Bachelor Nation fans got to know Kelley Flanagan on Season 24 of “The Bachelor,” and she’s been keeping fans updated with her life on social media ever since.
Earlier this month, Kelley shared that her father was in the hospital due to a severe pneumonia and wasn’t making progress.
After weeks on respiratory machines, Kelley shared that sadly, her dad passed away.
The Bachelor Nation star took to Instagram to share a series of photos with her father and wrote, “Dear Dad, I want to thank you for being the absolute best to mom and all 6 of us kids. I can’t begin to explain how much we all loved you and how much we appreciated how much you did for us on a daily basis. I know you’re up in heaven now and are going to watch down on all of us until we meet again. We will all miss you dearly and won’t forgot the patience you had for each and every one of us. Our house was always chaos and you were the calm soul that somehow handled it with grace.”
She continued, saying, “You held on so strong these last few weeks, and I truly believe you held on until Christmas (your favorite holiday) so that instead of feeling sadness in the future, your family could celebrate you together. I’m so glad I got to spend 32 amazing years by your side. I’m going to be heartbroken for a while but I know you would want me to bounce back and celebrate you instead of sadness.”
Kelley concluded her emotional post with how different her family will be now that her dad is gone.
She wrote, “The family dynamic will take some getting used to without you with us but I’m going to strive to celebrate you everyday. I have never met a kinder, smarter or more giving soul. I’m proud that you were my dad. You left an amazing legacy behind you and you will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.”
Many of Kelley’s fellow Bachelor Nation stars like Andi Dorfman, Jason Tartick, Tia Booth, Abigail Heringer, Sydney Warner, Serena Pitt, Emily Ferguson, and more filled the comments of her post with love and condolences.
We’re thinking of Kelley’s family and keeping them in our hearts this holiday season and beyond.
