TERENCE’S SURPRISE WIN
He went from travelling the world single with a backpack and no plans, to talking about serious topics like love and depression on national TV. But builder Terence O’Brien never expected to walk away from The Bachelorette NZ a new man.
After opening up to Bachelorette Lily McManus, 23, about years of battling depression, the 25-year-old is happy to speak out about mental health for the first time ever. “I’ve never been good at discussing it,” admits the yoga and meditation enthusiast. “My sister signed me up for the show and I figured it’d be another adventure. I never imagined breaking down.”
But behind the scenes, Terence was rattled by an interview with one of the producers. “She asked questions that really took me off guard,” he recalls. “I’d had a few beers so was more relaxed and all of a sudden I told her about my past and how I am and ended up absolutely in tears.” He dubs the incident his “stepping stone” to discussing it with Lily, who understands depression because a close family member experiences it too.
“Lily’s pretty amazing; she’s really easy to talk to and intelligent and empathetic. I haven’t met many girls with her X-factor,” Terence shares. “I’ve always been self-destructive and what helped through the show was addressing these issues rather than just trying to push through them.”
While he didn’t find everlasting love with Lily, the free-spirited snowboarder feels better prepared for dating. “I don’t know why, but I always found myself attracted to girls with crazy eyes,” he tells, bursting into laughter. “You talk to them and you don’t know if they’re going to kiss or stab you! I really need to fix that.”