DeAnna Pappas' Husband Has a Unique Connection to the 'Bachelor' Franchise
Updated July 20 2020, 3:44 p.m. ET
On July 20, ABC is revisiting Brad Womack’s initial season of The Bachelor in which the bar owner famously picked no one during the November 2007 finale, becoming the first (and only) franchise lead to do so.
DeAnna Pappas — who was considered the frontrunner going into the final rose ceremony — left the show brokenhearted, but eventually became the series’ fourth Bachelorette. So, what is she up to now? Though her engagement to contestant Jesse Csincsak was short-lived, the brunette beauty has since found her happily ever after.
Where is DeAnna Pappas now?
Make that DeAnna Stagliano! The former reality star married teacher Stephen Stagliano, the twin brother of Bachelorette and Bachelor Pad alum Michael Stagliano, in 2011. The pair welcomed daughter Addison in February 2014 and son Austin in March 2016.
Following her second child’s birth, DeAnna raved about her husband’s parenting skills. "Stephen is such a great dad and is taking such good care of Austin while we take turns resting. I feel lucky to have such a great man and partner to trust and rely on," she told People magazine at the time.
Last month, the 38-year-old posted a moving tribute to Stephen, whom she met less than a year after her Bachelorette season aired in 2008. "I remember going into [The Bachelorette] & thinking I knew exactly what I wanted in a relationship," she said on June 26.
"And then came you. Walking straight into my life to break down my walls, soften my heart, build me up, prove that compassion and grace do exist, [and] show me what real LOVE is supposed to be like," DeAnna continued. "Forever grateful for you, my dear. Thank you for saving me."
The mommy blogger also penned a short note to herself in preparation for Brad’s season to re-air. "Oh hey baby DeAnna. Don’t worry, you’re gonna be fine. This will be a wild, emotional roller coaster, but ride it," she wrote underneath an image from her first night on The Bachelor.
"One day {about 13 years from this photo}, you will be thankful for his decision [and] you will be grateful to relive it all again."
DeAnna blindsided Jesse Csincsak when she broke off their engagement.
Though fans won’t see Jesse’s proposal on The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons — Ever!, we can’t ignore the duo’s incredibly awkward split when talking about DeAnna’s history with the franchise.
Despite setting a wedding date, Jesse claimed that DeAnna was the one who ended their relationship just three months later. "She came back to Colorado and told me, 'I love you, but I'm not in love with you,'" the professional snowboarder recalled. "I picked her up from the airport and she told me while I was getting her bags."
Jesse admitted that the couple had been spending time apart, but insisted he wasn’t ready to give up on their future. Addressing his former fiancée during an interview with Extra, he said, "I guess I would say I'm sorry for whatever I did to make you not want to be with me."
Luckily, Jesse didn’t have to look far for his future wife. The entrepreneur has been married to former Bachelor contestant Ann Lueders, who briefly appeared on Jason Mesnick’s season in 2009, for nearly 10 years. They have three kids together.
New episodes of The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons — Ever! air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.