Off The Record
‘The Bachelor’ Alum Hailey Merkt Passed Away At 31
Leukemia claimed the life of Hailey Merkt, a contestant for Nick Viall’s heart in season 21 of The Bachelor. Her age was 31.
In a statement posted on the model’s personal Instagram profile on Tuesday, Merkt’s family announced her passing. “It is with broken hearts we share that our beloved Hailey has passed away after a courageous fight for her life,” it read. “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 former reality TV star was 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 GoFundMe established to assist Merkt with the expenses of her cancer treatment will remain open “for anyone wishing to offer support in lieu of flowers until August 10, 2024, at 12:01 a.m.,” the post’s end stated.
According to the updated GoFundMe page, all proceeds will go to Merkt’s mother, Michele, who will use them to “afford remaining costs that have overwhelmed Hailey’s mother and family.”
The former Bachelor star shared updates on her cancer diagnosis and treatment journey with her Instagram followers. Merkt declared on the GoFundMe page back in April that she had recovered from an experimental stem cell transplant and was now “leukemia free.” But as Christopher Bennett, the person who organized the fundraising, noted, Merkt was informed six weeks later that her leukemia cells had come back and were “moving fast.”
“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,’” Bennett recalled. He added that his late friend 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. 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 favorite park. Looking beautiful, with all the creativity that entails. Being beautiful. A beautiful soul.”
During the Thursday episode of his podcast The Viall Files, Viall paid tribute to Merkt. “Hailey was on my season of The Bachelor. She left week 2. I didn’t really get to know her very well at all, but I very much vividly remember her, and I remember her to be very sweet and kind,” he shared.
“She struggled with a very tough battle of leukemia, it sounds like, and recently passed away, so our love and hearts go out to her family, who are obviously going through it,” the former Bachelor continued. “It sounds like she really put up a very courageous fight, and, unfortunately, she is with us no more. But very sad to see that she passed, and we’re definitely praying for her and her family.”
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