Former “Bachelorette” contestant Josh Seiter is clarifying his well-being after social media accounts falsely announced his death on Monday. In a video posted on his Instagram account, Seiter revealed that a hacker had orchestrated the morbid hoax, cruelly exploiting his mental illness and previous suicide attempts. Apologizing for any confusion caused, Seiter explained his efforts to identify those behind the incident while vowing to keep followers updated as the investigation unfolds.

The 36-year-old also removed the fake statement from his Instagram grid, though he didn’t offer an immediate explanation for the delay in addressing the situation. The fabricated announcement, attributed to Seiter’s family, had claimed he had succumbed to mental health struggles after years of battling them.

The statement, which has since been debunked, hailed Seiter as a beacon of light in a dark world, highlighting his courage and unwavering spirit that provided solace to countless individuals during their own difficult moments.

Although the faux family expressed immense grief at Seiter’s supposed passing, they found consolation in the belief that he had finally found peace. The tragic farce emerged only days after Seiter shared a selfie and candidly discussed his ongoing struggles with depression and anxiety, all while managing to maintain a hopeful demeanor.

Seiter’s battles with mental health had been openly documented, with a diagnosis in July 2021 revealing he grappled with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar depression, and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Despite his brief stint as a contestant on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of “The Bachelorette” in 2015, where he was eliminated after the first week, Seiter continues to draw attention for his public stance on mental health issues.

Credit: Page Six