'Bachelor' stars Kaitlyn Bristowe, Jason Tartick end their engagement: 'It's heartbreaking'
"Bachelor" stars Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick are saying "I don't."
The former "Bachelorette" lead and her fiancé announced on Sunday that they have decided "with heavy hearts" to split after four years together.
"After sharing the news with family and close friends first, and taking the time to properly process it ourselves, we are saddened with heavy hearts to share that we have decided to end our engagement," the couple wrote in a joint statement on Instagram. "We are thankful for all of you who gave us the time and space to process this life altering decision as there are many emotions and changes to navigate."
Bristowe and Tartick emphasized that they plan to continue their relationship as friends. "We feel grateful to be ending our engagement with love and respect for each other. It’s heartbreaking and sad to say goodbye, but our care and admiration for one another will never die," they continued.
"We are beyond thankful for the memories made together," the "Bachelorette" alums concluded. "We don’t know what the future holds so please try to hold space for us in your hearts."
The couple also revealed that they plan to co-parent their dogs Ramen and Pinot. "While their humans are no longer romantically involved, we will love and take care of them together," they wrote.
Bristowe later shared on her Instagram Story that she will be on a social media hiatus. "If everyone can say some sort of prayer for both of our hearts we would love that. I just know social media can be awful so taking a little break," the "Off the Vine" podcast host wrote.
Tartick also asked for kindness on his Instagram Story, sharing a series of photos of him and Bristowe. "Thank you for the support and love over the years. I will forever be grateful for this beautiful person that was brought into my life. Beyond heartbroken. Please be kind as we go through our own individual journeys to heal," he posted.
The former couple got engaged in 2021, with Tartick popping the question on Bristowe's podcast.
Despite both of them being members of Bachelor Nation, they did not meet on any of the ABC shows. Bristowe was a contestant on Chris Soules' season of "The Bachelor" in 2015 and became the lead of "The Bachelorette" that same year. Meanwhile, Tartick was vying for Becca Kufrin's heart on "The Bachelorette" in 2018.
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Tartick and Bristowe first met when he made an appearance on Bristowe's podcast in 2019, just months after she and Shawn Booth (who proposed to her on "The Bachelorette") ended their engagement.
They began dating shortly after the podcast episode aired. "We were friends. A little banter here and there, and then friendship turned into a relationship," Tartick later confirmed on "Today."
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Bachelor' stars Kaitlyn Bristowe, Jason Tartick split after 4 years