"I am alive and well": The Bachelorette alum Josh Seiter posts video after reported death

Trigger Warning: This Bachelorette article mentions suicide and mental health issues.

On Monday, August 28, 2023, Bachelorette fans were hit with the devastating news of the "unexpected" demise of former alum Josh Seiter. This was announced with a heartbreaking Instagram post that was supposedly a message from his parents. To everyone's surprise, on August 29, 2023, Josh himself posted a reel, confirming that his account was in fact hacked and he was doing just fine. While this news elated his followers, the hacking itself was painfully disturbing.

"I am alive and well," Josh said in his latest reel.

The original post about his passing has been taken down. Josh has been truly vulnerable with his fans throughout his mental health journey. He believes the hacker's intentions could be to mock his disorders.

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A hacker faked the death of Bachelorette alum Josh Seiter

Dark clouds loomed on August 28, 2023, when Josh Seiter was pronounced dead on his Instagram profile. Fans of the former Bachelorette suitor took to social media to provide his family with much-needed strength and solace. Many also commented on his post from 2021, where he spoke up about suffering from a suicide attempt and several mental disorders for the first time. Heartbroken, they expressed how they wished they could've done something to save him.

As it turns out, Josh didn't need much saving, considering he was actually alive and taking things one day at a time. In a video he posted on August 29, 2023, a day after the world began grieving his death, he reassured them that he was fine.

The Bachelorette's alum went on to mention that his account had been hacked for 24 hours. However, he did not provide much information, as he and his team are still in search of the hacker. Josh believes that this was an attempt to poke fun at his issues.

"Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I've gone through with depression and suicide attempts. And I'm sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post. I just got back into my account," Josh said.

Additionally, speaking about the death hoax, Josh told CNN,

“When I saw that I had been hacked and this thing had been posted, and it was designed to appear genuine but it’s really trying to invoke a response from people and troll people, it’s very upsetting to me."

He continued,

"I think it’s egregious, I think it’s disappointing. But I’m not shocked that there’s someone out there (who) thought it was funny to, in this way, make fun of mental illness, make fun of suicide.”

Josh also apologized on behalf of the hacker for all the hurt the announcement post caused to those who love him.

The Bachelorette season 11 alum had been very candid and frequently posted captions discussing his struggles. Josh currently suffers from depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, general anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder, and has attempted suicide in the past. He worked on improving his psychological health all through his 20s and 30s and still continues to do so, making progress with each small step.

Josh did not give in to this horrific joke and continues to maintain his positive outlook on life. He will return with more updates about this situation and his regular motivational captions, which people believed for a moment they would never see again.

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If you or somebody you know is considering suicide or facing mental health issues, please immediately seek help by contacting the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. The helpline operates 24/7 and provides confidential support free of charge. They can also be contacted by sending a text message with "STRENGTH" to 741741 or visiting 988lifeline.org.