Josh Seiter is clearing the air after his account was hacked. Despite a statement released on his Instagram account that The Bachelorette alum had passed away, Josh is very much alive. “As you can see, I am alive and well,” the 36-year-old said in a video he posted on August 29. “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.”
He continued, “I’m sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post. I just got back into my account. I am going to do all I can with my team to try to identify who is behind this. But again, I apologize for the confusion, and I will update you as more facts come in.”
A day prior, a statement was posted on Josh’s Instagram page that claimed he had died at the age of 36. “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.” The post has since been deleted from Josh’s account.
Josh rose to fame as a contestant during Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of The Bachelorette. Four days before he was the victim of a death hoax, Josh opened up about his ongoing mental health journey. “Surviving depression and anxiety one day at a time with a smile,” he wrote on Instagram.
This marks the second major death hoax among celebrities after Lil Tay. In early August 2023, a statement was posted to the 14-year-old’s Instagram account that claimed she and her brother had died. A day later, the rapper confirmed she was still alive and her account had been hacked. “I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say,” she told TMZ. “It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.”