April 20, 2026 bachelor insider
Michelle Young Opens Up About the Struggle of Living with Chronic Illness: ‘What You Didn’t See’
Getting vulnerable.
Former Bachelorette Michelle Young found love off-screen with husband Jack Leius, and in 2025 the two officially tied the knot in a gorgeous Minnesota wedding ceremony.
Last year, the newlywed couple left for their honeymoon but had to cut their trip short due to health issues.
Michelle shared online that she had been dealing with health struggles and recently discovered that it was due to severe exposure to mold and mycotoxin illness.
The former Bachelorette has been going through treatments to help her body detox and recently opened up about the struggles of living with a chronic illness.
In new posts on Instagram, Michelle revealed that she has officially been diagnosed with dysautonomia or, more specifically, POTS.
She said, “I developed POTS as a result of my autonomic system completely crashing. Luckily in my case, we do believe that I can overcome POTS if I’m able to rebuild and regulate my nervous system and also detox from any mold.”
While sharing a glimpse into her life as she tries to rebuild her nervous system, Michelle highlighted key moments over the past year when she was struggling with her illness but didn’t show it on social media.
In a post with the title, “What you didn’t see…” Michelle got candid about the “deep grief” she felt over leaving her honeymoon early. She also revealed that she had to take multiple breaks during her and Jack’s wedding before being bedridden for a week due to physical exhaustion and feeling lethargic.
Michelle also said that due to her energy levels feeling depleted after getting her hair and nails done, she almost missed her surprise proposal.
The Bachelor Nation star stated that her reason for posting was not to share as a “‘proof’ of illness, but sharing so those who are quietly struggling feel seen.”
We appreciate Michelle’s vulnerability and we’re sending our love. We’re keeping her in our thoughts during this time and hope she starts feeling better soon.
