Here's Your Official Bachelor Nation Update On All Things Emily Maynard
Before Hannah Brown makes her debut as the Bachelorette on May 13, the women who came before her are returning to the mansion for a catch-up. 12 of the past 14 Bachelorettes are reuniting in a May 6 special to discuss the ups and downs of the title role, and although it's been a while since she handed out roses, the Season 8 leading lady is actually pretty connected to recent Bachelor Nation happenings. What is Emily Maynard doing in 2019? Her Bachelor romances didn't last, but she found her happy ending in a different way.
When Arie Luyendyk Jr. became the Bachelor in September 2017, many franchise fans had no clue who the race car driver was and what his history with Bachelor Nation was like. Veteran viewers put their Bachelorette knowledge to good use after the announcement, filling others in on Arie's stint on Emily Maynard Johnson's 2012 season. Arie and Emily started out hot and heavy, but she sent him home right before the proposal stage, choosing Jef Holm over him. If you're curious about what Arie was like before constant cardigan wear and fiancée switcheroos, check out his Bachelorette highlights reel here. Back to Emily, though...
Even if you skimmed through Emily's season to familiarize yourself with Arie, you might not have learned her entire Bachelor story. As a single mother after her race car driver fiancé died in a plane crash, Emily first appeared on Brad Womack's second season of The Bachelor in 2011. Brad proposed to the West Virginia native at the end of the competition, but their relationship ended about eight months after they got engaged. Although Emily's fellow contestant Ashley Hebert starred as Bachelorette that year, ABC came calling for Emily the following season.
Since ending her Bachelorette relationship with Jef soon after their engagement, Emily has led a fairly normal life in Charlotte, North Carolina. She married Tyler Johnson in June 2014, and they welcomed three sons — Jennings, Gibson, and Gatlin — in only two and a half years. They're also parents to Emily's teen daughter Ricki, who was featured as a little girl on her Bachelorette season. Blissfully devoid of ads, Emily's Instagram is packed with family photos reminding you what her top priority is.
In 2016, Emily also wrote a book, I Said Yes: My Story of Heartbreak, Redemption, and True Love, which focused on her TV journey and how she recovered from it afterwards. Her website includes a blog of her beauty, fashion, and lifestyle routines, but it hasn't been updated since 2017. She clearly keeps things low-key in her everyday life, so it'll be fun to see what else is new with Emily on the Bachelorette reunion. Will ABC treat us to her and Becca Kufrin swapping thoughts about Arie? Will we see a recap of her epic clapback at her season's villain? We'll have to wait and see.
The Bachelorette Reunion: The Biggest Bachelorette Reunion in Bachelor History Ever! airs on Monday, May 6, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Season 15 of The Bachelorette premieres on Monday, May 13, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
