Less than two months after The Bachelorette season 19 finale, during which Gabby Windey accepted Erich Schwer's proposal, the couple has reportedly broken off their engagement. Gabby, a 31-year-old ICU nurse from Denver, and Erich, a 29-year-old real estate analyst originally from Bedminster, New Jersey, had an immediate connection when they first met. However, their relationship was tested when Erich expressed that he was unsure if he would be ready for an engagement after knowing Gabby for just a few months. In the end, Erich did propose to Gabby, and the couple seemed to be thriving after The Bachelorette wrapped. Erich supported Gabby at the beginning of her Dancing With The Stars stint, joining her for rehearsals and supporting her from the live studio audience. But when fans noticed that he had been absent from the last episode, and that Gabby was not wearing her engagement ring, they began to speculate that the couple had split up.
Gabby explained away the rumors by stating that she and Erich were really busy and supporting each other from afar, but now E! News reveals that sources have confirmed the couple broke up. According to E! News, a source confirmed the split, and then a second source in Bachelor Nation revealed that Gabby was the one who called things off earlier in the week. The insider said, "She felt they weren't aligned and weren't on the same page. Gabby was hoping they could give each other space and work it out but ultimately decided they didn't have a future."
Gabby and Erich's relationship outside of The Bachelorette was marred by dual controversies. One of Erich's ex-girlfriends accused him of joining The Bachelorette in order to advance his career. The couple addressed the allegations on The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose. Erich admitted that he handled the situation poorly, but Gabby praised his honesty and willingness to take accountability for his actions. The Bachelorette was later heavily criticized for not addressing Erich's other controversy of a resurfaced picture of him from his high school yearbook in blackface, for which he apologized. He said that he wore the makeup in a misguided attempt to represent his love for Jimi Hendrix. Although Gabby seemed to accept Erich's apology, she repeatedly stated that he would have to understand why his actions were wrong in order to learn from them.
Unfortunately, Gabby and Erich's breakup is not too surprising, considering their history. Erich was unsure about proposing from the beginning, and fans were surprised when he did. This, combined with the two scandals that plagued what should have been the couple's engagement celebration, may have been too much for them to overcome. Also, Gabby moved directly into the intense DWTS schedule, which she had every right to, but the couple definitely must have lost time together because of it.
Gabby and Erich now join the long line of failed Bachelorette engagements, including that of her co-Bachelorette Rachel Recchia, who broke off her engagement to Tino Franco after he cheated on her by kissing another woman when they were going through a rough patch. The previous six Bachelorettes (Becca Kufrin, Hannah Brown, Clare Crawley, Tayshia Adams, Katie Thurston, and Michelle Young) also ended their engagements since their respective seasons of The Bachelorette aired. Fans have been calling for changes in The Bachelor franchise for a long time now. Obviously, something is not working if none of these couples were able to sustain their engagements and get married. In the meantime, Bachelor Nation wishes both Gabby and Erich the best as they move on with their lives.
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