Season 16 ofThe Bachelorettehad far more revelations and drama than the average season.
But there’s far more to this former army vet than meets the eye.
Here’s the truth about Ben Smith.
Why did The Bachelorette’s Ben Smith leave the army?
Ben Smithserved in the army before vying for Tayshia Adams' rose onThe Bachelorette.
But asThe Bacheloretteprogressed, Ben began to share more about himself, leading to a startling revelation.
“I didn’t want to burden anybody with my problems.
And I thought that the easiest way was to just not be around.
Luckily, it didn’t work.”
“She saved my life,” he confessed.
“She saved my life, and so I owe her everything.”
We’re not crying, you’re crying.
“I found out what girls were when I was 15,” he recalled during the cocktail party.
“I realized they don’t like the fat kid.
So I stopped eating.”
The former Army Ranger opened up about his health journey, which began with him getting hisCrossFitcertification in 2011.
According to aYouTubevideo Ben made documenting his journey, he found a sense of community pursuing what he loved.
“I can just show up as me,” he proclaimed.
“But I ended up breaking my back pretty bad.”
He went on to explain how he was 26 years old and could barely walk up the stairs.
This injury was also the catalyst to the darker days of his life.
Though his battle was tough, Ben eventually found his footing, pursuing a life of health and fitness.
Ben missed an important first meeting with Logan Gelbrich, a fitness trainer and the owner of Deuce Gym.
This was after Ben asked Gelbrich about a job opportunity, as he explained in aYouTubevideo for the facility.
Ben then scheduled a meeting with Gelbrich.
Fortunately, after reaching out again on Instagram, Ben got another opportunity to meet with his idol.
During the date, the men were asked to create self-portraits, which led to many emotional revelations.
Ben explained his motivations on theBachelor Happy Hourpodcast.
“The art date allowed me to express myself in other ways,” he explained.
“Taking my clothes off was a literal and figurative dropping of my guard.”
“In this case, it was…furthering my relationship with this beautiful woman.”
However, before opening up to Tayshia, Ben had his guard up from the beginning of the season.
“But Ben was someone that really surprised me.”
It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders."
“I have a life outside of this experience,” he shared.
Ben expresses his romantic side by writing love letters to convey his affection.
And according to Chris, those are genuine qualities that Ben portrays on camera.
He also called Ben “the gentle-giant of the season.”
Furthermore, Chris went on to reveal that the guarded vet was actually a big talker.
“When you get Ben going, it’s hard to get him to stop,” he shared.
“[He’s] well-liked and kind of a natural leader in the house,” he added.
“Guys really look up to him.”
We’re not surprised in the least.
