'Bachelor' star Rachael Kirkconnell calls Matt James the 'love of my life,' hopes split sparks a conversation
James revealed on the 'After the Final Rose' ceremony that he broke up with Kirkconnell
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rachael Kirkconnell spoke out about her split from Matt James following the conclusion of their season of "The Bachelor."
After selecting her as the winner of his season, James revealed during the "After the Final Rose" special that they had already ended their relationship, despite falling in love on the show, due to the scandal that emerged off-camera, which included claims of racism against her.
On Tuesday, Kirkconnell took to Instagram to unpack the breakup and let fans know that James is still the "love of my life."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"just when you think you found your way, life throws you onto a new path. it’s unpredictable, unexplainable, and things might not go the way you hoped for," she captioned a series of photos from her time on the show. "while i certainly wish things turned out differently, i also believe there is a reason for everything. we may not be able to control situations thrown our way, but we can control how we deal with it, and i believe good can come out every circumstance."
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'Bachelor' Matt James revealed he broke up with Rachael Kirkconnell. (ABC/Craig Sjodin)
The reality star went on to note that she’s upset that the scandal surrounding her has overshadowed the other women and their stories. Kirkconnell called the other ladies of her season of "The Bachelor" "the strongest, most brilliant, most extraordinary women."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}She continued by detailing her relationship with James.
"i knew from the first night i met matt that he was something special, and i was praying to share something exceptional between the two of us if that’s what was meant to be. while i never expected this outcome, i respect his decision completely. of course i wish circumstances were different, but i still feel blessed for the time we did have together and the memories we made," she wrote. "i got to fall in love, and i truly believe he was the love of my life. he will always hold a piece of my heart. i’ll always be hopeful and believe what’s meant to be will be."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the "After the Final Rose" special, James admitted that the controversy surrounding resurfaced photos of Kirkconnell attending an "Old South" party, a TikTok user accusing her of bullying her in the past for dating a Black man and allegedly liking racist photos all played a part in his decision to end things. The scandal also indirectly led to longtime host Chris Harrison stepping aside as host.
Rachael Kirkconnell opened up about the finale of 'The Bachelor.' (ABC/Craig Sjodin)
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"If you don't understand that something like that is problematic in 2018, there's a lot of me that you won't understand. It's as simple as that," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kirkconnell concluded her post by addressing the situation and noting that she hopes it sparks dialogue among viewers.
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"i hope it opens your mind to unlearning bias, to educating yourself, and gives you the push to initiate change. there are so many actions you can take, but i believe it starts within the small corners of your life, and having these conversations with those around you," she concludes.