Model

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.”

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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.

Hailey Merkt
“The Bachelor” season 21 alum Hailey Merkt passed away at 31 after battling leukemia.

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.”

Nick Viall and Hailey Merkt on The Bachelor.
Nick Viall and Hailey Merkt on The Bachelor.

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.”

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A post shared by Hailey Merkt (@haileymerkt)