Tyler Gwozdz, ‘Bachelorette’ Contestant, Dead at 29 of Suspected Overdose

Former Bachelorette contestant Tyler Gwozdz has died of a suspected overdose. He was 29. TMZ confirmed Thursday that the former reality TV star’s body with the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office. Further information is not yet available. An official cause of death has not been revealed.

News of Gwozdz’s passing comes just hours after reports broke that the former Bachelorette contestant had been hospitalized. Boca Raton Police Department records and audio obtained by TMZ showed that emergency personnel had responded to a home on Monday, Jan. 13 to find Gwozdz having suffered a possible drug overdose.

A spokesperson for the department later confirmed to PEOPLE that they “responded to a medical overdose” involving Gwozdz and that “the case is an active ongoing investigation.”

In a 911 call obtained by both outlets, a woman could be heard telling dispatchers she thought Gwozdz had overdosed on heroin before she broke down the door to the bathroom to reach the 29-year-old. She attempted to locate Narcan, a nasal spray that can help reverse an opioid overdose.

After officers and paramedics arrived at the scene, the reality personality was transported to a nearby hospital and admitted to the intensive care unit, where he remained for a week and was listed in critical but stable condition. He was no longer a current patient in the hospital’s system as of Tuesday, Jan. 21.

Gwozdz, otherwise known as “Tyler G,” had competed for Hannah Brown’s heart during the 2019 season. He was the first contestant to get a one-on-one date with Brown, though he later left the dating competition for an unknown reason, with Brown simply stating that he “had to leave.”

In a statement to Refinery29 shortly after, Gwozdz addressed his departure, stating that “this was a decision that I came to with producers, and something that I’ve come to realize what is the best decision that could’ve been made.”

Denying rumors that he was asked to leave the series after details regarding a previous relationship surfaced, he added that the reason for his exit was never aired to respect his privacy.

The 29-year-old’s Bachelorette profile, according to E! News, described him as a psychology grad student from Boca Raton, Florida who aspired to become a clinical psychologist and run a side business in dream therapy analysis.