Former “Rock of Love” Contestant Kelsey Bateman Dies Suddenly at 39

Salt Lake City, August 31, 2025 - Kelsey Bateman, best known for competing on the third season of VH1’s dating series Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels, passed away unexpectedly today at the age of 39.

According to family sources who spoke with TMZ, Bateman’s death occurred recently, though the exact cause remains under investigation and local authorities have been contacted for further details. Bateman rose to prominence in 2009 when she advanced to the final nine contestants on Rock of Love Bus with Bret Michaels, the final installment of Bret Michaels’s reality dating franchise, before her dramatic elimination in the seventh episode.

On the series, Bateman was remembered for her candid admissions of personal struggles and her emotional on-camera moments. Following her departure from the show, she maintained a private life in Salt Lake City, Utah, largely away from the public eye.

Fans and former castmates have taken to social media to express their shock and pay tribute to Bateman’s vivacious personality and her unapologetic spirit on reality television.