Erich Schwer has posted a touching tribute to his late father Allan Schwer, who passed away about a month before Erich's hometown date with Gabby Windey aired on The Bachelorette.
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Erich shared a tribute to his dad on Monday by posting a photo featuring a throwback picture of Allan holding his son as a baby as well as Allan's memorial card and gold wedding band.
Erich captioned his post with a simple red-heart emoji.
Gabby's co-The Bachelorette lead Rachel Recchia commented on Erich's post, "Thank you for sharing this moment with us all, sending your family love."
Erich also received messages of love and support from The Bachelorette host Jesse Palmer, fellow Season 19 bachelors James "Meatball" Clarke and Logan Palmer, and many other members of Bachelor Nation.
Allan's cancer battle began with appendiceal cancer, a type of cancer that grows from cells that make up the appendix. Allan was once in remission, but his cancer returned aggressively and then he endured three intensive rounds of chemotherapy, the last of which "almost killed" him, according to Erich's father on The Bachelorette's latest episode.
Allan had spent 40 days in the ICU following multiple operations before Erich's hometown date with Gabby in New Jersey filmed.
On Monday night's The Bachelorette broadcast, Erich brought Gabby to his hometown and shared how his father was battling an advanced and terminal cancer. Erich wasn't sure how much time he'd have left with his dad.
"He was legitimately supposed to die, like, three times," Erich told Gabby before bringing her home to meet his loved ones. "And it was like, really, really hard to come to terms with."
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When Allan thought he only had a year left to live, he asked Erich to take care of Donna Schwer, Allan's wife and Erich's mother.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW"That was the first time that I, like, really cried from all that. It's been a journey," Erich continued to share with Gabby.
"The only thing that's really [kept] me going is how loyal my mom was to that relationship and to him. At no point was she giving up. It's a bond that they have that I think it's really rare to come by. I need you to meet them. And I need them to meet you in order to move forward with this."
Erich later said in a confessional of Gabby, "I know she's the one that I want to bring home. I know she's the one that I want to be here. I'm excited for her to meet my family and especially my dad... I have to show my dad how much she means to me."
Allan "really liked" Gabby once he got to know her, and Erich pointed out how that was a "huge sign" for him that he was heading in the right direction on the show.
Gabby, being an ICU nurse, could also relate to Donna's hardships given Donna had been taking care of her husband at home for years, which Donna dubbed "a labor of love."
When Gabby and Donna got a chance to speak alone, Erich's mother gushed about Allan.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
"We all love him. You can't not love Allan. He's a great guy. So, I just want to make sure that you guys -- if you decide anything -- [know] that commitment in my family is really important," Donna told the Bachelorette with tears in her eyes.
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Gabby assured Donna that she cared for Erich a lot, and the Bachelorette thought Erich's date was extremely special.
"I felt so close to them," Gabby revealed. "Today with Erich was one of the best days I've had so far. Seeing him with his family really made my feelings so much deeper for him."
That night, Erich told Gabby that he was "falling" -- and "maybe" even "falling in love" -- with her, and Gabby opened up about how she reciprocated those feelings.
"I think I've always wanted to be with someone like you but just never knew if it was possible. But after today, I do finally feel comfortable in saying that I am falling in love with you," Gabby told the suitor.
Gabby concluded that she'd never forget Erich's hometown and that date may have changed the rest of her life.
Click here to read The Bachelorette spoilers and find out how far Erich makes it on Gabby's journey to find love.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
