“The Bachelorette” star Gabby Windey speaks out after an old photo of her fiancé, Erich Schwer, surfaced in blackface.
“I was incredibly shocked,” Windey, 31, told People in an interview published Tuesday. “[I] I just had to really process my thoughts and then think about how we can grow as a couple and learn from this.”
Windey also revealed that she was aware of the photo with the rest of the world, which appeared in Schwer’s high school textbook and showed him in blackface wearing an Afro wig.
When the photo first surfaced online earlier this month, 29-year-old Schwer apologized for being “insensitive” and explained that his makeup was part of a costume.
“What I thought at the time was a representation of my love for Jimi Hendrix was nothing but ignorance,” he wrote on Instagram. “I was naive of the hurtful implications of my actions to the black community and those closest to me, and will forever regret my abusive and harmful behavior.”
The New Jersey-born real estate analyst concluded his post by expressing how “deeply ashamed” he was of his actions as a teenager and acknowledging that his “apology is only the first step in taking responsibility.”
However, it was not Schwer’s only controversy. He also found himself in hot water when his ex-girlfriend Amanda Kaylor released screenshots of text messages that revealed he was getting on the ABC reality dating series to advance his career.
Windey shared in Tuesday’s interview that Schwer gave her a warning before the lyrics appeared online, but the back-to-back scandals still put their engagement to the test.
“Ultimately, it was a time for us to step back and think about our relationship and see if we can get through this,” she told People.
“You really have to take the lead in your communication, be very honest with each other during these difficult conversations.”
Despite his initial reluctance to get engaged, Schwer proposed to Windey at their final rose ceremony in the dramatic season 19 finale on Tuesday.
“I love you, Gabby Windey,” he said before asking the question. “You’re amazing. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. It’s you, me until the wheels fall off. I’m head over heels in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
ABC also announced during the finale that the next “Bachelor” will be Zach Shallcross, whose season will air after “Bachelor in Paradise” premieres next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.