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Michelle Youngis looking back at her breakup with former fiancéNayte Olukoya.
The formerlead ofThe Bacheloretteaddressed the split for the first time on the latest episode ofThe Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous PodcastTuesday, aftershe and Olukoya announced they had ended their engagementin June.
“I will say that this is not something that I foresaw and I’ll leave it there,” Young, 29, told hostsBen HigginsandAshley Iaconetti, adding that she was leaning on her family and friends during this time.
Young and Olukoya, 27, got engaged at the end ofThe Bachelorette’s 18th season, which finished airing in December 2021 — and evenreceived a surprise $200,00 down payment for a homefrom the series. At the time, Olukoya planned to move from Austin to Young’s home state of Minnesota.
When asked about how the money will be used in the wake of the breakup, Young noted that the “money was gifted to both of us” and said it’s still “going to be decided how that’s going to be utilized, going forward.”
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“I haven’t officially decided, but I have started putting down some different things in place to give back, to build an organization, or just promote the change that I’ve been talking about,” thefifth grade teachersaid. “I think that’d be something that I’d feel really good about.”
Through tears, Young added that she had been “crying on the phone with one of the producers,” asking if she could give the money to “somebody else.”
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“I know that’s been the million dollar question, no pun intended,” she said. “Yeah, it’s been a lot.”
Young and Olukoya made history as thefirst couple of colorto get engaged onThe BachelororThe Bachelorettein the franchise’s near 20-year run. Six months later, the pairpublicly announced the end of their engagement in separate Instagram Storieson June 17, with Young noting at the time that having her relationship in the public eye “has not been easy.”
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Olukoya took to Instagram once again on June 27 to say he didn’t cheat on Young before they called it quits. In asince-expired Instagram Q&A, Olukoya noted that “not every breakup needs to have someone to blame.”
“Yes, the pressures were insane for both of us. We tried. It didn’t work,” he wrote at the time. “We’re sad about it. We all grieve differently.”
When the pair initially got engaged at the end ofThe Bachelorette’s season, Youngtold PEOPLEshe was certain that Olukoya was “her person.”
source: people.com
