Bachelorette alum Clint Arlis, who competed on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s season of the reality show, has died. He was 34.
A family friend who coached wrestling at Arlis’ alma mater — Batavia High School in the former TV personality’s hometown of Batavia, Illinois — confirmed the news via Twitter on Wednesday, January 12.
“It is with a heavy heart and a sense of profound loss that we announce the death of one of the Batavia Wrestling Program’s All-Time greats, 2005 graduate, Clint Arlis,” Coach Bayer wrote. “Clint was the beloved son of Coach Tom Arlis and his wife, Jamie, protective, loving older brother of his sister, Taylor, and the boyhood idol and best friend of his kid brother, Coach Logan Arlis.”
Bayer went on to list Clint’s many accomplishments over the years, from his wrestling victories to his desire to mentor young people.
“I have come to know Clint over the years since I joined Tom’s coaching staff and Batavia Wrestling Family in the late fall of 2005, after his graduation. I have found him to be extraordinarily devoted to his family and deeply committed to the sport [of] wrestling at a level few of us ever reach in our careers,” he continued. “While pursuing his career in architecture, he’s always made a priority of coming back to our (his) wrestling room and generously giving back to our kids. He was a talented artist with a sharp wit, a sardonic sense of humor and palpable authenticity.”
Bayer concluded the thread with a message to Clint’s family. “His legacies as a fierce competitor, tireless worker, a caring influence to younger Batavia wrestlers, a devoted friend and a loving son and brother will resonate far beyond his days in our presence,” he noted. “On behalf of all of us in the Batavia Wrestling Family, we send our deepest and most sincere condolences to the Arlis Family during this period [of] unimaginable heartbreak and grief. To the Arlis Family, we loved Clint. We love you.”
The Illinois native vied for Bristowe’s affection on season 11 of The Bachelorette, which aired in 2015. He and JJ Lane sparked controversy with their friendship at the time and were labeled as villains. Clint was eliminated during week three.
The architectural engineer later apologized during the Men Tell All, claiming that his and Lane’s villain gag was “tongue [in] cheek.” He also clarified during the reunion that he was a “straight man” after the show portrayed his relationship with his fellow contestant as a burgeoning romance.
In the years since season 11 aired, Clint kept a low profile and seemingly deleted his social media accounts.
Bristowe, for her part, got engaged to Jason Tartick in May 2021 after splitting from season 11 winner Shawn Booth in 2018.