Although all eyes were on Dale Moss and Clare Crawley when The Bachelorette premiered, some unnoticed contestants are going to make a big splash once Tayshia Adams replaces Clare as the lead. One of these contestants is Zac Clark, who viewers barely had a glimpse of during Clare's time on the show. So, who is the mysterious Zac, and what makes his story unique?
The Bachelorette premiered on October 13, and the nation watched Clare become smitten with Dale Moss, so much so that she hardly had eyes for anyone else. The cat's been out of the bag for a while that Tayshia was going to replace Clare just a few episodes into the season. Clare left after her feelings for Dale interfered in her relationships with the other men, leaving a group of 15-odd contestants in her wake wondering what would come next. Some men stayed to meet Tayshia and certain others were brought in to give her a chance at finding love. One of the men who stayed is Zac Clark, a 36-year-old from Haddonfield, New Jersey.
Zac Clark is an unconventional contestant thanks to his unique past. Clark has been open about the fact that he struggled with drug addiction for most of his life (via Marie Claire). It started when he was a teenager and abused alcohol and Adderall. Things intensified as an adult when Zac was prescribed strong painkillers after he had a tumor removed from his brain. Eventually, he voluntarily removed his gallbladder in order to get more prescription drugs. Things changed when he was arrested for driving while intoxicated and was ordered to spend four months in a treatment center. He got sober and found his purpose at the same time.
Zac started his own recovery center in Westchester, New York, called Release Recovery, in 2017. Since then, he opened up two new locations, one for women and one for men, in New York City. In college, Zac thought he would pursue a career in sports, but now he uses his athletic skills to raise money for the treatment center he went to. He has run in the New York City Marathon six times, raising both money and awareness for addiction and mental health support services. Just like Tayshia, Zac went through a difficult divorce when he was younger. Now, Zac says he's ready for love, and looking for a woman who is tough, confident, and down to share a Philly cheesesteak with him. His Instagram is full of shots showcasing his family, his work at his recovery center, and his love of sports.
Spoilers ahead for season 16 of The Bachelorette!
The spoiler account Reality Steve revealed that Zac goes far, at least to the top four, though information beyond that isn't yet fully known. Now that he's in a better place in his life, Zac and Tayshia could bond over their relationship histories. She may also have been won over by his philanthropy, his recovery story, his closeness with his family, and/or his ability to run a marathon. With not much known about his time on the show, we'll be eagerly waiting to watch their connection unfold and get to know Zac through Tayshia's eyes.
The Bachelorette airs Tuesdays at 8 pm ET on ABC.
Source: Marie Claire, Reality Steve, Zac Clark