There was no shortage of tears as Gabi Elnicki was sent home on the finale of The Bachelor.
Since the show’s Fantasy Suite Week aired on March 20, Gabi felt unsure about where her relationship with Zach Shallcross stood.
While Zach told her that he wasn’t sure of who his final pick would be until the night before the proposal, it was clear that Gabi had a gut instinct that she would not be his final rose winner.
As Gabi stepped out of the car before her final moments with Zach, she even made a comment to the driver about avoiding the same muddy patch for the next girl — insinuating that she knew she was first out and was about to be sent home.
Gabi admitted to feeling pretty certain that she was not going to be Zach’s final choice, although an ounce of hope still had her holding on.
Zach’s breakup with Gabi was heartbreaking for her both in the moment and during the show’s live finale, where she watched and relived the devastating revelation for a second time.
“It just hurts because I had a little bit of hope going into that day and I never thought that someone who said they were falling in love with me would make me go through that,” Gabi explained.
The Bachelor viewers support Gabi Elnicki after her breakup with Zach Shallcross
After such an emotional night, viewers were quick to show their support for the runner-up in any way they could.
“Me DMing gabi on Instagram to tell her she deserves better than Zach,” one Twitter user wrote in part.
Many viewers took note of Gabi looking out for Kaity’s well-being after making a comment about the muddy ground, calling Gabi a “real one.”
Fans commended Gabi’s thoughtfulness at that moment, especially since she was looking out for Kaity even when she knew that Kaity would most likely be receiving Zach’s final rose.
Many fans expressed that it was hard for them to watch Zach’s proposal to Kaity after his heartbreaking moments with Gabi just before.
As a whole, fans were on Gabi’s side when it came to Zach’s decision to keep her around up until the breakup, even though he admitted to knowing Kaity was “the one” during their last date together.
Although Gabi may have been heartbroken about the situation, she informed Zach that she would still “be okay” after everything that happened.
Gabi Elnicki opens up about private Fantasy Suite time
While in the hot seat during the Monday night finale, Gabi revealed that Zach did not stick to his word while the two were in the Fantasy Suite.
During their overnight date, which shocked Bachelor Nation, Zach told Gabi that whatever happened that night would stay between them.
However, Zach’s guilt about being intimate with her after his “no sex” vow forced him to come clean to Kaity. Zach approached Gabi before doing so — to inform her of his plans — which left Gabi feeling as if their time together had been diminished.
Zach essentially told millions of people what happened with Gabi, which led to some online backlash for the runner-up following the episode’s airing.
Although Gabi and Zach may not have worked out in the end, it’s clear she and Kaity have formed a lasting friendship, with the two recently gushing over each other on Kaity’s dedicated social media post.
The Bachelorette premieres on Monday, June 26 at 9/8c on ABC.
Gabby should’ve been the next bachelorette