Tragic Details About Former Bachelorette Star Katie Thurston

It would be easy to look at Katie Thurston and think that her life has always been smooth sailing. The bubbly brunette first strutted out onto the national stage in 2021 when she was cast as a contestant on Matt James' season of "The Bachelor." Armed with an edgy sense of humor (and a literal, um, vibrator), Thurston shocked America with her unapologetic attitude. She quickly became one of the most discussed women on the show, and, thus, it was no surprise when she was cast as the next star of "The Bachelorette" months later.

Because of her reality TV fame, many of Thurston's fans are used to seeing her in glittering evening gowns and eye-grabbing high heels. Sure, we have seen her succumb to stress, burst into tears, and even break down. But, for the most part, Thurston's public image has been a mixture of lavish red roses, expensive influencing opportunities, and a budding comedy career. 

Despite these signs of a blessed life, however, things aren't always as sparkly as they appear. Even before appearing on "The Bachelor," Thurston endured a difficult childhood full of financial woes. After her time on television, the reality star found herself in the midst of a public heartbreak, experienced mental health struggles, and faced a series of other health problems. 

Oftentimes on "The Bachelor," we see contestants soaking up million-dollar experiences. They embark on private helicopter rides, jet off to other countries, and somehow always manage to find a hot tub waiting for them wherever they may go. While this is all part of the show's luxurious aesthetic, Katie Thurston was not afraid to inject a dose of reality into her "Bachelorette" season. During a low-key moment with contestant Andrew Spencer, Thurston spoke openly about having been raised in a low-income household.

Apparently, Thurston's family faced such serious financial troubles that their Christmases were scarce. Determined to create special moments regardless, Thurston's dad would usher in the holiday by fashioning a fireplace out of construction paper. He would then promise Thurston that Santa Claus would find them no matter what. Although Thurston's past was certainly not easy, her story of perseverance resonated with viewers across America. Even date was moved by these Christmas memories, as he had also grown up with serious financial constraints. 

If Katie Thurston's childhood Christmases were special, she had her beloved dad to thank. After her biological father stepped out of her life, another man stepped up and became the person she called "dad." Tragically, however, the dad who raised Thurston died in 2012. And, as she told a fellow contestant on Matt James' season of "The Bachelor," she didn't ever have the chance to say a proper goodbye. "If I could get back the minutes I had with him..." Thurston said before letting her voice trail off. "I missed out on my goodbye to my dad, so I would never want that for you."

Later, on her own season of "The Bachelorette," Thurston explained how wedding-themed dates accentuated the pain of her loss. Following what was supposed to be a make-believe ceremony, the reality star found herself getting emotional. She eventually told her date, Greg Grippo, "To walk down the aisle today, even in our imaginary world, it does bring up a lot of pain. You know, my dad won't be able to do that for me. Even when it comes down to a proposal, you know, he's not around to give his blessing."

Katie Thurston may not have been raised by her biological father, but that doesn't mean that he is totally out of the picture. On her season of "The Bachelorette," Thurston revealed that she was still in contact with her bio dad. However, she also admitted that their dynamic was complicated. During a date with contestant Greg Grippo, Thurston wondered aloud, "How do I build a relationship with this man I knew nothing about, while also mourning the passing of the man who raised me." This question had clearly weighed on Thurston's mind for quite some time.

Making matters even more complicated, Thurston went on to say that spending time with her biological dad made her miss the dad she grew up with even more. As she said during the aforementioned date, "Any time I try to get close with him, it's just a reminder of the fact that my dad who raised me is no longer here." For Thurston, losing the man who raised her prevented her from forging a meaningful relationship with the man who shares her DNA.

During her season of "The Bachelorette," Katie Thurston opened up about the issue of sexual assault. As recapped by People, Thurston shared that she had once been "involved in a situation where there wasn't consent." She went on to discuss her personal healing process, stating, "I just want you guys to know that I've come a long way in who I was 10 years ago and how important consent is, how important communication is and how important it is to not guilt trip somebody for not having enough sex with them, guilt trip them for not having sex with them in general." 

