Abigail Heringer didn’t just make a major impression on The Bachelor Season 25 premiere.
She made THE impression.
Which is to say… she earned the official First Impression Rose from Matt James after bonding with the series lead at the opening evening’s cocktail party.
Impressive, right?
Even more impressive? Even more noteworthy?
Abigail Heringer is the first Deaf contestant in the history of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette.
Just before forking over the aforementioned flower to Abigal, James told his potential wife:
"One of the things that I challenged the women with was being vulnerable and I felt like you were everything that I am asking of these women tonight.
"And knowing that you’re a fighter, I thought that it was only appropriate that I ask you something. Abigail, will you accept this rose?"
Said host Chris Harrison of Heringer before the season kicked off:’
“Abigail is one of our favorites. This is an absolute gem of a woman, impossible not to fall in love with.
"Abigail has an incredible story; she’s the first hearing-impaired person we’ve ever had on the show.
"[She] is just beautiful and sincere, the true definition of someone here for the right reasons.”
Will Abigail get engaged to Matt James?
Visit our section of The Bachelor spoilers to find out.
Will she be sticking around for awhile, though?
It sure seems that way.
So… what do we know about these remarkable young woman?
Abigail is one of four children and lives with her sister, Rachel. She also has two younger brothers.
Both Abigail, 25, and Rachel were born with congenital hearing loss.
According to their mother, Rachel was the youngest child to undergo cochlear implantation surgery at Oregon Health & Science University when she was two years old.
(Abigail also underwent the same procedure when she was also two.)
Heringer was born and raised in Oregon and stills resides in the Pacific Northwest.
She loves microbrews.
She studied finance at Linfield, and is now a client financial analyst at Beaverton, Oregon-based marketing firm Opus Agency.
According to her ABC bio, Abigail is “looking for a man who will lift her up and make her feel like it’s just the two of them in the whole wide world.”
Hey, who out there isn’t looking for this?!?
But will she find that man on The Bachelor?
Abigail’s mom, Suzie, told the Statesman Journal in October that she wasn’t so certain.
“To be honest. I don’t think this is a great way to meet your forever person,” Abigail’s mother said… before acknowledging it’s challenging to find love amid the coronavirus pandemic.
”Actually, in the age of COVID, it’s a safe way to date.”
Will it be a successful way for her daughter, though?
We’ll soon find out!