'Bachelorette' Jenn Tran addresses finale debacle: 'My heart is heavy grieving'
Jenn Tran is grieving the end of her "Bachelorette" relationship but she's also making room for gratitude.
The 21st "Bachelorette" lead's season ended Tuesday with ample tears shed over a broken engagement with Devin Strader, who allegedly "denied ever being in love" and ended their engagement in a 15-minute phone call. In a lengthy Instagram post Thursday, 26-year-old Tran vowed to take the high road in her breakup.
"I will always have love for the person I fell in love with and I am choosing to wish him the best in his journey of life and will always root for him," she wrote.
Later in the statement, she continued: "I am still healing. It's been difficult processing the past few months and it will continue to be difficult for me to fully understand my own heart at this moment. However, what I do know is that I am worthy of an unconditional and unwavering love whenever that love may come."
She also thanked fans for their "infinite love," specifically shouting out Asian American viewers who watched her story unfold. "Being the first Asian American bachelorette has been a healing experience for me," she wrote.
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Jenn Tran's full statement post-'Bachelorette' finale
"Wow I don’t even know where to start! I came into this journey searching for my one true love and unexpectedly finding infinite love from bachelor nation and beyond.
"It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions these past couple of months. I truly couldn’t have done it without you all. For everyone who saw themselves in me, whether it was past you or present you or future you…. We are all trying our best to be the best version of ourselves. We are not defined by one moment, one circumstance, one experience, one mistake or one heartbreak. We are defined by how we actively choose to grow from it.
"Thank you for opening your hearts to my story. Being the first Asian American bachelorette has been a healing experience for me and I couldn’t be happier to watch my community come alive. No matter where you are in your search for your identity, please remember you are worthy and you are exactly who you need to be.
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"Although this love story didn't end the way I had hoped… What you guys have seen is a snippet of our love story and two real people navigating a complicated situation. My heart is heavy grieving but I have to make room for forgiveness and keep the main thing the main thing which is ultimately my heart. While emotions were high on stage, at the end of the day, I will always have love for the person I fell in love with and I am choosing to wish him the best in his journey of life and will always root for him.
"I want to acknowledge the heartbreak felt from around the world as it’s such a universal experience. To all the lover girls and boys out there, our greatest gift in life is how big our hearts are. It is easier to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.
"Lastly, I am still healing. It’s been difficult processing the past few months and it will continue to be difficult for me to fully understand my own heart at this moment. However, what I do know is that I am worthy of an unconditional and unwavering love whenever that love may come."