The victor from the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette, Chock Chapple, has come forward with personal health news, sharing that he had surgery to remove his prostate following a concerning cancer diagnosis.
In a candid Instagram post on Tuesday, August 11, the 62-year-old Chapple explained the details of his medical journey. Alongside his fiancée, Joan Vassos, who is 63, he mentioned from their Wichita, Kansas, home, “Elevated PSA levels, a biopsy and MRI led to another biopsy where it turned aggressive. Last Wednesday, I underwent surgery to have my prostate removed.” The PSA, or prostate-specific antigen, is a protein measured in blood exams, and testing this ensures it remains within safe parameters, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Continuing on a heartfelt note, Chapple, who lost his mother to cancer, opened up about his motivations citing his family as pivotal. “My son questioned me about how much time I wish to cherish with my grandkids. That made my choice apparent. Have the surgery. Stay here—for them, for Joan, for the long haul.” To other men, he advised, “Get evaluated. Check your PSA. Being proactive is crucial. We’re still planning our trip to Europe at the end of August—I’ve got my travel clearance and can’t wait!”
Chapple, who has two children from his previous marriage to Heather Chapple, elaborated within the video how routine blood work, done post his stint on The Golden Bachelorette, flagged the health scare.
Joan Vassos, the pioneering Golden Bachelorette lead, discovered her ‘happily ever after’ with Chock Chapple. During the ABC reality show, which kicked off in September 2024, Joan encountered 24 potential partners, ultimately choosing Chock after a romantic proposal on the stunning beaches of Bora Bora. From their very first date at Disneyland, Joan felt there could be a forever in their future.
“When I got off the show, I had a blood test. It showed that I had an elevated PSA so we monitored it for a while and my PSA kept increasing. I made the decision just to go and have it removed,” he recalled before sharing insight into his healing.
“Recovery’s been really rough, I will admit, I’ve had a number of surgeries and this one’s a little unique, but I’m glad I had it done,” he said.
Vassos, who is mom to four of her own children, has been by Chapple’s side throughout his recovery. “Joan’s been here taking care of me, cooking, and now I have the cleanest refrigerator in the world and I’ve eaten really good. Our goal is to put 20 pounds on me,” Chapple said before Vassos spoke to fans.
Chock Chapple wants it to be known he was more than ready to propose to Joan Vassos. “There’s a little bit of backstory on this, and I want to explain this because I did catch some heat on social media for being a guy with no commitments,” Chock, 61, told Us Weekly during the couple’s […]
“He’s a brave guy. He’s actually a really good patient. He surprised me because he’s had a couple of colds around me and he acts like a baby,” she joked. “He’s super brave for this one and I’m glad he made the decision that he made. I want to keep him around for the rest of my life.”
The couple found love in the inaugural season of ABC’s The Golden Bachelorette in 2024, a union that resulted in Chapple proposing to Vassos by the beach. As the duo count down to their European vacation, they continue to navigate their relationship from differing states — Joan resides in Maryland, while Chapple lives in Wichita.