On "The Bachelor" Season 25, Abigail Hellinger may not have won the heart of Matt James (open in new tab) - Hellinger received James' first impression rose and was eventually sent home before hometown - but she won the love of Bachelor Nation. Fans loved the contestant's sweet personality, candidness, and empathy. As the show's first deaf contestant, Hellinger has also been open about the lack of disability representation on television. Here's what we know about the 25-year-old financial manager, who returned to "Bachelor in Paradise" (open in new tab) this season.

Herringer grew up in Salem, Oregon, graduated from South Salem High School, attended Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, and then settled in Portland with her sister Rachel, the Salem Statesman Journal's October feature (opens in new tab opens in a new tab) reports. As a student in South Salem, Hellinger was both an avid golfer and a studious high school student, reportedly graduating with near-perfect grades. She studied finance at Linfield College and is currently a client financial analyst for Opus Agency, a marketing firm based in Beaverton, Oregon.

According to her official ABC bio, Hellinger spends much of her time exploring the Pacific Northwest's beautiful landscape (including the local microbrewery scene). One photo testament to this love of the great outdoors would be none other than her Instagram account, which is filled with breathtaking shots of the area's lakes and mountains.

Hellinger wears cochlear implants because she and her sister were both born with congenital hearing loss. She and Rachel each underwent successful cochlear implantation surgery when they were two years old.

Hellinger not only mentioned the experience when applying to appear on The Bachelor, but also spoke candidly about it on the show. I was surprised that Hellinger spoke about his hearing loss. It's not something she usually talks about," her mother, Susie Hellinger, told the Statesman Journal. But, Susie added, "If it's her disability and it can affect one other person, then it's worth sharing that story."

The behavior of Bachelor and Bachelorette contestants ranges from disgusting to truly embarrassing, and all the more so since it is all broadcast on national television.

Susie told the Statesman Journal that the production team has taken every precaution to make the whole experience as safe as possible, noting that "in the age of COVID, it's a safe way to date." Another added, "She always makes us proud, and she has a really good head on her shoulders, so we're not worried about anything. We hope she enjoys it."

"I hope she enjoys it.

Still, that support only goes so far. Before Hellinger left for the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, her mother offered valuable advice on how to avoid the aforementioned humiliating behavior: "I jokingly said, 'Remember that your grandparents are watching. I jokingly told her not to forget that her grandparents were watching," Susie said.

And, horrified or not, Hellinger's mother admitted that she wasn't sure how genuine a connection could be made on a reality show, musing, "Honestly, I don't think this is a great way to meet someone forever."

How they feel about her BIP appearance remains unclear.

During the Women Tell All special, Hellinger opened up about her experience appearing on the show and sharing her story. She said she was nervous at first, but said the outpouring of support she received was incredible.

"It was unbelievable," she said. Because I think people see the hearing community and the deaf community as black and white. I'm kind of the gray space in the middle that isn't really well lit. I was born deaf. So when I take my cochlear implant out, I can't hear anything," she said. But I am not part of the Deaf community because I don't use sign language. But I am not part of the Deaf community either because I don't use sign language. So I had no idea how people would perceive me. But the response was amazing. A lot of people reached out to me and said, 'Thank you for sharing your story. Because I have a similar story.' It was amazing

Herringer shared that she found confidence during the COVID-19 lockdown and was looking for people to share it with (open in new tab). She is also looking for someone with a sense of humor. She also shared a lesson learned from James' season: it's okay to be vulnerable.

I won't spoil it here, but the trailer shows that her journey in paradise is off to a good start:

Good luck to Hellinger in finding her place.