The Bachelorette 's Gabby Windey Splits from Fiancé Erich Schwer
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Gabby Windey and her fiancé Erich Schwer are going their separate ways, PEOPLE has confirmed.
The reality star, 31, and her fiancé, 29, are ending their engagement after she accepted his proposal on the season 19 finale of The Bachelorette in September 2022.
The decision to end the relationship comes after Windey revealed that the couple were focusing on their individual goals while she competed on season 31 of Dancing with the Stars.
After being asked whether she and Schwer were still together, Windey told Fox News, "I think life is just really busy for the both of us right now. So, I understand their concern but we're just kinda, you know, going forward with each of our individual interests and supporting each other from afar."
Craig Sjodin/abc Gabby and Erich
Windey's comment came as fans speculated about the status of the couple's relationship. The former Bachelorette was spotted without her engagement ring on the Disney+ series while Schwer was not seen in the DWTS ballroom after supporting his fiancé in early weeks of the competition.
Windey previously told reporters it was "amazing" to have Schwer watching her from the crowd.
"Just me being excited to perform for him, and him to see a different side of me that we don't get to share with each other every day," she shared.
The couple's Bachelorette love story culminated with Schwer popping the question on the season 19 finale of The Bachelorette in September 2022.
Following their television proposal, Windey opened up to PEOPLE about the challenges they faced once they entered the real world after wrapping the ABC reality show.
"There's lots of excitement. There's also some fear, because you don't know what you're really walking into," she said at the time. "It's a whole new world post-filming!"
The couple faced adversity when an image and texts from Schwer's past leaked. First, a high school yearbook of Schwer in blackface surfaced.
Craig Sjodin/ABc Erich and Gabby
The television personality admitted she learned about the photo at the same time as the rest of the world and "was incredibly shocked." She added, "[I] just really had to process my thoughts and then think about how we can grow as a couple and learn from this."
They ultimately did, and Schwer later apologized on Instagram for his "offensive and damaging behavior."
Shortly thereafter, one of Schwer's exes leaked text messages that seemed to show the real estate analyst breaking up with her to go on the show — and only going on The Bachelorette for career advancement. The texts didn't faze Windey, though, since her fiancé gave her a heads-up about them after filming wrapped.
RELATED VIDEO: Gabby Windey Addresses Fiancé Erich's Blackface Photo, Leaked Texts: 'We're Seeing How We Can Become Better'
RELATED: Gabby Windey and Erich Schwer Get Engaged in Bachelorette Finale: 'You Fought for Me So Hard'
"I was expecting the text messages," she revealed. "He was scared they were going to leak and I'm like, 'You have to prepare yourself now and tell me the truth.' And he did, so there's not really anything I can say or do."
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"Ultimately it was a time for us to take a step back and reflect on our relationship and see if we can get through this," she added. "You have to really lead on your communication, be really honest with each other while having these tough conversations. We're seeing how we can become better from both."
