Hailey Merkt, ‘Bachelor’ star, dies at 31
Hailey Merkt, who participated in Bachelor alongside Nick Viall, died at 31 following a battle with cancer.
“She will forever be remembered as anything but boring, always hysterically funny, and as someone who lived fully in the present moment.”
Instagram post
Hailey Merkt is a Canadian television personality and former contestant on The Bachelor franchise. Known for her appearance on Season 21 of the show featuring Nick Viall, Hailey stood out with her authenticity and candid sense of humor.
Death
The former TV reality star died from leukemia on July 26, 2024. For a short while, in April, it seemed the cancer had gone into remission following an experimental stem cell transplant. However, six weeks later the cancer returned aggressively.
Actor and model Nick Viall, the Bachelor in the dating reality series in 2016, paid his respect in his podcast “The Viall Files” and said he remembers Hailey Merkt as “very sweet and kind.” “It’s just very tragic,” he continued. “She struggled with a very tough battle with leukemia, it sounds like, and recently passed away.”
A post was shared on Merkt’s Instagram page telling how “Hailey faced this journey with unimaginable strength, grace, and selflessness”. It continued: “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 also expressed gratitude to everyone who supported Merkt “during this difficult journey” and encouraged people to share their favorite memories of her.
Additionally, a GoFundMe page was created to provide support for Merkt’s family, where more details about Merkt’s battle was shared, explaining that “after a bone marrow transplant, she was given nine months to not worry about cancer. However, just six weeks later, she received the devastating news that the leukemia cells had returned and were progressing rapidly.”