Shawn Booth has broken his silence on his breakup with Kaitlyn Bristowe, and the former Bachelorette suitor is, in a word, thankful.
“I just want to thank everyone who has been so supportive of my relationship with Kaitlyn over the years. You’ve made me feel incredibly special, supported, and very loved. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. It truly means a lot,” Booth captioned a photo of himself and Bristowe on Instagram. “And thank you to everyone who has sent their love & support during this painful time. I love you guys.”
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The beloved Bachelor Nation couple met during season 11 of The Bachelorette, during which Bristowe narrowed a pool of dating suitors down to just Booth. During the finale, the two got engaged and have enjoyed a seemingly strong relationship for the last three years.
More: The Bachelorette‘s Kaitlyn Bristowe & Shawn Booth Split After 3 Years
However, breakup rumors picked up in recent months as the couple appeared to be spending less time together and making fewer public appearances. Then, last week, Bristowe and Booth released a joint statement announcing their split.
“This difficult decision comes after thoughtful, respectful consideration. Even though we are parting as a couple, we’re very much committed to remaining friends. We have both evolved as people, which is taking us in different directions, but with the hope that we will continue to support each other in new ways. Due to the nature of how we met, our relationship has always been very public, and we have enjoyed sharing it with all of you, but we ask that you respect our decision and our privacy at this time,” the statement read.
Not surprisingly, Bachelor Nation wasted no time mourning the loss.
On his Almost Famous podcast, former Bachelor Ben Higgins said he thought they were “meant to be” and that he wasn’t ready to “give up hope” on a reconciliation between Bristowe and Booth.
Former contestants and current engaged Bachelor Nation couple Jared Haibon and Ashley Iaconetti also weighed in on the broken engagement. “I think it might be the most heart-wrenching break-up,” Haibon told E! News, with Iaconetti adding, “We always strived to have their playfulness, it’s just really sad.”
Although Bristowe hasn’t directly addressed the breakup outside of the joint statement, she has alluded to staying busy during this difficult time. In a Nov. 3 Instagram post, she revealed she was “channeling emotions into music” in the music studio (she sings — who knew?!).
More: Chris Harrison Reveals He Tried to Help Kaitlyn Bristowe & Shawn Booth Presplit
On Friday, she explained her plans to sleep on the streets for a night to raise money and awareness for homeless youth. In the post, she wrote, “You guys blew me away the last couple of years with your support. Makes me want to cry. Call me selfish. But if you do help me help others, it would put a huge smile on my face in somewhat of a challenging time.”
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In addition to her budding music career, Bristowe is focusing on family right now — she returned to her native Canada following the breakup — and is continuing to work on her podcast, Off the Vine. Booth recently opened a fitness studio in Nashville, Tennessee, aptly called Boothcamp.
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