Eric Hill, a contestant on this season of The Bachelorette, died in a paragliding accident after filming the reality show — and during last night’s episode, the 31-year-old explorer got some prominent screen time during a date with Bachelorette Andi Dorfman, in which they built sand castles and went snowboarding. After watching the episode, Karen Tracey — the sister of the deceased — spoke about her brother to Today.
“People ask if it’s difficult to watch him on the show, and I do get a little nervous until I see the handsome brother that I know and love,” she said. “I don’t own a TV, so I watch The Bachelorette with a good friend. I get a little tearful, but I know Eric would want his audience to enjoy the journey with him, and seeing him makes me smile.”
Tracey said she always worried for Hill, who traveled the world on various adventures, but wanderlust was in his blood. She remembered visiting the site where Hill sustained the injuries that led to his death: “We watched the paragliders soaring overhead and imagined Eric enjoying his last flight. We remembered a man who had lived his life to the absolute fullest,” she said. “The world was just not big enough for him.”
[TODAY]
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com