Josh Seiter, a ‘Bachelorette‘ contestant who was always honest and forthcoming about his mental health challenges, has passed away.
According to a statement by Seiter’s family on Monday,
“It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua’s unexpected passing. As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world.”
They go on to say,
“His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone. Although our heartache at Joshua’s passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort knowing that he is finally at peace.”
Seiter’s family broke the news with a statement on Instagram mourning the loss of their loved one. The message came with a number provided for others going through similar struggles:
View this post on Instagram
The message does not specify Joshua’s cause of death, but it does provide a phone number to call for anyone facing a mental health crisis.
Josh has always been open about his mental health challenges, and just 4 days ago he uploaded a picture of himself smiling captioned, “Surviving depression and anxiety one day at a time with a smile.”
View this post on Instagram
He’d been completely upfront and honest about his difficulties over the years, even taking to social media at one point to post,
“I’m Josh Seiter, and I’m a suicide attempt survivor. I battle OCD, Bipolar Depression, and GAD, but I refuse to give up. What did you survive?”
View this post on Instagram
Josh had come on Kaitlyn Bristowe‘s season of “The Bachelorette” in 2015, and was eliminated on week 1.
According to an Instagram post from July 2021, the seemingly coping Seiter was locked in battle with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Bipolar Depression, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD):
View this post on Instagram
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
