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"Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I've gone through with depression and suicide attempts," Seiter said in a video shared to his Instagram account, which he claimed had been hacked.
The Bachelorette star Josh Seiter has confirmed he is, in fact, alive after a statement announcing his death was posted to his Instagram account.
On Tuesday, Seiter shared a video to Instagram, in which he claimed his Instagram account had been "hacked," locking him out for 24 hours. The reality star -- who has been open about his struggles with mental health -- slammed the hacker for "playing a cruel joke" and "mocking my mental illness."
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View Story"As you can see, I am alive and well. My account was hacked," Seiter said in the video. "For the last 24 hours, I've been trying desperately to get into it."
"Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I've gone through with depression and suicide attempts," he continued. "And I'm sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post.
The 36-year-old added that he and his team plan to find out who was behind the alleged hacking of his account.
"Again, I apologize for the confusion, and I will update you guys as more facts come in," Seiter concluded.
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On Monday, a false statement was shared to Seiter's Instagram account.
'It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua's unexpected passing," the statement began. "As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world. His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone. Although our heartache at Joshua's passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort knowing that he is finally at peace."
"We hope and pray that his spirit can continue to live on in the pictures and words on this page, which we will leave up for the time being," the message continued. "While we do that, we would kindly ask for privacy as we grieve. For anybody who is experiencing a mental health crisis and needs help, the 988 SMS Lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress, as well as prevention and crisis resources."
After multiple outlets reported Seiter's death based on the statement, his ex-girlfriend, RuPaul's Drag Race star, Monica Beverly Hillz, paid tribute on Instagram.
The 38-year-old shared a series of sweet photos of herself and Seiter on Instagram. "💔😭RIP My honey 🕊️," she captioned the post, which has since been deleted.
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Monica also took to her Instagram Stories, posting a photo of Seiter kissing her on the cheek. "May you RIP my Honey," she wrote alongside the pic, adding a series of emojis.
In another post she shared to her Stories, the reality star thanked fans for their support, writing, "Thank you all who have reached out i appreciate you !!!! I'm devastated and tryna find the words to say but I have none !!! Just thank you so much for the love."
Seiter was a contestant on Season 11 of The Bachelorette, in which he competed to win the heart of Kaitlyn Bristowe. He was eliminated in the first week.
As shown in multiple posts on his Instagram account, Seiter has previously opened up about his struggles with mental health, including battles with depression, anxiety, and OCD.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their own life, get help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress.
