"Bachelorette" alumni Trista and Ryan Sutter are doing "fine," according to Ryan, after fans became worried by a series of cryptic posts on social media over the past week.
On Sunday, Ryan wrote, "Trista is fine. We are fine. We’re great. Trista is at a place in life where she is searching a bit. An opportunity presented itself that may help her on that quest. With her family’s support, she has taken it. Part of that process means that she is temporarily inaccessible to us."
Ryan attempted to clarify his posts, saying that he wrote his feelings "without regard for how they will be interpreted and with absolutely no intent to deceive or mislead anyone - that is the farthest thing from my mind. I choose to share my thoughts on occasion because it helps me process them and, I hope, may help others navigate their own lives."
"I miss her. We miss her," he added.
TRISTA SUTTER PREDICTS WHETHER ‘GOLDEN BACHELOR’ STAR GERRY TURNER’S RELATIONSHIP WILL ‘LAST’
Fan speculation was sparked last Sunday on Mother’s Day when Ryan posted a black and white photo of Trista from behind with the caption, "They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I can think of only a handful of days I have not, at minimum, spoken to this incredible woman. She is the love of my life and my best friend. I cannot imagine loving her any more or any more fondly. But I guess we’re gonna find out…. I miss her already."
He added the hashtag "nowomannocry."
The same day, he shared another black and white photo of the couple with their children, writing, "I know you wish you were here for Mother’s Day. We wish you were too. But sometimes being a mom means letting go of their hands, granting independence and stimulating their courageous spirit."
Ryan continued, "Sometimes you have to go away so they know you’ll come back, that your love is not limited by distance or difficulty or time. Sometimes you have to do what you sometimes have to do. We’re proud of you mama pajama for everything you do for us, near or far."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
A third post, shared yesterday, showed only Ryan and Trista with a caption saying, "I really wish I could talk to you. Ask you how you’re doing? How was your day. I’d really like to hear your voice - just for a minute. So many times I’ve called without much to say, not realizing how lucky I was or how much I’d miss the opportunity if it were gone," adding that he’ll "be here when you get back…I’ll be here…forever."
Fox News Digital reached out to the Sutters, but representatives for the couple did not immediately respond to the request for comment.
Trista last posted on Mother’s Day, but gave no indication as to a change in her location or availability to the family.
She thanked her children, writing, "Being their mom is who I am at my very core and although I’m far from perfect and have had plenty of stressful motherhood moments, I would not change one single second for anything in the world," and thanked Ryan, saying he was "THE best parenthood partner."
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Trista and Ryan met on the first season of "The Bachelorette" in 2003, marrying in December of that year in a three-part wedding special, "Trista & Ryan's Wedding" on ABC.
The couple now have two children, Maxwell and Blakesley.
Ryan marked their 20th anniversary on Instagram in December, writing, "They never said it would be easy but this year was easily one of the craziest, most challenging, most unpredictable years of the 20 we’ve now spent together," Ryan added on Instagram. "We struggled and we cried. We laughed and we loved. We did it all and we did it together, like we always have. You and me, hand in hand, heart to heart."
The former firefighter has also been struggling with health issues in recent years, stemming from a 2021 Lyme disease diagnosis.
In April, she told People, "He definitely has a lot of ups and downs still and really would like to feel better at least most of the time. He says he’s about 80%. I would go to his doctor’s appointments with him because he is so incredibly humble. So he’s like, ‘Oh I don’t want to complain about whatever’s going on with me,’ even if it’s really significant."
