The latest season of The Bachelorette has made history with Jenn Tran, the show’s first Asian-American lead. But she’s not the only one making waves. Meet Thomas Nguyen, the 31-year-old retired professional swimmer and current retirement specialist who’s also the franchise’s first Asian-American contestant.
Read more: Jenn Tran Makes ‘Bachelor’ Franchise History as First Asian American Bachelorette
Nguyen, who immigrated to the U.S. with his family from Vietnam, quickly formed a deep connection with Tran over their shared heritage.
In an emotional conversation, Nguyen revealed, “My mom dropped out of pharmaceutical school to take on another job to sponsor her whole family over from Vietnam. I’ve watched my parents fight for each other and I want a marriage like that.” Tran, visibly touched, shared that her parents made similar sacrifices, solidifying their instant bond.
“Knowing what Jenn’s mom and dad went through so Jenn can be where she is now, I get this. This is me right to the core,” Nguyen reflected.
Read more: Jenn Tran Gets Real About the Lack of Asian Representation on ‘The Bachelorette’
In an interview with Glamour, Tran elaborated on this special connection, saying, “I think back to it a lot because it’s not every day that you get to bond with somebody on your immigrant parents and you get to connect with somebody on that level because not everybody can understand that. That was a really special conversation for me because he really understood where I was coming from, and my family means everything to me.”
But Nguyen isn’t just a romantic at heart. He’s also a former Olympic hopeful, though a torn rotator cuff dashed his dreams of competing in 2016. Despite this setback, Nguyen’s athletic background shines through. Producers have playfully incorporated swimming puns into the show, a move that seems to resonate with Tran, who has admitted to loving a good…
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