Lake Tahoe man didn't find love on The Bachelorette, but he found himself

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In 2013 he showed up to the Bachelorette Mansion in a heavy suit of armor, but what nobody knew at the time what that extra weight was nothing compared to the pain Diogo Custodio had been carrying his entire life.

The North Lake Tahoe resident was a contestant on Season 9 of The Bachelorette, vying for the love of Desiree Hartsock. While Diogo was on the show looking for love and to be a knight in shining armor, it wasn't to be with Desiree as he didn't make it past the first week.

But he is the winner in what came next.

Coming from a small town in Southern Brazil, the naturally shy and recluse thirty-seven-year-old was bullied for much of his life – he weighed over 400 pounds and lived in poverty; at one point, Diogo and his family were homeless.

Diogo never told the show’s producers about his past because he was afraid of being rejected – something he had dealt with since his impoverished childhood. But after appearing on Season 9, Diogo never knew how much television could help him heal his past traumas.

After losing over 200 pounds before the show, he was dealing with Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a condition involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance.

“People would congratulate me but I didn’t believe them. I had trouble seeing what they were seeing,” he said. “But something inside me changed after being on the show.”

After appearing on The Bachelorette, Diogo’s life was opened to a whole new world. Adding to his charity work, he used his new-found popularity to help more of those in need. Giving back is what led him down the path of healing, and he credits the show for helping him become the strong and courageous person that he is today.

“The Bachelorette was what I needed to break free from a life living inside of a dark shell, where fear dominated my entire being, and where shame and suffering was all I felt,” said Diogo. “The exposure that the show gave me brought me to a place of victory.”

Diogo went on the show for the right reason – he wanted to find love – but he found himself instead.

“I believe in the franchise. I lived the experience, I’ve seen the backstage of it all, the show is real,” he said. “And while I didn’t find love on The Bachelorette, I ended up finding myself for the first time.”

“Before the show, I wanted to find love, but I wasn’t ready for love. But, now that I’ve found myself, I‘m ready.”

Diogo works as a director at Donner Ski Ranch. Since the shore he has earned a Doctorate Degree in Business and travels the world, giving back and helping those in need.

Find Diogo on Instagram @hellodiogo