While Joey Graziadei will meet four families on March 4 in The Bachelor's hometown, viewers back home already know a lot about one of the women's parents. During Kelsey Anderson's first one-on-one date, she shared how her parents met while serving as officers in the U.S. Army. She said in the book that she had a "great love worthy of respect." Introductory video.
Sadly, Kelsey's mom, Denise, passed away from breast cancer in 2018. Kelsey told Joey that before she went on "The Bachelor," she saw butterflies in her hometown that were reassuring -- and she took it as a sign. As for Kelsey's dad, Mark, he told his daughter that being on the show was something Denise would do. "You are your mother's boy. ... You are so brave."
Now, Joey will meet Kelsey's dad in New Orleans. While Mark has been supportive of Kelsey's Bachelor journey, it's clear he'll have some questions for Joey. As he expresses in the Homecoming promo, "It's a scary process. As a father, of course I worry about Kelsey."
Kelsey's dad 'steps up'
As she explained in a recent one-on-one conversation, Kelsey grew closer to her father after her mother's diagnosis and death, and today, he is her "favorite person."
"I'm so grateful that he really stepped up," Kelsey said, acknowledging how difficult it is to raise five children. According to Kelsey's Instagram information, as of 2020, her father is pursuing a PhD.
She told Joy that of Kelsey's siblings, her personality is closest to that of her brother, Matthew "Mateo" Anderson. Matthew played football at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before transferring to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where Kelsey also attended. In an interview with the Lafayette Daily Advertiser , he cited being closer to loved ones as a big part of the decision.
Thinking of her mother
Kelsey's Instagram is filled with memories of Denise, who seems to look exactly like her as evidenced by several throwback photos.
Their similarities go beyond appearance. As Kelsey explained to Joy, her father felt that her participation in the show "radiated [her] mom's energy." "You described her as someone who was always thinking of others and giving, and that's the only thing I see when I talk to you and see you around," Joy told her.
Family has been a common theme in Joey and Kelsey's one-on-one conversations, which could be a promising sign for how the New Orleans suitor is doing back home. Joey was finally able to name the most important person in Kelsey's life.
