It’s been just over three months (seems longer) since Bachelorette star Gabby Windey and her former fiancé called it quits. But Erich Schwer is already moving on with a new girl.
The Season 19 winner made his current dating status clear on Valentine’s Day. He posted a photo of himself alongside model Elizabeth Turner on his Instagram Stories. The photo, which was captioned, “Valentine,” showed Elizabeth kissing Erich on the cheek, per Us Weekly.
Gabby and Erich confirmed their split in November 2022. It was barely two months after their proposal aired on The Bachelorette finale.
“I do truly think it was compatibility,” the Season 31 Dancing With the Stars runner-up said at the time. “It was just getting to know the relationship in-person, because we were long-distance, and before that kind of in a bubble [while the show was airing] . . . you don’t always know the questions to ask, or it’s up to the other person to really know themselves and bring forth their truth,” Gabby said. “So I think it was a lot of getting to know each other in real life.”
While the relationship with Gabby ended quickly, Erich still believes he learned a lot from his experience on The Bachelorette. He told OK!, “I learned how to be vulnerable and how to put myself out there 100 percent, to be more in tune with my feelings and express them openly. Overall, the experience allowed me to come out of my shell in a way I hadn’t before and find confidence in being my true self.”
The real estate analyst shared his side of the split. He admitted that the death of his father while the show was being filmed played a role. While his dad did get to meet The Bachelorette during his son’s hometown date and “really liked Gabby,” he passed away before the show aired on television.
The New Jersey native admitted that he struggled with his mental health during that time and wished he “could have coped” better. “I was learning how to navigate the loss of my father and a new engagement, all at once, and on a public scale nonetheless,” Erich said. “There were times I felt lost and . . . I didn’t have the tools I’ve since learned on how to handle the pressure and pain I was feeling.”
More recently, Erich spoke about what he wanted in a future partner. He admitted he was taking things “slowly” in his new romance. “I want to find my best friend, someone that I can vibe with every day,” he told OK! in February 2023.
“I want a partnership where we can lean on and support each other through the highs and lows. Someone open to adventure . . . and fiery romance. Because at the end of the day, I’m a hopeful romantic,” he added.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK ERICH HAS FOUND HIS MATCH WITH ELIZABETH TURNER? OR DO YOU THINK SHE’S JUST ANOTHER STOP ALONG THE WAY IN HIS JOURNEY TO FIND A PARTNER? DO YOU THINK ERICH REALLY WANTS A PARTNER?
[Photo Credit: ABC/Ricky Middlesworth]