'Bachelor' star Gia Allemand dead after apparent suicide

‘Bachelor’ star Gia Allemand dead after apparent suicide

By Amy Kaufman

Aug. 14, 2013 2:48 PM PT

Gia Allemand, who appeared on “The Bachelor” and its spinoff show “Bachelor Pad,” died Wednesday following an apparent suicide attempt.

“Due to a critical loss of brain and organ function, life support was withdrawn today,” the reality star’s publicist, Penelope Jean, said in a statement.

The 29-year-old model was found in her New Orleans home Monday evening by her boyfriend, NBA player Ryan Anderson. The New Orleans Pelicans forward contacted 911, but once Allemand arrived at the hospital, she remained “unconscious in critical condition and on life support,” according to Jean.

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Allemand was known to “Bachelor” fans as the bubbly Maxim model who vied for Jake Pavelka’s heart on the ABC program in 2010. When she did not end up with Pavelka, she decided to take part in “Bachelor Pad,” on which former “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette” contestants compete for $250,000.

Growing up in Queens, N.Y., Allemand competed in beauty pageants and eventually began modeling in swimsuit competitions. But after becoming a part of “The Bachelor” franchise, her ambitions changed.

“I have modeled for years,” she told the Queens Tribune in 2010. “I’m now working on an acting career. And I also want to go back to college to get my master’s.”

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Earlier this month, Allemand appeared with other “Bachelor” alumni at an Herbal Essences-sponsored viewing party for the finale of Desiree Hartsock’s season of “The Bachelorette.”

“Gia was in good spirits & appeared healthy when I saw her last Monday,” tweeted former “Bachelorette” Ali Fedotowksy on Tuesday.

After news of her death circulated online Wednesday, dozens of “Bachelor” veterans expressed their grief on Twitter.

“It’s with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to our good friend Gia Allemand,” host Chris Harrison said. “She will be loved and missed by all who knew her.”

“I had to pull over, I can’t stop crying,” Pavelka wrote. “We have lost an angel.”

Allemand herself had been active on social media in the days leading up to her death, last tweeting a Bible verse on Sunday.

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Amy Kaufman

Amy Kaufman is a columnist at the Los Angeles Times, where she writes the A-1 column “For Real With Amy Kaufman.” The series examines the lives of icons, underdogs and rising stars to find out who the people are shaping our culture — for real. Since joining The Times in 2009, she has profiled hundreds of influential figures including Stevie Nicks, Nick Cannon, Drew Barrymore and Lady Gaga. She is also an investigative reporter and was part of the 2022 Pulitzer Prize finalist team that covered the tragic shooting on the “Rust” film set. Her work often shines a light on the darker side of the entertainment business, and she has uncovered misconduct allegations against Randall Emmett and Russell Simmons. In 2018, her book “Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America’s Favorite Guilty Pleasure” became a New York Times bestseller.

‘Bachelor’ star Gia Allemand dead after apparent suicide

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