Former “Rock of Love” contestant Kelsey Bateman has died. She was 39.
The reality star, who appeared in the third and final season of the VH1 dating show in 2009, died “unexpectedly,” her family told TMZ.
No cause of death was revealed.
Bateman was just 21 years old when she competed against 22 women to date rocker Bret Michaels.
“Rock of Love with Bret Michaels” ran from 2007 to 2009. The third season, which was titled “Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels,” featured the women living on tour buses and traveling with the Poison frontman.
Bateman became one of the final nine women competing to be Michaels’ girlfriend, but was eliminated in the seventh episode of the third season.
She showed up to the elimination drunk with several other contestants, admitting she laid on a speed bump and cried because of the pressures of the show.
“I ended up laying on a speed bump balling my eyes out but you know what? I’m here and I’m ready for whatever Bret has to say to me,” she said in a confessional.
“But I mean, hey, I can’t be the only girl that’s got drunk and laid on a speed bump. Let’s be honest.”
Michaels, now 62, eliminated Bateman after saying he didn’t think she could handle his rock-and-roll lifestyle.
“At some point I looked over during the concert and you were no longer there,” he told her.
“And at some point you were laying on a speed bump talking saying you couldn’t handle this any longer. I think tonight the fact that you are are needing to be who you are not, the fact you need to drink this much?”
“I think you’re awesome and a beautiful girl and I said sometimes I have to make decisions for people, and my decision for you is that I’m going to let your tour end here,” he said.
In a follow-up confessional, an emotional Bateman admitted, “Sometimes I get drunk and lay on speed bumps it’s just you know. Apparently Bret just can’t handle a girl that likes to get drunk and lay on speed bumps. I mean maybe he’s not used to it.”
“I’m going to go home and I’m going to be single I’m not going to think about guys for a while but the next guy I find definitely won’t be 44 and probably not a rock star.”
The musician ultimately ended up selecting Taya Parker as his girlfriend in the finale. However, their relationship was short-lived, and he went on to marry his wife, Kristi Michaels, in 2013.
Bret and Kristi, who first met in 1994, share daughters Raine, 25, and Jorja, 20.