‘The Bachelor’ Contestant Rachel Nance on Getting Emotional Over Social Media Hate (Exclusive)

“The Bachelor’s” Rachel Nance had an “emotional” night at the “Women Tell All” special.

“Extra” spoke with Rachel about seeing Joey Graziadei again, as well as the attacks and racism she has faced on social media.

Of her decision to speak about the social media attacks, Nance said, “I knew if I was silent right now, that silence would continue, so I just wanted to kind of be a voice for those who are going through the same thing.”

Rachel noted that she’s gotten support from “Bachelor” alums, who told her, “Speak your truth and keep a good head on [your] shoulders and stay strong.”

“I wish I wasn’t as emotional,” Nance admitted. “I don’t know if I actually said what I was wanting to say… At the end of the day, I want people to know that your words have weight to it, and it’s really hurtful what you say.”

Rachel “didn’t realize” how emotionally affected she’d be at the special, saying, “I told myself like I’m not going to cry tonight… I’m going to stay strong, but I think really allowing myself to feel what I was feeling just shows how real and authentic this whole experience was for me. Watching it back, the video and crying, I was like, ‘What is going on? Why am I so emotional?’ But you’re reliving the whole thing, and it was sad but it was beautiful at the same time.”

While they aren’t didn’t end up together, Rachel and Joey have maintained a friendship. She said, “There’s always been a solid foundation between the both of us. There was an amazing friendship there. I think for each other, we felt kind of a sense at home with one another, and everything was so pure between the both of us. So when we saw each other, it was like we never left. We just picked up from last time we saw each other.”

Rachel raved about Joey, who she described as “genuine.” She commented, “He really understood me. Ge was so intentional with getting to know who I am as a person, and I was the same for him, and I think that’s what kept us going. We had an amazing sense of humor together… Of course, the physical part was there… But more than anything, there was an emotional connection, and that was where our true chemistry came from.”