WARNING: This story contains explicit language.
The Challenge star Wes Bergmann has revealed that he helped Dee Nguyen get mental health support after the show cut ties with her due to her “offensive” Black Lives Matter (BLM) comments.
Dee, 27, was staying at 35-year-old Wes’s house with him and his wife in Kansas City, Mo., during the coronavirus pandemic because she lives in Australia and didn’t catch a flight back ahead of the lockdown in the U.S.
After Dee’s Black Lives Matter comments, Wes took to Twitter to reveal that he had asked her to leave his house.
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“I stand in support of the BLM movement. As evidenced not only by everything I stand for, but everyone I stand with,” Wes began his Twitter post.
“What Dee did was absurd, insensitive and wrong. But most of all it was ignorant.
“Dee was basically my daughter. I made the decision to ask her to leave in less than an hour. This public decision is what the world needed and deserved. But it doesn’t stop my grieving.”
Wes said that he proceeded “down a 24-hour road of finding a place for her to go.”
“Her mental health by this time had deteriorated to a level where being in a hotel alone would have been the most dangerous option of all. An international flight out of Missouri in the early evening of a pandemic is non-existent. And none of the above keep her safe, heal or educated her,” he wrote.
Wes said he “required third-party counselling” to help ensure that he was making “the safest and most legal move.”
“It required speaking to a doctor, a hotline, a CEO and a lawyer. What was happening was so beyond my experience and a lot was at stake: everything from the continued momentum of a movement I firmly believe in, all the way to a literal human life,” he wrote.
He said that throughout that time, they “were able to sit with her and educate her on her mistakes.”
“Systemic racism can not be explained in a night, but I tried and made as much progress as could be expected in this short of a window,” The Real World: Austin star said.
Wes said that Dee’s growth will “continue where she’s been transplanted.”
“Yesterday we successfully landed her in what I’m going to refer to as a mental health lodge. We have sourced daily psychotherapy sessions in an effort to build her an outpatient care program where she eventually leaves,” Wes explained. “Where she’ll go is unknown at this second, and not the current priority — but my best guess is Australia.
“I could not have done more, faster. Now that I can breathe please give me time and privacy to grieve for all those affected by the last 48 hours,” Wes concluded.
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On Monday, The Challenge announced it had “severed ties” with Dee following her comments.
“As a result of Dee Nguyen’s offensive comments on the Black Lives Matter movement, we have severed ties with her. Out of respect for our Challengers, we’ll air our season as planned. We strongly condemn systemic racism and stand with those raising their voices against injustice,” The Challenge tweeted.
After MTV announced it was parting ways with Dee, she took to Instagram to share a statement.
“The last 24 hours have made me realised (sic) what is important and that is forgiveness. I would like to offer my sincerest apology to my colleagues to whom I have hurt directly and indirectly due to my insensitive remarks,” her statement began. “Let me be clear I am a POC that cares about BLM.
“I believe in this movement and I’m stepping away from social media to focus on my well-being and mental health. This is not a goodbye, it’s a (sic) I will see you again. To my fans thank you for believing in me and your support. It helps me.
“I see every single one of you and I remember your stories. Stay strong and safe my friends,” Dee concluded.
On Tuesday, Dee tweeted: “Hi Twitter fam. I will be taking time off to recoup and rehabilitate my mental health. Please respect my privacy during this time. I wish the best of luck to my fellow cast mates and will not be live tweeting this week. Stay safe.”
Dee came under fire over the weekend after she tweeted: “IDK (I don’t know) why some of you think I’m anti-BLM. I’ve been saying that since the day I lost my virginity.”
The Challenge cast member Bayleigh Dayton shared screenshots of Dee’s comments, which have been deleted.
“THIS IS NOT HOW YOU SUPPORT BLM. I’m disgusted and disappointed. THIS IS NOT A TREND. THIS IS LIFE OR DEATH FOR US. Posting for clout about the death of Black people? Shame on you @deenguyenMTV,” Bayleigh tweeted.
Bayleigh also attached a screenshot of a fan telling Dee to “read the room” and stop posting photos of herself on Instagram.
In response, Dee wrote: “People die every f—ing day. U don’t know me or what I do. I suggest you wake the f–k up and get off social media.
On Sunday, Dee said she was sorry for the “insensitive” tweet.
“I am sorry for the insensitive tweet I posted earlier. I was being defensive and not speaking from my heart. But there’s no excuse. I also want to extend an apology to Bayleigh and Swaggy — who are my cast mates and deserve my respect and compassion,” Dee wrote.
In a followup tweet, Dee said: “BLM to me every day. I’m trying to do the best I can with what is currently accessible to me.”
BLM to me every day. I’m trying to do the best I can with what is currently accessible to me.
— Dee Nguyen (@deenguyenMTV) June 7, 2020
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