The beloved former contestant of ‘The Bachelor’, Hailey Merkt, passed away at the age of 31 after a courageous battle with leukemia.
A heartfelt message on her Instagram confirmed her passing, accompanied by a poignant image of Hailey.
“It is with broken hearts we share that our beloved Hailey has passed away after a courageous fight for her life,” read the emotional post.
“Hailey faced this journey with unimaginable bravery, kindness, and selflessness. Her determination and will to live were evident in every moment. She chose to spend her final days surrounded by family and friends, doing what she loved most, without any regrets.
Described as “highly entertaining, never dull, and fully present,” Hailey left a lasting impact on everyone she met.
“Hailey embraced life with an unmatched zest; her beautiful spirit has touched countless lives,” the tribute continued.
Though she is no longer with us, Hailey will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her love, laughter, and energetic spirit will always be remembered.
“Rest in peace, Hailey.”
Hailey’s family has set up a GoFundMe to support them through this challenging time. As of now, the campaign has raised over $112,208 Canadian dollars and will remain open until August 10.
Hailey first appeared on ‘The Bachelor’ in Season 21 (2017), vying for Nick Viall’s heart. Although her journey on the show ended in the second week, she made a lasting impression.
Remembering Hailey
“I feel so lucky to have known your laugh and met the kindest, most delightful person in the strangest places,” commented Danielle Maltby, a fellow contestant from the same season of ‘The Bachelor’. “So much love to all your people,” she added.
Other friends and fans shared their memories and condolences. “Oh my goodness!!! That makes me so sad to hear this. I was really hoping she would get better shortly. You can relax, Hailey. You’ll be remembered always,” wrote Raven Gates.
Another touching tribute came from Ashley Stern: “I feel lucky to have known such a beautiful solid soul and had such lovely conversations with her. I’ll never forget you, Hailey.”
“I hope you are in a beautiful, peaceful place, my love. I can’t believe I won’t see you again, but I’ll treasure every memory,” wrote Dominique Alexis.
Hailey’s Battle
Hailey was very open with her followers about her battle with leukemia. In April, she celebrated being declared “leukemia free,” giving hope to many fans.
However, just three months later, her condition worsened. “After the bone marrow transplant had taken, she was told she had nine months to not even think about cancer, but in truth, she only had six weeks before receiving the terrible news that leukemia cells were back and moving fast,” detailed a heartbreaking message on her GoFundMe page.
“Her first reaction was to say, ‘I don’t care about myself anymore, but I can’t bear being the cause of so much pain for the people I love.’”
During her fight, Hailey shared pictures and videos documenting her journey, including moments of progress and setbacks. One memorable post from October 2023 showed her smiling during treatment, captioned as a “rare moment.”
Before her cancer diagnosis, Hailey’s social media was filled with selfies, dog pictures, modeling photos, and glimpses into her everyday life.
