The Redemption of the "Villain"
Most people remember the 2019 season of The Bachelor. It was messy. Caelynn Miller-Keyes was at the center of a lot of that mess. People called her calculated. They called her a "pageant girl" who was just there for the fame. Looking back from 2026, it's kinda wild how wrong the internet was.
She didn't just fade away into the world of sponsored tea and fast-fashion hauls. Honestly, she did the opposite. She built a life that’s remarkably grounded, especially for someone who came out of the Bachelor Nation meat grinder.
Life as Caelynn Bell: The Colorado Shift
In 2023, Caelynn married Dean Unglert. But they didn't just get married. They both changed their last names to Bell. It was a tribute to Dean’s late mother, Debbie Bell. That’s a heavy, beautiful move that you don't usually see from reality TV stars looking for a quick headline. It signaled a real shift in who they were as a couple.
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They aren't living in a glass box in West Hollywood. They moved to Colorado. They bought a house. They have a senior dog named Alastor and a rescue cat named Carl. It’s... normal.
The Reality of "Happily Ever After"
It hasn’t been all mountain sunsets and aesthetic van life. Lately, Caelynn has been incredibly open about their fertility journey.
In late 2025, she shared that they had been trying to conceive for a while and it was "harder than expected."
It’s tough.
Seeing someone with millions of followers talk about basal body temperature and the disappointment of a negative test makes her feel human. She isn't just a face on a screen; she's a woman going through something millions of others are.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Advocacy
Long before the roses and the drama, Caelynn was a survivor. She used her platform as Miss North Carolina USA 2018 to fight for Title IX changes at her alma mater, VCU.
People forget that.
They focus on the "Stagecoach" drama or the Petty feuds. But Caelynn has stayed consistent. She works with organizations like Helping Survivors and continues to push for better policies for sexual assault survivors. She turned a traumatic personal experience into a roadmap for others. That’s not "calculated"—that’s brave.
The Business of Being Caelynn
She’s still a powerhouse in the fashion and beauty space, but it feels different now.
Less "look at me" and more "here's what actually works."
She’s partnered with brands like Wilson Tennis and Revlon, but she also has her own jewelry line with Sets and Stones.
The interesting part? She’s used that influence to help children with disabilities get specialized bikes through Reachcycles. She’s essentially figured out how to make the "influencer" model actually do some good in the world.
A Different Kind of Influencer
- Senior Dog Advocacy: She doesn't just post cute puppies; she pushes for senior dog adoption.
- Authenticity: She talks about therapy and mental health without the glossy filter.
- Sustainability: Her move toward a more mountain-focused, intentional lifestyle reflects a change in her values.
Why Caelynn Miller-Keyes Still Matters in 2026
We love a comeback story. But Caelynn isn't a comeback; she’s an evolution. She took the "villain" edit, the public scrutiny, and the pressure of a televised relationship, and she just... grew up.
She and Dean (now the Bells) have one of the few relationships from that franchise that feels genuinely sturdy. They survived the "vantasy suite" and the pressure cooker of Paradise to build something that looks like a real life.
If you’re looking to follow her journey or support the causes she cares about, here are some ways to engage:
- Check out her advocacy work: Look into organizations like Helping Survivors to see how you can support Title IX improvements and survivor resources.
- Support Senior Pet Adoption: If you’re looking for a pet, consider a senior animal. Caelynn often highlights the joy of giving an older dog a "retirement" home.
- Follow the Journey: She continues to share updates on her life in Colorado and her fertility journey on her social channels, providing a raw look at what life after reality TV actually looks like.
The story of Caelynn Miller-Keyes is a reminder that the person we see on a 42-minute edited TV show is rarely the whole person. Sometimes, the "pageant girl" turns out to be the most real one of them all.