Katie Thurston is showcasing her range in romance this week as she humorously reacted to a post from an old contestant, Cody Menk, on Instagram.
She playfully questioned, “Do you remember this guy from my season?” while acknowledging that she couldn’t completely forget him. Although she hinted that he still lurked on her page, she concluded with a kind note saying, “Thank you for being a fan,” followed by a kissing emoji.
Menk made his presence known in the comments regarding Thurston’s announcement about her wedding to comedian Jeff Alkri in April. He chimed in with a laughing emoji, saying, “Good couple! Both are 5S.”
Thurston wasn’t bothered by his comments. Soon after, she shared a touching response: a clip from the From the Grapes Podcast where Alkri praised his wife, who is currently battling Stage IV breast cancer.
When host Kaitlyn Bristowe asked about their greatest pride, Alkri didn’t hold back. Thurston, visibly emotional, remarked, “He’s what I’m most proud of,” as tears welled up in her eyes. She accompanied the clip with a heartfelt caption.
Fans first got to know Thurston during Matt James’ season of The Bachelor, before she stepped into the spotlight in Season 17 of The Bachelorette. Menk, known for a memorable entrance with a blow-up doll named Sandy, was eliminated two weeks later.
Thurston ultimately chose Blake Moines, but their engagement ended in 2021. After a brief relationship with fellow contestant John Hershey, she met Alkri in 2024 and married him in March 2025, just a few weeks before she publicly shared her cancer diagnosis.
Despite her health challenges, Thurston expressed optimism during the podcast, saying, “Whether this year or next year, I’m like, ‘Hey, guys, there’s no evidence of illness.’ Technically, Stage IV is incurable… I’m very optimistic.”
