Tyler Gwozdz: Everything to Know About the Late Bachelorette Contestant

Bachelor Nation is mourning the loss of one of its own.

Former Bachelorette contestant Tyler Gwozdz has died just over a week after a suspected overdose, PEOPLE confirmed on Thursday. Online records list his date of death as Jan. 22. He was 29.

Though his time on the franchise was short, Bachelorette fans are in shock over his sudden death. Here’s everything to know about who he was.

RELATED: Former Bachelorette Contestant Tyler Gwozdz Dead at 29 After Suspected Overdose

PhD Dreams

Prior to stepping into the Bachelor Mansion, Gwozdz, then 28, was a psychology graduate student living in Boca Raton, Florida.

“Tyler G. is a very laid-back guy with a go-with-the-flow kind of attitude. He avoids clubs at all costs and would much rather spend time reading, going to Soul Cycle or relaxing on his boat,” his Bachelorette bio read.

In addition to noting that his “life goal” was to “get his PhD in psychology and become a clinical psychologist,” the bio also revealed that he had a “side business in Dream Therapy Analysis.”

Abrupt Exit from The Bachelorette

Gwozdz appeared on Hannah Brown‘s season last year. He secured the first one-on-one date with her, which included four-wheeling in the mud. Though he earned himself a rose on the date, he abruptly left during the third episode. No reason was given to explain his departure, with Brown simply telling the rest of the contestants that he “had to leave.”

He told Refinery29 in a statement at the time, “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.”

He added that the reason his actual exit wasn’t aired was to respect his privacy.

Although an official reason for his departure has never been shared, he was accused of being an “extreme misogynist” in an anonymous Reddit thread, which also alleged that he had spit on an ex-girlfriend, according to Newsweek.

At the time, former Bachelor contestant Bekah Martinez weighed in on the accusations, sharing on Instagram that while she had initially spoken about the situation on an episode of her Chatty Broads podcast, she deleted it after allegedly learning of “additional allegations” from a verified source.

“I spoke directly to Tyler, who claimed that the spitting allegations were false, that he removed himself from the show for an unrelated reason, and that ABC looked into the spitting situation and found no further information,” she wrote on Instagram, according to Newsweek. “I can now say with certainty that I do NOT believe the information he provided me.”

At the time, Gwozdz referred to the anonymous accusations as “totally unsubstantiated rumors.”

“The rumors are so far out of the realm of my personality and values that it seems silly to waste time denying, but I suppose I will for the record,” he told Refinery29.

Life After The Bachelorette

Following his brief reality television stint, Gwozdz kept a relatively low profile.

In June, he called appearing on The Bachelorette an amazing experience as he spoke out about the importance of the Make Our Schools Safe foundation.

“Television has been an amazing experience- I made friends and memories for life. But now it’s time to do more, and use this platform for the next generation,” he wrote, as he asked his followers to join him in supporting the non-profit, which was founded following the 2018 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

“Your Voice Is Your Power. I’ve always believed that learning to read and write makes a child absolutely unstoppable- this great nation’s #schools deserve modern updated #safety changes and layers of protection. Children & #teachers deserve to feel and BE safe in school. #Together we can Make Our Schools Safe. Follow @MakeOurSchoolsSafe to witness the journey and help support the mission,” he added.

Gwozdz’s last Instagram post, which is from September 2019, also shows him hanging out with several members of Bachelor Nation: Matt Donald, Grant Eckel and Matthew Spraggins, who also vied for Brown’s roses, as well as Bachelor in Paradise’s Clay Harbor and Dylan Barbour.

“Fam,” Gwozdz captioned the photographs, adding the hashtags “#bachelorette #bachelornation #bachelorinparadise.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.