Hailey Merkt, known for her appearance on Season 21 of The Bachelor with Nick Viall, has passed away at the age of 31.
The announcement was made on her Instagram account on Tuesday, July 30.
“It is with broken hearts we share that our beloved Hailey has passed away after a courageous fight for her life,” the post read.
The message highlighted Merkt’s incredible strength, grace, and selflessness throughout her battle, noting that her determination and courage defied the doctors’ expectations.
She spent her final moments surrounded by loved ones, doing what she cherished most, with no regrets.
The tribute remembered Merkt as someone who was “anything but boring, always hysterically funny, and as someone who lived fully in the present moment.”
It added, “Hailey embraced life with an unmatched zest; her beautiful spirit has touched countless lives.”
The post also expressed gratitude to those who supported Hailey during her journey and encouraged people to share their favorite memories of her. “Your stories and moments mean the world,” it concluded.
Hailey Merkt starred in The Bachelor
Merkt, a photographer from Vancouver, British Columbia, competed in the 2017 season of The Bachelor.
She was eliminated by Nick Viall during the second week of the show and appeared in five episodes.
Hailey Merkt shared candid details of her leukemia battle on her GoFundMe page.
In April, she revealed she was leukemia-free after undergoing an experimental treatment that had only a 2 percent chance of success.
Her brother Kyle served as her stem cell donor. However, just six weeks later, the leukemia cells returned and progressed rapidly.
“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 6 weeks before she got the terrible news that leukemia cells were back and moving fast,” the post read.
“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.’”
Hailey Merkt embraced life in her final days
Merkt’s GoFundMe has raised $112,923 of the $125,000 goal at the time of writing this report and detailed her final days and battle with cancer.
Merkt decided to live every last moment to the fullest, surrounding herself with loved ones and engaging in simple joys. She cherished activities like enjoying a drink on a patio, basking in the sun, spending time with family and friends, playing with her dog, swimming, and even organizing cupboards and checking off task lists. Her favorite pastimes also included visiting parks and expressing her creativity.
Her mother, Michele, was credited with her unwavering support. According to the statement, Hailey’s sister Jenny and brother Kyle were also pillars of support, offering immediate and unconditional love and solidarity.
Her brother’s stem cell donation granted Hailey extra time. Her closest friends, Jodie, Vesa, Meghan, and Maija, were credited with providing support while she battled cancer.
In her final year, Hailey found precious laughter and joy with her partner, Henry Griffin, whom she began dating in 2020.