Those who regularly tune into The Bachelor and The Bachelorette might remember Josh Seiter, who was a contestant in Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of The Bachelorette in 2015. Although he was eliminated in week 1, the law student/exotic dancer from Chicago (who went on to earn his degree) gained a sizable Instagram following after his brief appearance on the reality dating series. Someone claiming to be his family announced Josh had died at age 36.
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The OnlyFans star, who previously identified as pansexual before coming out in 2023 as bisexual, was open about the ongoing struggle with his mental health. In fact, the majority of his Instagram posts shared about his journey in order to spread awareness and offer support to others. Keep reading to learn more about what Josh's family said in his death announcement, what he said in his last post, and how his followers have reacted to this false news.
He says he was hacked and he is alive and well.
On Tuesday, Seiter shared a video on Instagram declaring he's actually alive and claiming he was hacked.
He said on Tuesday: "Hey, guys. As you can see, I am alive and well. My account was hacked. 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."
"I'm sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post," he continued. "I just got back into my account. I am going to do all I can with my team to try to identify who was behind this but again, I apologize for the confusion. And I will update you guys as more facts come in. Thank you, guys."
Josh's official Instagram account announced his death.
On August 28, a post on Josh's Instagram account said he had died. "It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the tragic news of Joshua's unexpected passing," the message 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."
His family asked for privacy and said Josh's Instagram account would remain as it is for the time being.
The message continued: "Although our heartache at Joshua's passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace. We hope and pray that his spirit can continue to live on in the pictures in the pictures and words on this page, which we will leave up for the time being. While we do that, we would kindly ask for privacy as we grieve."
What was Josh Seiter's supposed cause of death?
No cause of death was ever publicly revealed. The original post only noted Josh's death was "unexpected." However, there are some clues on his Instagram grid that led Josh's followers to draw their own conclusions.
In the last post before the death announcement, Josh acknowledged his mental health struggle.
A few days before Josh's death was announced, he posted to Instagram. His update came in the form of a selfie showing off his handsome grin. Josh wrote, "Surviving depression and anxiety one day at a time with a smile."
He had been diagnosed with OCD, bipolar depression, and generalized anxiety disorder.
A pinned post on his Instagram from July 2021 revealed more details about his mental health struggles. "I’m Josh Seiter, and I’m a suicide attempt survivor," he wrote. "I battle OCD, Bipolar Depression, and GAD, but I refuse to give up. What did you survive? #warriors #survivors #mentalhealth #awareness #bodypositivity #health #fitness."
Instagram followers mourned Josh's death in the comments of his posts.
Instagram users flooded the comments sections of Josh's most recent posts with words of condolences for his friends and family. They also shared how Josh impacted their lives.
One person wrote, "This news is just heartbreaking Thinking of all those that love you and everyone you touched. RIP ❤️."
Another follower commented, "You inspired so many souls. Mine is shredded now on this news. ❤️ Others who are dealing with this..speak out reach out.. you are loved."
Yet another Instagram user wrote, "Mental health issues are some of the hardest things to deal with, especially if it’s you or someone you care about. Josh’s openness about his struggles are commendable because he helped many people who couldn’t do it. I hope his family can find solace in that during their time of mourning."
Someone else simply commented, "RIP sweetheart you won’t be forgotten ❤️ XXXXXX."
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling 988. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
