Former Bachelor contestant Hailey Merkt has died at the age of 31 after a long battle with leukemia. A social media post on her personal Instagram page confirmed her passing.
The post included an image of Hailey and read, “It is with broken hearts we share that our beloved Hailey has passed away after a courageous fight for her life.”
The message praised Hailey for her “unimaginable bravery, kindness, and selflessness.” It noted that her determination and will to live shone through despite the challenges and deadlines set by doctors. Hailey chose to spend her final moments with family and friends, doing what she loved most, with no regrets.
Described as “highly entertaining, never dull, and fully present in the moment,” Hailey’s spirit and zest for life touched countless lives. The post continued, “Her beautiful spirit has left a mark on everyone she met. Hailey will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her love, laughter, and energetic spirit will always be remembered in our hearts. While we grieve her loss, we take comfort in knowing that her spirit will continue to inspire us all.”
“Rest in peace, Hailey.” Family members of Hailey have set up a GoFundMe to support them during this difficult time. The campaign, which will remain open until August 10, has already raised over $112,208 Canadian dollars.
Hailey first appeared on The Bachelor in Season 21 (2017), competing for Nick Viall’s heart. She was eliminated in the second week of the competition.
Remembering Hailey, one friend commented, “I feel so lucky to know your laugh and thankful to have met the kindest, most delightful person in the strangest places. I really appreciate your friendship, both online and off.” Danielle Maltby, a contestant from the same season of The Bachelor, expressed her condolences, writing, “So much love to all your people. She was such a force.”
Oh my goodness!!! That makes me so sad to hear this. I was really hoping she would get better soon. Rest easy, Hailey. You’ll be remembered always,” Raven Gates wrote.
“I feel lucky to have known such a beautiful, solid soul and had such lovely conversations with her,” Ashley Stern commented. “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,” Dominique Alexis wrote.
Hailey’s Fight
Hailey was open about her battle with leukemia online. In April, she celebrated being “leukemia-free,” which gave fans hope. However, just three months later, her condition worsened.
“After the bone marrow transplant had taken, she was told she had nine months without needing to worry about cancer. But in reality, she only had six weeks before receiving the devastating news that leukemia cells had returned and were spreading rapidly,” a message on her GoFundMe page said.
Her first reaction was, “I don’t care about myself anymore, but I can’t bear being the cause of so much pain for the people I love.”
Throughout her fight, Hailey shared pictures and videos of her progress and setbacks. She posted a smiling photo of herself during treatment in October 2023, describing it as a “rare moment.” Before that, her feed was filled with selfies, dog pictures, modeling photos, and glimpses into her daily life.
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