Police Investigate Tragic Death Of Bachelorette Contestant Tyler Gwozdz
The Bachelorette star Hannah Brown had a great group of suitors (minus a few bad apples, of course) vying for her heart in Season 15 of the show. One of those men was Tyler Gwozdz, a psychology graduate student from Boca Raton, Fla. "Tyler G. is a very laid-back guy with a go-with-the-flow kind of attitude," his bio on ABC reads. "He avoids clubs at all costs and would much rather spend time reading, going to Soul Cycle or relaxing on his boat. Tyler considers himself a modern romantic and is looking for his equal match, who he says is a confident girl that isn't afraid to lay it all out on the table and is one that can make him laugh." Gwozdz scored the first one-on-one date with Brown but was mysteriously eliminated after three weeks with no explanation.
Sadly, Gwozdz died on Jan. 22, 2020 at age 29, TMZ reported. Here's everything we know about this tragic situation.
Tyler Gwozdz's death is under investigation
Tyler Gwozdz's cause of death has not been confirmed, but numerous reports suggest he passed away from a suspected drug overdose. The Palm Beach Post reported on Jan. 23, 2020 that a criminal investigation is being conducted into Gwozdz's death after a woman called 911 on Jan. 13, 2020 to report that "Gwozdz had locked himself in a bathroom in her home amid a possible overdose of heroin." The caller reportedly kicked down the door to reach Gwozdz, and when the dispatcher asked if he was breathing, she replied, "I can't tell. I can't tell. I'm so scared." Paramedics transported the former reality star to a local hospital where he apparently remained until his passing on Jan. 22, 2020.
Gwozdz's death marks a tragic end to a man who was committed to using his brief fame on The Bachelorette for good. "Television has been an amazing experience — I made friends and memories for life. But now it's time to do more, and use this platform for the next generation," he wrote on Instagram in June 2019, sharing his support for Make Our Schools Safe, a non-profit organization founded by parents who lost their daughter in the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
Why did Tyler Gwozdz mysteriously leave the show?
Considering Hannah Brown and Tyler Gwozdz enjoyed an incredible one-on-one date (yep, he got a rose,) it's fair to wonder why he abruptly left The Bachelorette three weeks into filming. The mysterious exit went down after Brown announced to the group of guys, per Us Weekly: "Tyler G. had to leave, and that's upsetting, because I really enjoyed my date with him." She didn't elaborate on the incident, leaving many fans to speculate about his departure.
One exit theory stemmed from an anonymous Reddit post alleging Gwozdz behaved inappropriately in a past relationship. Gwozdz debunked that claim in an email to Refinery29: "I feel that even addressing them gives them some sort [of] attention and fuel but I continue to have faith in my journey and in a purpose for everything that's happened to me in my life. Above everything else I am a son to my mother. She raised me to be better than these sort[s] of baseless accusations."
Gwozdz said he made the decision to leave the show with producers, and the real reason wasn't aired to protect his privacy. "Please think about what you post," he added. "I am more than happy to take the slings and arrows of the internet world if it can help save one young person from experiencing what my family and I are currently battling."
Bachelorette co-stars mourn Tyler Gwozdz's death
Many members of #BachelorNation took to social media to share their condolences with Tyler Gwozdz's family, including The Bachelorette alum Luke Stone. The fundraising consultant, who starred alongside Gwozdz on Hannah Brown's season, appears devastated by the loss. Stone tweeted: "I lost one of my closest friends today — Tyler I'll miss you every day, miss our hours-long conversations about nonsense over the phone, miss how damn funny you were, I had so much happiness and joy for what the future held for us as friends. I love you man, so much."
Brown's former fiancé, Jed Wyatt, talked to Us Weekly about the tragedy: "My heart goes out to his family in this time. Tyler was nothing but nice to me and a joy to be around." Daron Blaylock, another Season 15 contestant who shared a bunk with Gwozdz in the Bachelor mansion, also talked to the tab. "So sad when I heard the news. He was a good dude and the best bunk mate I had on the show. [I] won't forget waking up, looking down on the bottom bunk, hyped when he survived the solo date with Hannah. He will be missed... "
The show's producers also shared a message on the Bachelor Nation blog: "We are heartbroken to hear the tragic news of Tyler's passing today. Our thoughts are with the Gwozdz family and his friends."