Entertainment

Danielle M’s Fiancé Died Before ‘The Bachelor'

by Lindsay Denninger
Rick Rowell/ABC

The Bachelor seems like fun and frothy entertainment, but sometimes, it can get serious, especially when the women on the show share painful things from the past. On the first one-on-one date of Nick’s season of The Bachelor, Danielle M. shared how her fiancé died of a drug overdose before she was on the show. It was a very serious, emotional moment that stood out from the rest of the episode.

Nick and Danielle had a lovely day hanging out on a yacht and in a hot tub on the yacht (because this is The Bachelor, so of course there has to be a hot tub), but when it came to dinner time, the conversation became more serious. I think Nick and Danielle felt comfortable with each other because they’re from the same part of Wisconsin, and Nick said that there was a level of familiarity there that he didn’t have with the other women. That makes sense to me — if you grow up in the same place, there’s a sort of understanding that people have. Nick opened up about his past relationships, and then Danielle revealed that her fiancé died of a drug overdose about five years ago. She was the one that found him, and she had no idea that he had a problem with drugs. They had only been engaged for a few months.

Rick Rowell/ABC

Nick, of course, was understanding and kind about it all, but how could you be mean about something like that? Danielle said that she was embarrassed about the situation, but she has no need to be. She didn’t do anything wrong — her fiancé’s overdose was not her fault, and as Nick said to her, the way she dealt with it and moved on is a testament to her strength and her resolve. Nick said that’s a characteristic he’s looking for in a partner, and I think it’s safe to say that Danielle and Nick’s deep conversation brought the two even closer.