'Bachelorette' Star Andi Dorfman Opens Up About Eric Hill's Death

May 14, 2014 -- After "Bachelorette" contestant Eric Hill died in a paragliding accident, producers told Andi Dorfman and the other suitors right away.

Dorfman recently said that the news was impossible to bear.

"I was devastated," the district attorney told People magazine. "Shock, devastation, grief. It's something you never could have predicted [or] expected."

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The reality TV star, 27, explained that Hill "was part of our family," and his death is "a tough thing that we're going through."

"I will always remember Eric's love for life," she said. "People say, 'Oh he lived life to the fullest.' But Eric really was the epitome of someone who lived life to the fullest. This man had amazing stories and great experiences. His sense of adventure inspired not only me, but every guy in the house, every producer, every crew member. Everybody says they want to do stuff in their life but he was really doing it."

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Hill will not be edited out of the series, ABC announced, and the May 19 premiere will feature a tribute to him.

"When this guy left the show, it was a great experience for him. I guarantee this brilliant, bright guy didn't know he would be dead in three weeks so it really puts things in perspective for all of us," host Chris Harrison told ABC News last month. "It was horrifying. It was unbelievably tragic and sad. He was a great guy who sucked every ounce of life out of every day and really lived it to the fullest."