The 27-year-old contractor from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was sent home ahead of the rose ceremony after a series of painful back and forths with Jenn Tran, during which he admitted that the Season 21 lead wasn’t his type, he initially thought Daisy Kent or Maria Georgas were going to be The Bachelorette stars, he associated the word “aggressive” with mention of “Fantasy Suite,” and…uh…he loved Jenn. (Yes, really!)
As Sam M. tried and failed to fight for another rose, a large chunk of Bachelor Nation found his words — especially the “I love you” — insincere. Even the franchise’s favorite spoiler Reality Steve tweeted , “Sam pulling the ‘I Love You’ card from the bottom of the deck when his back was against the wall is an all-time reach. Wow.” Following what many felt was a long-overdue elimination, McKinney shared a video to social media to address Tran, double down on his feelings for her, and thank his family and fans for sticking by him through the season.
“What’s up, you guys? So my time on The Bachelorette is over, and I really just want to take this time to say thank you — and I want to start at the top with Jenn for showing me that I was capable of loving again after my past. That’s something that I’m extremely grateful for. I wish that I was able to truly show how I felt in that moment right there, but that love that I carry is visceral it’s instinctive and it’s beyond description, and it just didn’t work in that setting, and that’s OK,” McKinney said. “I really want to say thank you to my cast mates. I made friends that I will hold onto forever, and for the fans that have still supported me through all of this, thank you, because that was not easy watching. So y’alls kindness has gone so much farther than what you know for me and for my family. And to my family, I love you guys. Thank you.”
In the weeks since McKinney was first dubbed a Season 21 villain, the contestant’s family members hopped on social media to come to his defense and criticize the show’s edits. On July 30, McKinney’s sister shared a video to Instagram calling him “one of the most authentic, loyal, and badass guys that you are ever gonna come across.” She explained that McKinney “can be a hothead and his deliveries aren’t always the best, but he says what he means and he means what he says.” Earlier in the season, Reality Steve also shared screenshots of McKinney’s father, mother, and more family members posting in his defense.
“As tough as this was to watch, I’m thankful,” McKinney wrote in the caption of his post-elimination Instagram video. “Jenn’s fearlessness in all aspects of this process showed me that it was possible for me to open myself back up after my past. Her ability to feel and respond to all of my emotions in every situation was something that I’ve never had. It’s something that gives me hope for the future. I’m not perfect. And I don’t claim to be. But I do know where my heart is and the love I have inside of me. And I’m looking forward to the day I get to share that with someone.”
Only time will tell if McKinney decides to attend the Men Tell All episode and brave the hot seat before Bachelor Nation. Until then, new episodes of The Bachelorette Season 21 premiere Mondays at 8:00 p.m. on ABC with next-day streaming on Hulu.
For more entertainment news and streaming recommendations, visit decider.com
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