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Who was Sam McKinney engaged to? 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 fans demand to hear ex fiance's side of story

'The Bachelorette' Seaosn 21 fans refuse to buy Sam McKinney's story of getting cheated by ex-fiance

MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA: After learning on the first night of 'The Bachelorette' that his middle school love had cheated on him, viewers have been clamoring for answers about Sam McKinney's former fiancée and the person who broke his heart before he let Jenn back into it. Sam M, a 27-year-old contractor from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is one of 25 contestants competing on 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 alongside Jenn Tran.

On night one, Sam M, who earned Jenn's First Impression Rose, confessed that he had previously been engaged and that his ex-fiancee had cheated on him.

"I’ve been single coming up on a year. I dated a girl that I’ve known since middle school," he revealed in a confessional interview.

"We got engaged, and had our life planned out ahead of us. But she ended up cheating on me, and there was just no repairing that relationship."

He added, "That was definitely the biggest heartbreak I’d really ever experienced, but I wasn’t going to let that situation be something that was going to stop me from chasing my dream, which is to be a husband, to be a father."

'The Bachelorette' Season 21 star Sam McKinney split from ex-fiance in January 2024

While Sam M has not revealed who his ex-fiancee was before appearing on 'The Bachelorette' Season 21, it is thought that he was engaged to Sierrah McCarthy-Welch. Sam M first posted a photo of Sierrah on Facebook in March 2021.

"You so handsomeeee baby," Sierrah remarked on the image, clearly confirming their relationship. Sam M also uploaded a photo of him and Sierrah at a party in August 2021, followed by a third shot in September 2022. "I love you!!!"

On the third post, Sierrah left a remark and included a black love emoji. Janice Hopkins Welch, a member of Sierrah's family, also left a comment on the picture, saying, "Love this. I hope the next wedding is for y’all!"

A couple with the names Sierrah McCarthy and Samuel McKinney—possibly Sierrah and Sam M—have also registered for marriage on The Knot, with August 30, 2024, as their wedding date. Sierrah and Sam M have a few items on their register, including three cocktail glasses from Crate & Barrell, even though the page doesn't appear to be updated.

Reality Steve claims that Sierrah and Sam M split up in January 2024.

Sierrah claims to be from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which is also the hometown of Sam M on LinkedIn. She majored in biology with a minor in communications at Catawba College.

She began working as a first mate at the water sports firm Downwind Sails in 2016, and her most recent position there was as a captain, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Neither Sierrah nor Sam M appear to have unfollowed one another on Instagram as of this writing. Both Sierrah's Instagram and Facebook pages seem to be private.

Despite rumors to the contrary from fans, Sierrah did not remarry, even though she solely lists McCarthy as her last name on LinkedIn. According to a 2015 Lockport Journal story, her father's name is Douglas McCarthy and her mother's full name is Heather Welch.

Bachelor Nation calls out 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 star Sam McKinney's ex-fiance story

In the July 29 episode of 'The Bachelorette', Sam M and Jenn had a serious talk about their future goals while on a one-on-one date. Jenn talked about her anxieties about not being "worthy of true love" while tears were flowing down her cheeks.

She is "worthy" and "deserves love," according to Sam M. Then he talked about how he had been engaged to a woman before and found out there was "another guy."

She was glad to see him becoming more approachable. On the date, he got the rose.

Fans however on social media refuse to buy Sam M's story as they write, "I’m positive that he’s the one that cheated on his ex not the other way around." Another person chimed in, "$1000 dollars says this is a lie and he probably cheated on his ex fiance."

One viewer tweeted, "So he’s traumatised from getting cheated on by his fiance and can’t express in words good to know." A fourth user noted, "Quickly....let me hear from Sam M's ex fiance because I want to hear her version of events first before I believe his sob story."

One user quipped, "Waiting patiently for Sam M’s Ex Fiancé to explain everything on TikTok." Another person added, "Sam's fiance realized what a mistake she had made and bailed. Bets he got more controlling once they were engaged."

'The Bachelorette's Sam McKinney continued to date after split from fiance

According to Reality Steve, a lady called Rayleigh posted a TikTok the week of the Season 21 debut of 'The Bachelorette' in which she claimed to have met Sam M at a wedding in October 2023 and that they remained in contact. Rayleigh, who does not live in the same region as Sam M, supposedly paid him a visit once, and he paid her two visits.

Sam M also stayed with Rayleigh whenever he saw her.

Rayleigh graduated from Texas State University in May 2024, at the same time Sam M concluded shooting Season 21 of 'The Bachelorette'. She said Sam M never told her he was applying to be on 'The Bachelorette' during their six-month relationship, and she found out he was going on the program the day he departed for shooting.

Reality Steve stated that Sam M sent Rayleigh a lengthy message while on the aircraft for 'The Bachelorette', detailing why he picked the chance over her. "Not going to read the whole thing, but it was basically him putting the onus on her," Reality Steve said.

Rayleigh also stated that he was unaware that Sam M was still in contact with his ex-fiance while they were dating. According to Reality Steve, Sam M and Sierrah split in January 2024, and he met Rayleigh in October 2023.

Rayleigh also told Reality Steve that after he returned from shooting 'The Bachelorette' Season 21, Sam M reconnected with her and informed her that he was going to organize a trip for her graduation but couldn't make it since his sister's wedding was happening at the same time. Reality Steve also claimed that, due to his sister's wedding, Sam M had planned with production to be ousted by Week 6, knowing he couldn't win.

"Anything he says to Jen in six weeks is complete and total bullshit," Reality Steve noted.

"He could never win. He wouldn’t logistically be allowed to win because he knew he was leaving. He knew he never had a chance to make it to the end of the show Because he had to be back to marry his sister, and so did production. So when you watch Sam for the next five episodes, just keep that in mind. Just know that anything he’s feeding Jen is total bullshit."

Rayleigh informed Reality Steve that she broke her relationship with Sam M because another lady who attends the same gym as Sam M messaged her, indicating they were also seeing each other. Rayleigh also said that when Sam M returned from 'The Bachelorette' Season 21, he dubbed Jenn a "liar," and that Jenn's emotions were "all over the place," which her winner will show.

New episodes of 'The Bachelorette' Season 21 air on Mondays at 8 pm ET on ABC, and are available on Hulu the following day.