‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Star Kathy Swarts Breaks Down Her Bizarre Marriage Secret Bombshell (Exclusive)

The Golden Bachelor breakout star Kathy Swarts caused a big splash on Tuesday night’s episode of Bachelor in Paradise. But now, she’s exclusively explained to Parade what her secret revelation on the ABC reality show was all about!

Spirited Kathy is best known for telling Gerry Turner’s ultimate show choice, Theresa Nist, to “zip it” on the inaugural Golden season. She hit the Paradise beach with other senior contestants for the first time on last night’s episode of the hit dating series. As fans know, Season 10 of BIP includes contestants both young and old, and they quickly mixed and mingled.

But Kathy, 72, stood out during a cast exercise in which host Jesse Palmer asked the stars to write their most shocking secrets down and place them in a box. After Jesse read the secrets, they could decide to reveal which ones belonged to them or choose to remain anonymous.   

The host then revealed one person had written, “I slept with another person in my home while my partner was in another room.”

The cast decided it was the most shocking secret, and Kathy revealed it was hers! Kathy’s prize was to occupy the luxurious VIP suite at Paradise’s Costa Rica resort. And she invited The Golden Bachelorette contestant Keith Gordon to share it with her. Still, the situation was odd, as viewers were left wondering if widow Kathy had cheated on her late husband, Daryl Swarts, who tragically died by suicide in 2019. However, Kathy said in an exclusive interview with Parade on Wednesday, July 16, that it’s not what you think!

“The truth is, I am a wordsmith, and I worded that very carefully,” she says. “The someone that I was sleeping with was my two-year-old son, and the partner was my husband. And why was I sleeping with my two-year-old son? Because [at the time] he was sick. He was projectile vomiting, and my husband had to go to work the next day, so I said, ‘Go sleep in the next room. I got this.’ So I didn’t lie. It’s all true. The someone I was sleeping with was my two-year-old son. I did not cheat on my husband,” she said.

Kathy then opened up about how Daryl’s difficult death after almost 46 years of marriage has affected her search for love.

“I think his death gave me a real appreciation for every day of life. And that’s why I seize every opportunity that comes my way because you never know when your last day is here,” the resilient reality TV star said.

Kathy does the podcast Golden Hour with her Golden Bachelor co-star Susan Noles, who didn’t join Paradise because she’s now in a serious relationship. Kathy noted, “I am so grateful for the new friends I’ve made and the experiences I’ve had. And I think I’ve learned that life is to be treasured and I’ve learned that, really, from his death.”

The Golden gal said she has no idea why her husband, who worked in investment banking services, became depressed. “He was a fabulous man, we had three wonderful children. And I was grateful for every day that I got to spend with him.”

Still, Kathy reflected to Parade on the tragedy of losing him suddenly, saying, “Oftentimes, suicide, you don’t know [why]. My husband didn’t leave a note. But in terms of advocation for others, on my podcast with Susan, we’ve had people write in and ask questions about suicide and how to move on. And I feel that each person I can reach out to who’s struggling moving on through life, that, to me, is a win.”

Kathy added that six years after Daryl’s death, for their children, “Of course it was tough for them in the beginning. But I have three fabulous children and two fabulous grandchildren and we celebrate his memory. We never forget. He’s a part of our lives; he always will be. But we have learned that life is a gift and we’ve all moved on. We carry him in our heart, but we move on with our lives.”

She said about doing BIP that her kids “have gotten used to their mom looking for love in a non-traditional way. They just want their mom to be happy.” Kathy happily hit the Paradis beaches because “I got the offer to come, and who would turn that fabulous opportunity down? Who wouldn’t want another chance at love?”

Without giving spoilers, Kathy said she wanted “an age-appropriate guy. There’s one season of Golden Bachelorette, so I was looking very carefully at the guys from Joan’s season.” But that doesn’t mean she wasn’t interested in cougar action teasing, “Mixing with the young ones is ground-breaking…I can’t tell you what happens.”

Of her date with “Girl Dad” Keith, she said, “I had met Keith before at another event. And there is a reason Keith raised three daughters successfully on his own. He’s genuine, kind, great sense of humor, fun to be with. All those are attractive traits to me.”  

The slim star revealed she brought a ton of bathing suits to Paradise. And she came with a beach body to boot! “I work out with a trainer, I lift weights, I power walk five miles every day. Working out for me is just a way of life,” Kathy revealed.

Finally, Kelly weighed in on the controversy on new Golden Bachelor Mel Owens, 66, who recently made waves by saying he would cut any of his contestants over 60.

“I think if I get to meet Mel, he’s going to realize age is just a number,” she said of the new lead. “The show’s going to be over. We’re walking away in the sunset.