Kelsey Bateman, who competed for the romantic attentions of Poison frontman Bret Michaels on the reality show Rock of Love, has died. She was 39.
The death was reported by family members to TMZ. A cause or place of death were not reported, but a family member told the outlet that Bateman died recently and unexpectedly.
Bateman reportedly lived in the Salt Lake City area and in recent years, according to a LinkedIn page, worked in sales for Utah’s Vox Nutrition, a private label supplement manufacturing company.
Bateman’s short-lived reality career might be best remembered for its melodramatic ending. After making it into the finals competition 10 contestants, Bateman’s unsteady, sometimes alcohol-fueled behavior was called out by the rock star. “At some point I looked over during the concert and you were no longer there,” Michaels told Bateman before her elimination.
In a confessional segment, Bateman, who conceded the pressures of the show had been mounting, said, “I ended up laying on a speed bump bawling my eyes out, but you know what? I’m here and I’m ready for whatever Bret has to say to me.”
In breaking the news of her departure, Michaels said, “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.”
In show clips available on YouTube, Bateman offers her last word. “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.”
Information on survivors was not immediately available.
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