Former 'Bachelor' contestant Hailey Merkt dead at 31 after cancer battle

(NEXSTAR) – Hailey Merkt, a contestant who appeared on the 21st season of the ABC reality series “The Bachelor,” has died after a battle with leukemia, her loved ones announced Tuesday.

Merkt passed away Friday at the age of 31.

“It is with broken hearts we share that our beloved Hailey has passed away after a courageous fight for her life,” reads a message posted to her Instagram page. “Hailey faced this journey with unimaginable strength, grace, and selflessness. 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. “

Merkt, from Vancouver, British Columbia, appeared on Nick Viall’s season of “The Bachelor” in 2017. She was eliminated within the first few weeks of the competition.

“Cheers to all of the lovely people that are STILL rooting for me, even after being sent home,” she wrote on X (then Twitter) after her final episode aired. “You all know how to make a girl ...