Bachelorette Becca Kufrin Asks for ‘Respect’ as She and Garrett Yrigoyen 'Heal Our Hearts'
Bachelorette Becca Kufrin Confirms Split from Garrett Yrigoyen After 2 Years Together
Becca Kufrin and Garrett Yrigoyen got engaged during the finale of her season of The Bachelorette in August 2018
Becca Kufrin is asking fans for "respect" as she and Garrett Yrigoyen take time to heal following their split.
On Tuesday, the former Bachelorette star confirmed that she and Yrigoyen — who received Kufrin's final rose and proposed on the show — had ended their engagement after more than two years together. She first shared the news in a solo recording on her Bachelor Happy Hour podcast, which she co-hosts with Rachel Lindsay.
Hours after the episode dropped, Kufrin, 30, further addressed the split in an Instagram post, where she assured fans that she and Yrigoyen, 31, have "nothing but love and respect" for each other.
"With a heavy heart, Garrett and I have come to the loving conclusion to end our engagement. All that we will share is that we still have nothing but love and respect for one another even though we’ve decided to go down our own separate paths," she wrote alongside a black-and-white photo of the former couple.
"While we’ve arrived at this point, it doesn’t diminish the countless, amazing memories made together," she continued.
Kufrin concluded by asking her followers to give her and Yrigoyen "grace" as they navigate their futures apart.
"We hope that everyone can allow us grace, respect and the time to heal our hearts as we navigate this next chapter in our lives," she concluded.
A post shared by Becca Kufrin (@bkoof) on Sep 1, 2020 at 8:41am PDT
On the podcast, Kufrin acknowledged what fans had been noticing on social media: that the pair had been spending time apart in recent months.
"I don’t think it’s going to come as a shock to anyone, but Garrett and I have decided to end our engagement," Kufrin said.
Earlier this month, Kufrin shared a photo of herself without her engagement ring while she was back home in her home state of Minnesota, spurring on breakup rumors.
"Garrett and I came to this decision after many conversations. It wasn’t just something we just arrived at one night," Kufrin continued. "It wasn’t based solely off of one Instagram post or somebody else’s opinions or comments. There's much more to it. To any relationship, there’s a lot of layers. It’s not for me to divulge details. It’s no one’s business other than what I’m telling you right now."
Recognizing the "roller coaster of emotions" that comes with a breakup, Kufrin said that now that she and Yrigoyen have "finally come to terms with it," they have "realized that we still have so much love and kindness and compassion in our hearts for the other person, but sometimes people’s paths just go different ways."
Becca Kufrin Becca Kufrin and Garrett Yrigoyen
Kufrin shared that "it’s really hard to be sitting here talking with you all today and admitting this because I don’t think anyone is prepped for giving a public statement for a breakup."
"We went on this crazy TV show over two years ago in hopes of finding love, and we were lucky enough that we did," Kufrin continued. "We really, truly did. I’m so grateful for that opportunity and to have had the two-plus years with Garrett. Like I said, I still have so much love and compassion in my heart for him. Just because we’ve arrived at this decision now doesn’t take away all of the years and the countless memories that we’ve made together. I will always look back at this time in my life with so much gratitude and love."
In June, Kufrin revealed that she didn't "know" the status of her relationship with her now ex-fiancé following his support of law enforcement in the wake of national protests against systemic racism and police brutality.
On an earlier episode of the podcast, Kufrin addressed Yrigoyen's comments and apologized to Lindsay — the franchise's first Black female lead — for the way she handled herself while discussing race in America.
"For those who are curious about my relationship with Garrett at this point, all I can say right now is that I don't know," Kufrin said at the time. "I can't give anything more than that."
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Kufrin shared that she and Yrigoyen were continuing to do work on the matter "at home at this time and that's where the work will remain."
"That's really the best I can give you at this point," she said.
On June 4, Yrigoyen posted a lengthy statement on Instagram alongside a photo of the "Thin Blue Line," a symbol meant to show support for police officers.
Yrigoyen said he "couldn't sit back and not support" his "many friends and family in law enforcement," as well as the "hundreds of thousands of men and women of all races that represent this Thin Blue Line as well."
On a podcast episode that aired just hours after Yrigoyen's statement was posted, Kufrin showed support for him.
Becca Kufrin Garrett Yrigoyen and Becca Kufrin
"Garrett is my fiancé and I love him and to his core, I believe that he is a good person," Kufrin said, adding, "I don’t align with and I don’t agree with" his social media post.
On May 11, Kufrin and Yrigoyen celebrated the two-year anniversary of their engagement with sweet posts on Instagram.
"Hey @gy_yrigoyen, remember when you opened the ring box backward? That's when I knew I was in for the time of my life," Kufrin captioned two photos of the couple's proposal in the Maldives, which aired during her season finale of The Bachelorette in August 2018.
"Two years down, hopefully 68 more to go," she added. "I love you G."
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"Of course I opened it backward, I have to keep you guessing :)" Yrigoyen commented. "I love you too."
He also posted a photo of the two embracing by the water. "I've learned precisely 730 new things about you and from you," he wrote. "Something new every day. Happy 2 year, love you B."
After their time on The Bachelorette, Kufrin and Yrigoyen moved in together in an apartment near San Diego, California. They had been taking their relationship at their own pace, maintaining they wanted to make sure the timing is right for both of them for when they tie the knot.
