Krystal Nielson says she was hospitalized, broke before The Bachelor

Bachelor alum Krystal Nielson recently revealed that she was hospitalized and broke before coming on The Bachelor. Here are all the moving details.

Bachelor alum Krystal Nielson is the definition of upbeat. Despite being branded “the villain” on Arie Luyendyk’s season of the series, she always seemed like she was being unapologetically herself and like nothing could really keep her down. These days, she’s dating Chris “Goose” Randone and seems even happier than ever.

It was surprising to learn via Instagram recently that this kind of joy hasn’t always come easily to Krystal. She revealed that she had been hospitalized several times before coming on to The Bachelor and that there was a time she didn’t have more than a few bucks in her bank account.

Her post was incredibly moving. In it, Krystal reflected on how 2018 was a year of “breakdowns and rebuilds.” She recounts having virtually no money in her accounts and facing up to growing hospital bills with a sense of dread. Furthermore, she comments on how she took care of her once-homeless brother, a journey many fans may remember her talking about during her time on The Bachelor. While many contestants spend hundreds or thousands on apparel for the series, Krystal recounts making purchases at Forever 21 and Claire’s before Bachelor in Paradise.

In looking back to happiness, Krystal comments that the momentum of her year brought her to a better place. She became an author in 2018. She became a more open person and was even lucky enough to find love.

Krystal Nielson still has a bad rep with some fans who can’t forget her “villain” status, but this post is definitely a step in the right direction to show everyone that she has got substance. She’s a real human being who has suffered greatly and scrapped her way to the top. It’s incredibly admirable.

Here’s hoping that more Bachelor alumni will open up like Krystal did. It’s easy to box competitors into easy stereotypes; we’d like to see them showing that they are more than a pretty face. Way to lead the pack, Krystal. This Instagram post was much needed.