This article contains discussion of mental health struggles; reader discretion is advised.
On Monday, August 29th, reports of the death of former The Bachelorette contestant Josh Seiter were shared on the reality star’s Instagram page. The announcement claimed to be a statement from Seiter’s family.
“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.”
While a cause of death was not confirmed in the post, the statement did make reference to mental health struggles. “His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone,” they continued. “Although our heartache at Joshua’s passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort knowing that he is finally at peace.”
The post ended with a number for a mental health crisis hotline, encouraging its use for “anybody who is experiencing a mental health crisis and needs help.”
However, it was later revealed that Josh Seiter was alive and well, with his recording a video for his Instagram page to confirm the news. In the video, Seiter explained that the false report was due to his account being hacked by an unknown troll.
“Hey guys, as you can see I am alive and well. My account was hacked. For the last 24 hours, I have been trying desperately to get into it. Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I’ve gone through with depression and suicide attempts and I’m sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post,” the former Bachelorette contestant announced.
“I just got back into my account. I am going to do all I can with my team to try to identify who was behind this, but again, I apologize for the confusion and I will update you guys as more facts come in. Thank you guys.”
When was Josh Seiter on ‘The Bachelorette?’
Josh Seiter was on the 11th season of The Bachelorette, which aired in 2015. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Josh was eliminated in the first episode by bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe. Since then, the former law school student has worked as a model and an actor in the adult film industry.
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En Español: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. A list of international crisis resources can be found here.