Roughly three months after the breakup announcement, Erich Schwer has finally opened up about his split from former Bachelorette Gabby Windey.
Erich and Gabby met during Season 19 of The Bachelorette, where the two fell in love and ultimately got engaged during the show’s finale.
Immediately following the show, Gabby appeared on Season 31 of Dancing with the Stars, where Erich was seen supporting her during the early episodes.
In early November, Gabby announced their shocking breakup during an interview segment on the show, which Erich followed up with his own statement on Instagram. The two admitted to being on different pages and not being each other’s “best match.”
Now that some time has passed, Erich admitted that he is finally open to finding love again after his experience with having a relationship and breakup in the public eye.
However, he still wants to take things slow.
Erich Schwer talks about coping with his split from Gabby Windey
In terms of his relationship with the former Bachelorette, Erich admitted, “I will say that I struggled personally with my mental health during my last relationship, and wish I could have coped with them better.”
“I was learning how to navigate the loss of my father and a new engagement, all at once, and on a public scale nonetheless,” he continued. “There were times I felt lost and unmotivated, and unfortunately this transferred into a few different areas of my life. I didn’t have the tools I’ve since learned on how to handle the pressure and pain I was feeling.”
Viewers watched Gabby meet Erich’s father during his hometown date on the show, where the family talked about his father’s recurring battle with cancer. Sadly, his father passed away shortly after filming had ended.
While emotions may have been high for the 30-year-old, he doesn’t have any regrets about being on the show.
“I learned how to be vulnerable and how to put myself out there 100 percent, to be more in tune with my feelings and express them openly. Overall, the experience allowed me to come out of my shell in a way I hadn’t before and find confidence in being my true self,” he stated.
What has Erich been doing since The Bachelorette?
When it comes to life since The Bachelorette, Erich said that he has been spending the majority of his time with close friends and family while also trying to “ground” himself after the life-changing experience.
“Right now, I’m focused on being very intentional with my time and who I spend it with. I can say I’m finally in a place where I am allowing myself to meet new people,” he explained.
Erich is also hoping to find a “best friend” in a new partner someday, specifically a relationship where the two can support each other through life’s challenges and also celebrate the “highs.”
“Someone open to adventure, but also down for the occasional White Lotus binge-watch in one sitting,” Erich joked. “And, fiery romance. Because at the end of the day, I’m a hopeful romantic. That’s not too much to ask for….right??”
For now, Erich has also been spending time with other Season 19 contestants with whom he developed quite a bromance while filming the show.
He even got matching tattoos with fellow contestants Tyler Norris and Johnny DePhillipo back in November, solidifying the fact that the show truly brought together some lasting friendships for the former winner.
The Bachelorette is currently on hiatus on ABC.