Tyler Gwozdz and Hannah Brown.Photo: John Fleenor/ABC
BachelorNation is mourning the loss of one of its own.
FormerBachelorettecontestant Tyler Gwozdzhas diedjust over a week after asuspected overdose, PEOPLE confirmed on Thursday. Online records list his date of death as Jan. 22. He was 29.
Though his time on the franchise was short,Bachelorettefans are in shock over his sudden death. Here’s everything to know about who he was.
PhD Dreams
Prior to stepping into the Bachelor Mansion, Gwozdz, then 28, was a psychology graduate student living in Boca Raton, Florida.
“Tyler G. is a very laid-back guy with a go-with-the-flow kind of attitude. He avoids clubs at all costs and would much rather spend time reading, going to Soul Cycle or relaxing on his boat,” hisBachelorettebioread.
In addition to noting that his “life goal” was to “get his PhD in psychology and become a clinical psychologist,” the bio also revealed that he had a “side business in Dream Therapy Analysis.”
Abrupt Exit from The Bachelorette
Gwozdz appeared onHannah Brown‘s season last year. He secured thefirst one-on-one datewith her, which included four-wheeling in the mud. Though he earned himself a rose on the date, he abruptly left during the third episode. No reason was given to explain his departure, with Brown simply telling the rest of the contestants that he “had to leave.”
He toldRefinery29in a statement at the time, “This was a decision that I came to with producers, and something that I’ve come to realize what is the best decision that could’ve been made.”
He added that the reason his actual exit wasn’t aired was to respect his privacy.
Ed Herrera/ABC
Although an official reason for his departure has never been shared, he was accused of being an “extreme misogynist” in an anonymous Reddit thread, which also alleged that he had spit on an ex-girlfriend, according toNewsweek.
At the time, formerBachelorcontestantBekah Martinezweighed in on the accusations, sharing on Instagram that while she had initially spoken about the situation on an episode of herChatty Broadspodcast, she deleted it after allegedly learning of “additional allegations” from a verified source.
“I spoke directly to Tyler, who claimed that the spitting allegations were false, that he removed himself from the show for an unrelated reason, and that ABC looked into the spitting situation and found no further information,” she wrote on Instagram, according toNewsweek.“I can now say with certainty that I do NOT believe the information he provided me.”
At the time, Gwozdz referred to the anonymous accusations as “totally unsubstantiated rumors.”
“The rumors are so far out of the realm of my personality and values that it seems silly to waste time denying, but I suppose I will for the record,” he told Refinery29.
Life AfterThe Bachelorette
In June, he called appearing onTheBachelorettean amazing experience as he spoke out about the importance of theMake Our Schools Safe foundation.
“Television has been an amazing experience- I made friends and memories for life. But now it’s time to do more, anduse this platform for the next generation,” he wrote, as he asked his followers to join him in supporting the non-profit, which was founded following the 2018 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida.
Gwozdz’s last Instagram post, which is from September 2019, also shows himhanging outwith several members ofBachelorNation: Matt Donald, Grant Eckel and Matthew Spraggins, who also vied for Brown’s roses, as well asBachelor in Paradise’sClay Harborand Dylan Barbour.
“Fam,” Gwozdz captioned the photographs, adding the hashtags “#bachelorette #bachelornation #bachelorinparadise.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
source: people.com
