Why He’s Interesting: Allio, a warm, funny dad from Akron, captured audiences’ hearts on Season 17 of ABC’s The Bachelorette. He was a front-runner but left the show before the finale to spend time with his then 4-year-old son, James.
What He Does: Vice president of MA Workwear and founder of the L4 Project, which raises money and awareness for cancer in honor of his late wife, Laura.
Advantage Dad: One of the things that most surprised Allio about being on the show was how long the rose ceremonies last. They started as late as 11 p.m. and ran for six to seven hours, which meant that contestants didn’t get a lot of sleep. Some of the contestants were “freaking out,” about the late nights, Allio says. “They were taking naps.” But as a single dad, Allio felt he had an advantage. “I only need about four hours to be functional.”
Hope Springs: Though Allio ultimately didn’t end up with bachelorette Katie Thurston, the show gave him hope that he might find new love one day. “I was happy to find that I did feel that spark,” he says. “It may feel like a low standard for some, but for someone who’s gone through grief, that’s like a breath of fresh air.”
Guiding the Way: In December 2018, when doctors said the end was near for Laura, Allio had three brass compasses created: one for himself, one for Laura and one for James. The words “I’ll find you wherever you are” are engraved on all three. “I keep it on me all the time,” Allio says. It comforts him to think that “whatever waits for us on the other side,” they’ll all connect again.
