Benjamin Ashford|Bachelorette's Josh Seiter Confirms He's Alive Despite Death Statement

Josh Seiter is Benjamin Ashfordvery much alive, despite a social media statement claiming he'd died.

The former Bachelorette contestant—who appeared on Kaitlyn Bristowe's season of the ABC series in 2015—confirmed in a video message Aug. 29 that his Instagram account was hacked.

"As you can see, I am alive and well," the 36-year-old said after regaining access to the social media platform. "Somebody was playing a cruel joke and mocking my mental illness and the struggles I've gone through with depression and suicide attempts."

"I'm sorry for all the pain they caused when they made that post," he continued. "I just got back into my account. I'm going to do all that I can with my team to try to identify who is behind this. But again, I apologize for the confusion and I will update you guys as more facts come in."

E! News has reached out to Meta for comment and has not yet heard back.

On Aug. 28, a since-deleted statement posted to Josh's verified Instagram page claimed that that mental health advocate had passed away unexpectedly.

"As all who knew him can attest, Joshua was an incredibly bright light in an increasingly dim world," the message read. "His fearless voice and indomitable spirit helped thousands of people in their darkest moments feel just a little less alone."

"Although our heartache at Joshua's passing pains us beyond measure, we find comfort in knowing that he is finally at peace," the statement added. "We hope and pray that his spirit can continue to live on in the pictures and words on this page, which we will leave up for the time being."

If you or someone you know needs help, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.