Ali Fedotowsky is happily married to husband Kevin Manno, but the former Bachelorette isn’t afraid to admit her life could be very different if front-runner Frank Neuschaefer didn’t quit her season.
“I’m so grateful that [Frank left]. Would we still be together to this day? I don’t know. Because, honestly, I think he might have possibly been more my type,” the 35-year-old reality TV personality said on Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast. “And I’m so glad we’re not [together] because I freakin’ love my husband, like, I have the best man in the world so thank you, Frank, for dumping me.”
Fedotowsky married Manno, 37, in 2017, six years after she split from her season 6 Bachelorette winner, Roberto Martinez. The Home and Family host accepted a proposal from Martinez during the 2010 finale after Neuschaefer quit the show in the final days.
“My guess, because obviously I can’t go back in time, is I would have picked Frank in the end. If he had stayed, for sure, I would have,” Fedotowsky admitted to Us. “I really think I would have. Frank reminds me of my husband. When I went on The Bachelorette and the producers asked me what kind of guy I was looking for, I described my husband to a T. Frank is so much of what I described too, I mean, they’re so similar I would say [I described] Frank to a T as well.”
After Neuschaefer walked away because he had feelings for someone back home, Fedotowsky’s final two suitors were Martinez and Chris Lambton. She sent the latter home before the final rose ceremony and Martinez got down on one knee.
“I do think I would have gone with that gut and picked [Frank], but I don’t know that. I can’t say that for sure,” she explained. “Or, you know, maybe because things with Roberto and I that last date were so magical, maybe, I would have changed my mind. I’m sure I would have struggled. I damn well know, I would have taken two people to the rose ceremony. Like, I wouldn’t have only taken one because I would have been conflicted about it.”
After Fedotowsky and Martinez split in November 2011, she briefly reconnected with Neuschaefer, a secret she only recently admitted. While Fedotowsky is now married to Manno, with whom she shares daughter Molly, 4, and son Riley, 2, Martinez’s status is unclear. The State Farm insurance agent revealed his engagement to Kristiana Elliott in January but later deleted his Twitter announcement.
Neuschaefer, meanwhile, married Jenn Carr in April 2019.
Carr joked about ABC revisiting Fedotowsky’s season 6 of The Bachelorette on Sunday, August 2, via Instagram, as part of The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons Ever.
“There’s nothing better than watching your husband get slapped by another woman! Thanks @alifedotowsky! 👏🏻And thanks to @chrislambton13 for your encouragement! 😂,” she quipped. “I can’t wait to watch more of @fneuschaefer’s season on the @bacheloretteabc tomorrow night! 🌹”