Bachelorette star Josh Seiter is alive.
The day after the reality star's shocking death announcement was shared to Instagram in a now-deletedposton Monday, August 28, Seiter claims a hacker took over his account to share the false update with the world.
"Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I've gone through with depression and suicide attempts," he said in a video message on Tuesday, August 29, confirming that he was very much alive. "And I'm sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post. I just got back into my account.
The initial post shared to social media read: "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."
"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 up beyond measure, we find comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace," the untrue statement read.
"We hope and pray that his spirit can continue to live on in the pictures and words on this page, which we will leave up for the time being," the announcement concluded.
In the days leading up to the strange hoax, Seiter had been open with his followers on social media about his battle with his mental health. "Surviving depression and anxiety one day at a time with a smile," he captioned a recent Instagram post.
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Seiter was a contestant on Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of the hit ABC series in 2015. However, he was eliminated within the first week.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
