessional.
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Abigail explained to Matt during a group date that she really liked him but was afraid to disappoint him. Abigail explained that if she and Matt started a family, there's a good chance their children could be born deaf -- and she feared Matt may leave her as a result.
Matt told Abigail that he admired her and her qualities only made the idea of having a future together more encouraging and enticing.
"It was extremely courageous of Abigail to share that with me. She was extremely vulnerable with me and opened up about the things that keep her up at night, the things she worries about and ultimately things she would want to share with her husband," Matt explained.
"I'm looking for someone who is going to push me and challenge me and make me a better person, and I think Abigail does that."
Until viewers can watch more of Matt and Abigail's romance unfold on the show, let's learn some things about The Bachelor bachelorette right now.
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Below is a list of eight facts Reality TV World has compiled about Abigail Heringer.
Abigail Heringer has both beauty and brains
Abigail graduated from South Salem High school in 2013 followed by Linfield College in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Finance.RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' SPOILERS: WHO DID MATT JAMES PICK AND END UP WITH? WHAT HAPPENS ON THE 2021 SEASON OF 'THE BACHELOR' (SPOILERS)
The Bachelor bachelorette appears to be an independent, career woman
Abigail currently works as a client financial manager or financial analyst at the Opus Agency, a brand events and marketing agency that creates hundreds of events and campaigns a year.Chris Harrison raves about Abigail's personality and spirit
When The Bachelor host Chris Harrison announced Matt's initial set of 32 bachelorettes in a Facebook Live session, he teased that Abigail has "an incredible story to tell."ADVERTISEMENT
"Abigail is one of our favorites. This is an absolute just gem of a woman -- impossible not to fall in love with," Chris gushed.
"[She] is just beautiful and sincere, the true definition of someone here for the right reasons."
Chris added, "I think you're all going to really love Abigail."
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Abigail's decision to apply for The Bachelor was spontaneous
Abigail's mother Suzie Heringer told a local Salem newspaper, the Salem Statesman Journal, her daughter applied for The Bachelor "on a whim" and the decision was a bit "out of character" for Abigail.ADVERTISEMENT
Suzie says Abigail was ultimately afforded the chance to compete for Matt's heart on the show because Abigail was furloughed from her job due to the coronavirus pandemic and had a lot of free time on her hands in Fall 2020.
Abigail is the first hearing-impaired person The Bachelor has ever had
Abigail and her older sister Rachel were both born with congenital hearing loss, according to the Statesman Journal.Abigail reportedly underwent cochlear implantation surgery at age two at Oregon Health & Science University and the procedure was a success.
The newspaper reported that when Rachel was two years old, she was the youngest patient to undergo cochlear implantation surgery at Oregon Health & Science University.
Two years old was the earliest age possible at the time to undergo the procedure per FDA guidelines.
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Abigail's family has strong ties to Oregon
Abigail's parents still live in Salem, where her father Weston Heringer III works as a pediatric dentist, according to the Statesman Journal.Abigail's older sister Rachel is reportedly her roommate and an account manager for an insurance company in Portland.
Abigail also has two younger brothers, Alistair, a freshman at Oregon State University, and Stuart, a high school senior who attends Shattuck-St. Mary's in Minnesota.
Abigail's mother Suzie Heringer initially thought a reality show isn't a great way to meet your forever person, but Abigail's family was reportedly supportive overall of her decision to compete on The Bachelor.
Abigail's family figured it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity she couldn't pass up.
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Suzie didn't expect Abigail to share so much about her disability
Abigail's mother was surprised Abigail was willing to be so open and upfront with Matt."I was surprised she was willing to share her story about her hearing loss," Suzie told the Statesman Journal. "It's something she usually doesn't talk much about."
Suzie added, "With her disability, if that can impact one other person, it's worth sharing the story."
Abigail's mother also revealed Abigail is quite sporty and athletic!
Abigail is an accomplished junior golfer who graduated from South Salem's International Baccalaureate program with a nearly perfect grade-point average, according to the Statesman Journal.Abigail Heringer Photos
Click the BEGIN GALLERY link below to see some additional photos of Abigail!RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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