This Was a Tribute Done Right

The premiere of Andi Dorfman's season of the Bachelorette started on a low note, but not a distasteful one. We all know that contestant Eric Hill passed away during a tragic accident after having been sent home from the Bachelorette mansion when he and Andi didn't connect, and we were curious how Chris Harrison and ABC would handle the tragedy. After they botched former contestant Gia Allemand's tribute last season, would the network redeem itself? The answer, thankfully, is yes.

The season started with a somber Harrison standing on those iconic wet stones, and he dove right in.

Throughout the years, many hundreds of men and women have come on the show searching for love, and they've all become a part of what we consider the Bachelor family. At this time, we'd like to take a moment to honor one of these men, our friend, Eric Hill.

At this moment, the show launched into a montage of photos of a happy, healthy, adventurous looking Hill.

Eric passed away shortly after concluding filming on this show. In the coming weeks, you'll see that Eric was a vibrant man. Every day he impressed us with his compassion, and his courageous spirit. He will be greatly missed, and we dedicate this season, to him.

The tribute was short, it was sweet, it was tasteful. It got the elephant out of the room right away, and Bachelor nation paused, albeit briefly, to remember Hill. And now, it's off to the races. Er, roses.

Image: EricHill/Facebook