“It is such a roller coaster of emotions,” Debbie says of seeing Mel Owens after being eliminated ahead of ‘The Golden Bachelor’ finale
NEED TO KNOW
When Mel Owens sent Debbie home in a recent episode of The Golden Bachelor, she was speculating about what led to his decision
She tells PEOPLE that she initially thought that she was eliminated because she revealed to Mel that her most recent ex-boyfriend died by suicide after their breakup
After seeing Mel at the Women Tell All, Debbie says she saw that he had a stronger connection with his final two women, and it was not because of her vulnerability
The Golden Bachelor: Women Tell All gave Debbie the answers she needed to hear.
Following her elimination from the beloved dating show in the last rose ceremony before the finale, Debbie, 65, tells PEOPLE she was left wondering if her vulnerability led Mel Owens to send her home. After reuniting with him and the women for the Tell All, however, Debbie says she has more clarity about Mel’s other connections.
“It is such a roller coaster of emotions,” she admits. “So excited to see these women. I was bubbling over. I mean, you should have seen us when we all saw each other, it’s like we’re teenagers again. We were so happy. I was just giddy. And seeing Mel again, I mean, mixed feelings, of course, but it was really good to see him. Watching it back though, that was hard.”
During her final date with Mel, 66, Debbie took him to Red Rocks Park in Denver, where she opened up about deciding not to get married and have kids. One of the reasons stemmed from the traumatic end of her last relationship 14 years ago, when her ex died by suicide shortly after their breakup.
“I was worried that the conversation I had with Mel at Red Rocks made him send me home, or the fact that I’ve never been married sent him home,” Debbie admits. “But I got closure on that, and I believe him. I believe that those were not the reasons. The reason is simply that he had a deeper connection with these other two women.”
“Watching the episodes, it’s pretty clear that he had a deeper connection with these other women,” she adds. “Even though, of course, when I was in it, I thought it was him and I, obviously you know he has other feelings. But watching it gave me clarity.”
During the Tell All, Debbie even directly asked Mel if her choosing to be single without children influenced his decision to eliminate her, and he insisted that was not a factor.
“It never crossed my mind at all,” he said. “I wasn’t even thinking about it ever.”
Still, Debbie says sharing such a painful part of her life with Mel — and on camera — before suddenly having to say goodbye took a toll on her. If she could give any piece of advice about dating and relationships, it would be to take things slow.
“I think probably just not to share so much about your personal life right out of the gate or talk about ex-boyfriends or put everything out there, all your things that you’ve been through that are difficult or challenging,” she says. “I think at least at the first month, as you’re getting to know each other, it should be more fun and curious.”
“Don’t expose so much vulnerability right away, because maybe you’re going to get hurt easier if you’ve exposed too much of your heart,” she continues. “Just hold that close to your vest and let them work for it a little bit more. That’s probably the best advice.”
Looking ahead, Debbie is ready to move forward after giving herself some time to process her feelings and relive her past through the show.
“I couldn’t help but get emotional,” she explains of watching her journey play out on TV. “I mean, my hometown was just so special to me. I hadn’t brought anybody home in 15 years, and the fact that we had such a great connection, and to go from that high to then going home, it was rough. But right now, I’m feeling great. I’m feeling hopeful for the future, and I’m just proud of myself for putting myself out there like this and going through this experience. I’ve just gained so much, and it’s exactly what I needed to just give me this kickstart back into life and love again.”
The Golden Bachelor airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, and can be streamed the next day on Hulu.
