The Bachelor Season 21 alum Hailey Merkt has passed away at the age of 31.
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The news of Hailey's death was announced via her official Instagram page on July 30.
"It is with broken hearts we share that our beloved Hailey has passed away after a courageous fight for her life," read a post.
"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."
The post included beautiful selfies of the former The Bachelor bachelorette as well as photos of Hailey posing with her dog.
"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," the post continued.
"Hailey 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 upload went on to thank everyone who had followed Hailey on her "difficult journey" and invite family and friends to share their favorite memories of her.
A GoFundMe page has also been established titled "Hailey Merkt AML Leukemia Fund -- In Loving Memory" on Hailey's behalf.
The crowdfunding page, which will close on August 10, 2024, provided more details of what Hailey went through in her final days.
"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 page read.
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"Her first reaction 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.'"
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Christopher Bennett, who wrote about Hailey on the crowdfunding page, said he was "in awe" of Hailey, who had "clarity, independence and grace."
"She decided she wanted to live every last minute she had to the fullest: being with the people she loved and doing the things she loved, and she loved doing so many simple things," he wrote.
"A drink on a patio. Being in the sun. Her family and friends. Her dog, Snuggles. Swimming. An organized cupboard. A checklist of tasks all ticked off. Hanging out in a favourite park. Looking beautiful, with all the creativity that entails. Being beautiful. A beautiful soul."
When Hailey competed on The Bachelor in 2017, she was a 23-year-old photographer from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Nick eliminated Hailey, along with two other bachelorettes, at his season's second Rose Ceremony.
"I've been in love before. I know what it feels like and I know how amazing it is. I absolutely do want to find love. I'm just sad that Nick didn't choose me," Hailey said following her ouster.
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Hailey had an issue with The Bachelor 21 villain Corinne Olympios prior to her exit.
"If Nick is attracted to someone like Corinne, that is what really upsets me," Hailey concluded.
According to her ABC bio, one of Hailey's greatest achievements in life was traveling to China to build schools and teach in orphanages.
Nick ended up getting engaged to Vanessa Grimaldi on his The Bachelor season, but they split in August 2017, just five months after the finale aired.
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Nick is now happily married to a woman outside of Bachelor Nation, surgical technician Natalie Joy, and they welcomed a daughter named River Rose in February 2024.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