This was not the only time that Thurston spoke publicly about sexual assault. On June 29, 2024, Thurston took to Instagram to describe her experience reporting a rape to the San Diego police. According to her post, Thurston underwent a series of medical exams, including a rape kit, to file her case. On August 12, she updated her fans about the status of her crime report via her Instagram stories. "Today I was in San Diego to meet with the District Attorney who was assigned to my case," she wrote. "And officially, that chapter is closed for good" (via Us Weekly). Thurston's Instagram post reflected her disappointment that the case would not move forward or even be considered in the court of law.

When Katie Thurston was cast as a contestant on Matt James' season of "The Bachelor," her life changed forever. Not only did she get the chance to pursue a new career as a reality TV star, but she also was able to meet a dynamic group of young women. Unfortunately, what could have been an opportunity to create friendships and connections quickly went downhill. According to Thurston, there was a lot of toxicity and bullying between the contestants on James' season.

Things first got heated when the show welcomed a new contestant named Brittany Galvin to compete for James' affection. Many of the women who had already been on the show reacted negatively to the new competitor — and one even decided to spread an unsubstantiated rumor about her. Contestant Anna Redman went so far as to try to shame Galvin by claiming she was a sex worker, playing into the stigma that surrounds that line of work.

Thurston tried to bring an end to the drama by informing James of the gossip and bullying culture that Redman had established. However, in some ways, her kindness backfired. By the end of the season, she was something of a persona non grata with the other women on the show. The good news is that, following this negative social experience, Katie Thurston became the new fan favorite – a consequence of her anti-bullying stance.

Following her appearance on "The Bachelor," most fans were certain that Katie Thurston would be the new star of "The Bachelorette." At the time, Thurston was riding a wave of popularity that brought her almost 600,000 Instagram followers practically overnight. Fans applauded her quirky sense of humor and valiant anti-bullying beliefs. Because of this, when Thurston was indeed cast as the franchise's new leading lady, she was standing at peak popularity. The only problem? Popularity isn't always permanent. If Thurston ever felt like she was on top of the world, that changed very quickly.

During her season of "The Bachelorette," Thurston did find love with conservationist Blake Moynes. The pair got engaged, and for a very brief period, they were thrilled with the prospect of sharing a future. As Moynes himself would eventually put it on the "Talking It Out" podcast, "I would say we definitely fell in love on the show and hard and ... it was awesome." That being said, it didn't take the couple long to realize that they were not meant to be. As Thurston and Moynes got to know each other off-set, they realized that their personalities were incompatible. For Thurston, this was a tough pill to swallow. "We are still processing a lot of waves of emotion," she said in a short video before bursting into tears (via People).

Coming off "The Bachelorette," Katie Thurston did not have the same level of popularity that she had achieved during her time on "The Bachelor." Some viewers disliked the way that she handled her breakup with contestant Greg Grippo. Others were unhappy to find out just how quickly Thurston moved on from her engagement with Moynes. It did not take long for the r/bachelor subreddit to fill up with negative posts about Thurston. The reality star also began to receive hateful messages on her social media. At one point, she got so many DMs criticizing her hair that Thurston had to block followers on Instagram.

Unfortunately, all this negativity began to weigh on Thurston, and before long, she found herself struggling. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Katie Thurston told fans how "The Bachelorette" impacted her mental health. "I thought I knew what to expect [in going on the show]. I didn't. I thought I was strong enough to handle the negativity. I wasn't. But they say time heals everything," she wrote. 

As harmful as her online experiences were, Thurston eventually developed strategies to help cope with the cyber-bullying. "I was quick to block the hate. And I don't mean mentally. I mean in the most literal sense. Unfollow accounts that encouraged it. Limit my screen time usage with a password only [her then-boyfriend] John knew. Anything I could do to bring myself out of a dark place," she explained. 

