On April 23, a 31-year-old adventurer named Eric Hill died from injuries he sustained in a paragliding accident. On May 19, Hill—a bright, smiling contestant for ABC’s previously taped show “The Bachelorette”—was introduced to the world.

There was a great deal of speculation as to how the reality show would handle Hill’s death, and some wondered if he’d be edited out entirely. That proved not to be the case: The show aired a eulogy for the contestant and dedicated the season to him. However, “The Bachelorette” is still wading through difficult waters this season, and viewers will bring a bevy of complex emotions to each episode.

“It was chilling that Harrison dedicated the season to Hill and a few minutes later, we saw him step out of a limo with a giant, hopeful grin on his face,” writes Time’s Melissa Locker. “Watching him introduce himself to [Bachelorette Andi] Dorfman, cuddle with her by a fire and talk about his love of adventures and sky diving and base jumping is heartrending. Seeing Hill on camera reminds viewers of his (and their) mortality—it’s not escapist, like most reality TV, and it doesn’t make for light viewing. It’s not clear how far Hill gets in the process, but some reality gossip sites have claimed that he’s among the final four contestants vying for Andi’s heart, and producers have confirmed that he leaves the show before the finale. That’s a lot of searing screen time and if it’s tough to watch as a stranger, it’s impossible to imagine how painful this is for his friends and family.” (Time)

Paul Asay has written for The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Beliefnet.com and The (Colorado Springs) Gazette. He writes about culture for PluggedIn and wrote the Batman book God on the Streets of Gotham (Tyndale). He recently collaborated with Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family, on his book The Good Dad. He lives in Colorado Springs with wife, Wendy, and his two children. Follow him on Twitter.