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A former contestant from “The Bachelorette” has revealed he was responsible for a worrisome social media post from August 2023 that led people to believe he had died. Josh Seiter, a contestant on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of “The Bachelorette,” posted, and soon deleted, an explanation of what happened.
Here’s what you need to know:
Josh Seiter Posted the Death Notice on His Instagram Page
On April 9, a screenshot from an Instagram Story shared by Seiter was posted in “The Bachelor” subreddit. He began his note by admitting, “I was the one who was behind my own death statement.”
In August 2023, a heartbreaking post appeared on Seiter’s Instagram page. “It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua’s unexpected passing,” the post read.
“As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world,” the note continued. “His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel a little less alone.”
The statement that, at the time, was believed to be posted by Seiter’s family, also shared they found “comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace.”
A day later, Seiter himself posted a video on his Instagram page. He claimed his page had been hacked and spent the day trying to regain access.
Seiter also insisted that the person responsible for hacking his account and posting that he had died was playing a cruel joke.
Until now, Seiter stuck with that version of events. In his now-deleted Instagram Story, “The Bachelorette” star explained, “Last year was one of the most agonizing times of my existence.”
“I couldn’t handle the pressures of life, including the passing of the one man I was closest to, my father. I was ready to bring it all to an end,” Seiter wrote.
‘The Bachelorette’ Alum Indicated He’d Been Suicidal
Seiter further explained the previous Instagram post was “my own eulogy because I did not want to put that added pressure onto my mother, given what she was about to endure.”
“The Bachelorette” alum indicated at the time he posted the “eulogy,” he was “fully prepared” to take his life. Seiter said he even had “the tool I had chosen nearby.”
“I posted the eulogy with the full intention of no longer being here…it was my s*icide note,” he added. Seiter also wrote, “Thankfully, fate had other plans that day.”
He shared he wanted to “apologize now for the hurt and confusion I caused when I was broken and at my lowest.” Seiter’s post ended with, “For everyone’s sake, including my own, I’m thankful I am still here.”
Seiter’s Apology Divided Bachelor Nation
Seiter’s post prompted a lot of conversation on Reddit.
“It must have been hard to write this and put this out there. I hope he’s doing better,” one Redditor wrote.
“No, he’s done this multiple times. Its a ploy to have people feel bad for him. He is a sick person,” someone countered.
Another Redditor commented, “Yeah, it doesn’t absolve anything he did but its better that he openly admits it instead of never acknowledging it at all.”
Some “Bachelorette” fans mentioned that Seiter’s fake death post came very soon after a similar situation developed with social media influencer Lil Tay.
As ET Online shared, in August 2023, a post appeared on Lil Tay’s social media page indicating she had died. A day later, Lil Tay reached out to TMZ stating she was still alive.
She claimed her Instagram page had been hacked and a third party posted the death hoax message.
Other criticisms of Seiter involve his tendency to pursue female reality stars for romantic relationships, which many perceived to be for clout. He briefly dated “90 Day Fiance” star Karine Martins Staehle, and even tried to connect with “Sister Wives” star Christine Brown after she became single.
In response to his apology, another Redditor commented, “I’m happy he’s taking accountability but also like go get help and then log off and live your life.”
If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you can reach the toll-free National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988. Help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week with assistance in English and Spanish. You can also speak with a trained crisis counselor 24/7 by texting HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
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