After she moved on from "The Bachelorette," things seemed to be improving for Katie Thurston. She launched a new career as a stand-up comedian, got engaged to fellow comic Jeff Arcuri, and perhaps even began to radiate more confidence. Then, a shocking discovery threw a wrench into everything that Thurston held dear. She found a lump in her breast. In a video shared on her Instagram in March 2025, Thurston described the lump in question: "Boobs are essentially fat, so when I felt that was like a rubbery marble almost, I knew it was something to pay attention to." Even though she knew that this mass was abnormal, Thurston tried not to worry too much about it. "I thought, 'It's PMS. It's from working out,'" she added.

Eventually, though, Thurston made the decision to seek a medical evaluation. "So, I finally made an appointment with my doctor, who referred me to a specialist to go get a breast ultrasound. Next step, which was a mammogram. After getting the mammogram, they wanted me to do a biopsy," Thurston explained. Tragically, though, the former reality star did not receive good news. "By February 13, I got the official call that it was indeed breast cancer," she said. For the 34-year-old, this tragic diagnosis came as a total shock. The official diagnosis was stage three triple positive ductal carcinoma. As she would later tell GMA's Cover Story, this news left her feeling "devastated."

Unsurprisingly, Katie Thurston's breast cancer diagnosis turned her whole world upside-down. No longer would comedy shows or wedding dress fittings be her biggest priority. Instead, she would have to focus primarily on her cancer treatments. Speaking to GMA's Cover Story about this transition, Thurston said, "We thought we'd be planning a wedding. We thought we'd be trying for a baby. And, instead, we know that this year's really dedicated to just treatment and getting better."

Although Thurston's situation was far from ideal, she said that her only option was to face the doctor's appointments head-on. "You're on, like, survival mode. Like, you don't have a choice. You show up, or you die. And, I hate to say it that way," Thurston lamented in the same interview. "But, you just, every day you have an appointment. Every day you show up. You don't have a choice." While Thurston wished that life could go back to normal, she also felt that pursuing cancer treatment was the only way forward. 

As determined as Katie Thurston was about seeking treatment for her cancer diagnosis, things didn't go quite as smoothly as she expected. On March 24, 2025, Thurston shared a health update on her Boobie Broadcast Instagram channel. Unfortunately, Thurston said that a medical examination had found "two liver lesions, measuring up to 1.4 cm, most likely metastatic disease."

Because of these results, Thurston had to schedule a biopsy to determine whether or not the lesions in question were cancerous. After a conversation with her doctor, though, Thurston was forced to recognize that her prognosis might be even more serious than she even imagined. Per the Boobie Broadcast, Thurston's physician apparently "seemed to be leaning more on the cancer in the liver versus optimistic it was nothing." The former reality TV star went on to clarify, "This would put me at stage four."

As upsetting as this news certainly was, Thurston tried her best to stay positive. Even so, the cumulation of so many medical procedures took their toll on her body. "Tired. Nauseous. In pain," she wrote on her channel. Later, Thurston added, "Also feeling like a voodoo doll with all the pokes I've been getting."

Katie Thurston's life is not all doom and gloom. As she looked ahead towards a future filled with cancer treatments, one person stepped up to show her that he was ready to support her through it all. Thurston's then-fiancé, Jeff Arcuris, told her that he wanted to marry her ASAP. Reflecting on this conversation in an interview with Us Weekly, Thurston recalled, "And one night he said, 'I want to show you that I still love you and that I'm here to stay. I'll get married to you tomorrow.' We flew our parents in from Michigan and Washington State." They tied the knot on March 22, 2025. 

For Thurston, Arcuris' decision to push up their wedding was a sign of true love. In the same interview, she said, "It was this kind gesture of him saying, truly, in sickness and in health. He is proving that he's here to stay. He shows up every day and he does it in ways that just continue to surprise." For Arcuris, it was an easy choice. As he told Us Weekly, Thurston's cancer diagnosis "bonded us more than anything else, which is why we're moving up the wedding a little bit." As happy as the couple was to say "I do," however, neither Thurston nor Arcuris knows what kind of future awaits them. "There's a lot of emotions that come in with chemo and the impact and the health and we don't know what the next year looks like," Thurston said. 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, or needs help with mental health, please contact the relevant resources below:

• Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
• Reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.