Fans of The Bachelor were left in shock when contestant Beverly Ortega abruptly left the show before her much-anticipated one-on-one date with Bachelor Grant Ellis. Until now, viewers had no clear explanation for her sudden departure. However, Ortega has finally opened up about the real reason she had to leave—an unexpected medical emergency.
On the February 11 episode of the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, Beverly Ortega revealed that she was diagnosed with appendicitis and had to undergo emergency surgery to have her appendix removed. The 30-year-old insurance salesperson from Howard Beach, New York, shared that the ordeal began when she woke up from a nap experiencing severe stomach pain. Initially unsure of what was happening, she described feeling “excruciating pain” and vomiting for 12 hours straight.
“I know my body. I’m listening to my body. Something is not OK,” Beverly Ortega recalled, explaining her initial concern. While she first suspected food poisoning or another minor issue, her condition worsened, and she was taken to the hospital for evaluation.
After three hours in the emergency room, doctors informed Beverly Ortega that she had appendicitis and required immediate surgery. Despite the gravity of the situation, she remained composed. “I was like, ‘OK, my family isn’t here. My friends aren’t here. I’m about to have major surgery on an organ,'” she said, reflecting on the difficult experience. She also mentioned having had her gallbladder removed in 2018, joking that she was “losing organs left and right.”
Due to the urgent nature of the surgery, it was unsafe for Beverly Ortega to travel home for the procedure, so she underwent the operation in California, where The Bachelor is filmed. Her mother later flew out to accompany her back home after she was cleared to travel.
While her physical recovery went smoothly, Beverly Ortega admitted that it took much longer for her to process the emotional impact of leaving the show. “It took me a month and a half to recover emotionally,” she said, adding that she was left with lingering thoughts of “what if.” She and Grant Ellis had been building a connection, and although many of their moments together did not make it to air, she felt their bond had real potential.
View this post on Instagram
Although her journey on The Bachelor was cut short, Beverly Ortega remains grateful for the experience and for her health.
The Bachelor airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
