Published Jan 1, 2022

Looking For Love after Loss: Are ‘Bachelorette' Contestant Michael Allio and TV Personality Amanda Kloots Finding Comfort Together?

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Having Each Other's Backs

How to search for love after losing a loved one is a topic faced by too many people in the SurvivorNet community.
We were intrigued to see that TV personality Amanda Kloots, 39, and former The Bachelorette contestant Michael Allio, 37, have formed a friendship and support system after both losing their spouses.
Allio lost his wife to breast cancer in 2019 while Kloots lost her husband in 2020 to COVID-19.
Support groups, or connecting with just one other person, can make a huge difference in helping someone feel less alone during a difficult time.

The beginning of a new year is a time when some people who’ve experienced loss look for love again.

Public speculation has been swirling about a new love connection between TV personality Amanda Kloots, 39, and former The Bachelorette contestant Michael Allio, 37, is swirling. The two share a tragedy in common they’ve both lost their spouses. While the romance rumors haven’t been confirmed by either of the two, Kloots has said her and Allio “have each other’s backs” when it comes to coping with their personal losses.

After four years of marriage, Allio’s wife Laura was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2016 just seven months after giving birth to their son. She went through treatment for three years before passing away in 2019. Allio spoke openly about how the experience of watching Laura battle breast cancer, which included shaving her head, and how he navigated dealing with her passing. While Allio didn’t find love on the show, he received overwhelming support from the public.

Kloots has also dealt with a personal loss, as she lost her husband Nick Cordero in 2020 due to complications from COVID-19. Both Kloots and Allio connected over their shared losses, and Kloots even says that they are supporting each other by helping one another cope. “When you are a widow and single parent, it is so wonderful to meet people that are in your same boat. It makes you feel less alone,” Kloots told US Weekly. “We are both from Ohio, have little boys and [have] been through a very hard time in life. We have each other's back.”

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How Support Makes a Difference

Whether you’re battling cancer, being a caretaker, or coping with losing a loved one, it’s important that everyone involved in a cancer journey receive the support they need. Support groups, or connecting with just one other person, can make a huge difference in helping someone feel less alone during a difficult time.

Connecting with those who have gone through shared experiences can really make an impact in how you cope as well as move forward with your life. For Doug Wendt, who lost his wife Alice to ovarian cancer, says he learned an important lesson in the difference between “moving on” and “moving forward” after losing a spouse to cancer.

"We're never gonna move on, I don't even think I want to move on, but I do want to move forward," Doug told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "That's an important distinction and I encourage anybody who goes through this journey as a caregiver and then has to face loss, to think very carefully about how to move forward."

Doug Wendt, who lost his wife Alice to ovarian cancer, shares how he coped with her passing

Breast Cancer: Prevention & Screening

Mammograms are the best tools in detecting signs of the disease and catching it early. Although it can be a nerve-racking experience for some women, the process itself only takes a few minutes and the long-term benefits can outweigh the slight discomfort. Generally, current guidelines recommend women start scheduling annual mammograms starting at 45-years-old, and continue until they're 54. After that, women can either choose to continue scheduling mammograms every year or choose to have them every two years. However, for women who are considered "high-risk," it's suggested they start screening earlier.

The "high risk" category refers to women who have had a first-degree relative (like their mother) diagnosed with breast cancer, women who have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, or those who have had radiation on their chest in the past. For those who fit into this category it's recommended mammograms are scheduled starting at 30-years-old.

"If you haven't gone through menopause yet, I think it's very important that you have a mammogram every year," Dr. Connie Lehman, Chief of the Breast Imaging Division at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, previously told SurvivorNet. "After menopause, it may be perfectly acceptable to reduce that frequency to every two years. We all agree regular screening mammography saves lives. I want to be completely clear. If you are between 50 and 74 and you have not had a mammogram in the last two years, you are overdue. Please get a mammogram."

Dr. Connie Lehman explains when women should start scheduling mammograms

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