Rumors Meet Mama Bear

Former Bachelorette star Trista Sutter is speaking out after online rumors falsely suggested that her 18-year-old son, Max, is going to be a father. The reality TV veteran took to Instagram on October 8 to shut down the claims and express frustration over the way misinformation spreads online.

In a video message, Trista explained that she and her husband, Ryan Sutter, were watching a hockey game when she received a text from a friend alerting her to the viral gossip. The supposed “evidence” came from photos she had once shared of Max and his former girlfriend — images that have now been repurposed by clickbait sites to fuel a fake pregnancy story.

“My first reaction was laughter. My second reaction — anger. The biggest reason for that is that it’s a lie,” Trista said, making it clear the rumor has no basis in truth. She went on to describe how disturbing it felt to see her children dragged into fabricated headlines, emphasizing that while she’s accustomed to public scrutiny, targeting her kids is “a different story entirely.”

Trista, 52, and Ryan, 51, share two children — Max and their daughter Blakesley, 16. The proud mom noted that while she’ll happily embrace becoming a grandmother one day, that milestone isn’t happening anytime soon. Her bigger concern, she said, lies in the potential damage such rumors can cause, from embarrassing school gossip to influencing how colleges or employers view her children.

The former Bachelorette urged fans to be discerning about what they read online, reminding followers that not every social media post comes from a reliable source. She also encouraged people to block or report accounts that intentionally spread lies for clicks.

Trista and Ryan, who met on the very first season of The Bachelorette in 2003, have been married for more than two decades. Their enduring relationship — one of the franchise’s few lasting success stories — has long made them fan favorites. And as this episode proves, Trista’s protective instincts as a mother remain as strong as ever, both on and off camera.