You’ve probably seen the comments. Maybe you were scrolling through Reddit after the Hometowns episode of The Bachelor Season 29 and saw the speculation. People were genuinely confused. They saw Litia Garr—who is biracial and stunning—standing next to her very white, very Mormon family in Wyoming and the gears started turning. The internet did what the internet does: it jumped to conclusions.
The question "is Litia adopted" started trending almost immediately. It’s one of those things where people see a visual disconnect and assume there’s a secret "backstory" the producers aren't telling us. But honestly? The truth is a lot more personal, and a bit more heartbreaking, than the "secret adoption" theory.
Is Litia Adopted? Setting the Record Straight
Let’s get the big answer out of the way: No, Litia Garr is not adopted. She is the biological daughter of her mother, Maurie Garr, and her late father, who was from Fiji. The confusion mostly stems from the fact that Litia's father passed away when she was just a tiny baby—only three months old, to be exact. He died in a tragic car accident, leaving her mother a widow at just 23 years old.
When you saw that big, welcoming family on your screen during the Hometowns date with Grant Ellis, you were looking at Litia’s biological mother, her stepfather (who she considers her dad), and her brothers. Because her mother eventually remarried into a white, Latter-day Saint (Mormon) family, Litia grew up in a household where she was the only person of color.
Why the Rumors Started
It’s easy to see why people got mixed up. In a world of reality TV where "secret siblings" and "long-lost parents" are common tropes, a biracial woman with a white family often triggers the adoption question.
- The Visual Contrast: Litia’s Fijian heritage gives her a distinct look compared to her mom and brothers.
- The Mormon Connection: There is a well-documented history of adoption within the LDS community, which led some viewers to assume Litia was part of that narrative.
- The "Hometowns" Effect: Seeing a contestant’s entire extended family at once often leads fans to play "spot the resemblance."
The Story Litia Actually Told
Litia wasn't shy about her history on the show. She actually explained her heritage quite clearly to Grant early on. She told him, "My mom is from Idaho. She's white and my dad is from Fiji. They fell in love and they got married and they had me."
That’s about as definitive as it gets.
She also spoke deeply about her mother’s resilience. Can you imagine being 23, having a three-month-old infant, and suddenly losing your husband? Litia calls her mom her greatest example of strength for a reason. The family we saw on TV is the result of that strength—a blended family that stepped in to raise her in Utah and Wyoming.
Growing Up Biracial in Salt Lake City
Being raised in the Mormon faith in Salt Lake City as a woman of color is a unique experience. Litia has touched on this in interviews since the show ended. She’s mentioned feeling isolated at times, or wondering if her appearance affected her dating life in a community that is predominantly white.
When Grant Ellis went to Wyoming, his biggest fear wasn't about Litia's "status" in the family; it was about whether a very religious family would accept him, a non-Mormon guy with tattoos who likes a drink now and then.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Background
The most common misconception isn't just about whether she’s adopted—it’s about her identity as a whole. Because she grew up in a conservative, religious environment, some fans assumed she was "whitewashed" or disconnected from her roots.
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But her name itself—Litia—is a nod to her Fijian side. While she didn't grow up in Fiji, she has been vocal about how much she still feels her biological father’s love, even though he’s been gone since her infancy.
The Real Family Dynamic
During the Hometowns episode, we saw her brothers, Ethan and Jackson, and her parents, Rob and Mari. The warmth was real. Rob (her stepfather) was the one who actually calmed Grant’s nerves about the religious differences.
It’s a classic example of how a family doesn't have to look identical to be completely "real."
- Biological Connection: Litia shares 50% of her DNA with her mother, Maurie.
- Cultural Upbringing: She was raised fully within the culture of her mother and stepfather.
- Late Father's Legacy: She carries her Fijian heritage as a core part of her identity, even without a physical presence from that side of the family growing up.
Life After The Bachelor
Since the finale—where things got pretty messy between her, Grant, and Juliana—Litia has been using her platform to talk more about these nuances. She’s been open about the "emotional rollercoaster" of watching her life play out on screen.
She isn't just "the girl from the Mormon family." She’s a venture capitalist, a woman who has navigated profound grief from a young age, and someone who is trying to balance her faith with the realities of modern dating.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Sleuths
If you're following Litia's journey or just curious about how reality TV portrays diverse families, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Don't assume adoption based on looks. Multiracial families come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes a child looks exactly like the parent who isn't in the frame.
- Listen to the contestant's own words. Litia stated her parentage in episode three. Often, the answers are right there in the dialogue if we don't blink.
- Respect the "Step" dynamic. Just because someone is a stepfather doesn't make them any less of a "dad" in the eyes of the person who was raised by them.
- Look for the nuances. Litia’s story is a mix of tragedy, faith, and the complexities of being biracial in a homogenous community. That’s way more interesting than a "secret adoption" rumor.
The reality is that Litia Garr is exactly who she said she was. She's a daughter who lost her father too soon and was raised by a mother and a community that loved her fiercely. Whether she's on our TV screens or back in Salt Lake City, that history is what makes her narrative so compelling to so many people.
To get the most accurate updates on her life, checking her verified social media or recent interviews with reputable outlets like Us Weekly or People is always a better bet than the Reddit rumor mill. Her story is a reminder that family is built through both biology and the people who show up every day.
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Next Steps for You:
If you want to understand more about how The Bachelor handles cultural backgrounds, you might want to look into the "hometowns" history of other biracial contestants. You can also follow Litia on Instagram to see her own posts about her late father and her Fijian heritage, which she honors frequently.