Dancing With The Stars season 31 runner-up Gabby Windey wowed the audience and judges each week with her stellar performances with her professional dance partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, and she now says that her journey on the show was one of her "favorite times" in her life. Gabby, who earlier this year was one of the runners-up on The Bachelor and then co-starred on her own season of The Bachelorette with her best friend Rachel Recchia, is a former Denver Broncos cheerleader and ICU nurse. She has had many incredible experiences in her life, and DWTS is one of the best. Gabby and Val achieved perfect scores from the judges, Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli, for six of their dances, including the last three weeks in a row. They blew everyone away week after week with their emotional, edgy, and technically superb routines.

In an Instagram post, Gabby said goodbye to DWTS season 31 after she placed second with Val on the finale, and said that being a contestant on the show was one of her favorite times in her life. She began by saying, "In between tears trying to sum up the last few months. It’s been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I’ve ever had." She then praised Val, stating, "I can’t imagine it with anyone else other than @valentin. You were quick to offer your friendship and even quicker to believe in me as evidence[d] by, incessant (but loving) criticism that pushed me beyond what I ever thought I was able to accomplish." Gabby added that her tears were filled with "so much gratitude and also sorrow that one of my favorite times in my life is now in the past."

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Gabby Windey Praises Her Fellow DWTS Competitors

Val Chmerkovskiy and Gabby Windey on Dancing With The Stars pink outfits

Gabby continued her post by saying that, on DWTS finale night, she was honored to share the stage with three other "incredible performers," and that she has "learned from each of them along the way." Her three season finale competitors were fourth place finishers, Shangela and Gleb Savchenko, third place contestants Wayne Brady and Witney Carson, and winners Charli D'Amelio and Mark Ballas. Gabby concluded her post with words of gratitude for her supporters, saying, "Thank you to everyone who makes this show possible!! And thank you to all who voted for us and who continued to show us your undying love and support. It means the entire world!!!"

Gabby has had a difficult year personally as she navigated her way through the Bachelor franchise. After her disastrous relationship with Clayton Echard, she believed that she had found her true love in Erich Schwer. However, they broke up only a few weeks after their Bachelorette engagement aired. DWTS was a place in which Gabby could feel successful and happy. With the expert guidance of Val, as well as her own fantastic talents, she was able to take her dance ability to another level, mastering both ballroom and Latin dances.

Gabby was one of the most entertaining contestants on DWTS season 31. She really lit up the stage with her personality, and she dazzled the audience with her dances. Her time on the show might be over, but Gabby is not leaving DWTS behind just yet. Fans are thrilled that she will be the co-host of the DWTS Live 2023 tour. Gabby calls her experience on the reality competition series one of her favorite times in her life, which is fitting because she is one of Dancing With The Stars fans' all-time favorite contestants.

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Source: Gabby Windey/Instagram