Meet Nicole Curtis's Ex-BF, Ryan Sawtelle, Who Helped Her In Now-Cancelled 'Rehab Addict's Project

Nicole Curtis has been leading the headlines with her hit show, Rehab Addict, which has recently been cancelled by HGTV. The show was cancelled as Nicole recently made a comment, which grabbed all the attention. She was herself shocked by the usage of such a comment during filming the show.

For the unversed, Nicole recently used the N-word, which was learnt by HGTV, who cancelled the show instantly. Well, Nicole, too, took to social media and apologised for her racial slur, which came with a heavy price: her show was cancelled just after returning after three years, and the third episode was set to be released on February 12, 2026. Amid this, let's know about Nicole's ex-beau, Ryan Sawtelle, who helped her in one of the projects of the show, and this was confirmed by the host.

Who is Nicole Curtis's ex-beau, Ryan Sawtelle?

Nicole Curtis's ex-beau, Ryan Sawtelle, is associated with improvement work just like the former. He also built a vegetable garden, where he made the wooden structures from scratch. Apart from that, he also founded a nonprofit organisation, White Heart Foundation, which takes care of the veterans and the first responders to deal with their psychological issues, which happens due to the impact of their heroic service. With this nonprofit organisation, he fulfilled what he actually dreamed of, and this was to give back to the veterans. In 2006, he built a 9/11 memorial on his University campus, and years later, on an IG post, he talked about the same. He penned:

"In 2006, I approached the then-president of Pepperdine with an idea to build a 9/11 memorial display on campus. It took me two years of fundraising (across multiple states), meetings with several depts, weeks of missed classes, coordination with suppliers/surveyors, metal shavings piling up on my back patio etc. to create this memorial in 2008."

Nicole Curtis and Ryan Sawtelle's relationship

Nicole Curtis and Sawtelle started dating in 2018, and one year later, in 2019, they made their relationship official. While it was known that the couple hit it off while shooting for Rehab Addict, later, Nicole revealed that they earlier connected on social media, when she DM-ed him. It so happened that Ryan used to post about his niece Arden's battle with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), which is an aggressive form of a brain tumour that is found in children.

When Nicole found that out, it somewhat triggered her as her friend's daughter also passed away from the same, and when Arden died, it hit her, leading her to text Ryan, asking if she could help. The duo got to talking, and Nicole didn't have the wish to be in any relationship just then; however, she got to know about Ryan's motorcycle, which could very much be used in Rehab Addict's shoot. As they got to talking, Ryan asked her for a bike ride, and while they didn't realise it, later, they could connect the dots and tag it as their first date. Sharing about the same, Nicole revealed to PEOPLE:

"When we finished, he asked if I wanted to take a ride. I was in no place in my life for a relationship so I didn’t really connect the dots, but looking back we’ve agreed this was a first date. Sunset on the back of a motorcycle next to this guy staring at the ocean – a pretty good one at that!"

When did Nicole Curtis and Ryan Sawtelle break up?

Nicole and Ryan had a very loving relationship, and in a conversation with PEOPLE, she said that Sawtelle brought her a kind of peace that she never knew existed. She further added that it's common to have issues after six months of the relationship, but people need to focus on the good and fun stuff. Nicole and Ryan didn't reveal the real reason for their breakup ever; it's just that they simply stopped posting about each other. His last post for Nicole was in 2021, while she eventually deleted all her photos with him on social media. Nicole was close to his family, and their bonding was so loving that after their breakup, too, they remained on good terms.

It most recently happened that Nicole Curtis contacted her ex, Ryan, as she needed help with one of the home renovations for the third season of the show, Rehab Addict. She said that she didn't know anyone in Wyoming, and as Ryan was near that place, and they had been in touch since their breakup, she contacted him. The duo met and checked the house, but there were no sparks or anything else that could have started the reconciliation. Nicole said:

"I didn't know anyone in Wyoming, but I knew somebody near Wyoming, and so I gave him a call. We just went out there together and checked out the house. It wasn't anything else. There was definitely no reconciliation or ‘Maybe this was a mistake not being together.’ No, no, no, ... Us going separate paths was a hundred percent the best idea that we ever had."

To mention, Nicole returned with Rehab Addict in July 2025, after three years of hiatus. The show's 9th season was set to appear in February 2026, but it was cancelled due to the use of Nicole's racial slur, which she used during filming of the show. In a clip, she herself was seen shocked over using such a term, and following this, HGTV cancelled her show. In a statement, she apologised to the specific community and also mentioned that it was wrong of her to use such a term, and it's not her vocabulary. She also added that she was not aware that the plug of her show would be pulled, while revisiting the 15-year-long journey. She also mentioned that she would focus on her relationships and community from now on.

Nicole Curtis's past relationships

Nicole Curtis had a much-talked-about personal life. She had her first child, Ethan, with her first partner, Steven Cimini. Nothing much is known about their relationship; however, they were on a co-parenting journey. In 2017-2018, Nicole Curtis filed a case against Steven as he failed to pay USD 14K as child support. Nicole then fell in love with businessman Shane Maguire. The duo had an on-and-off relationship, which finally ended in 2015, just before the birth of their son, Harper. Following this, they fought a long legal battle over the custody of their son, and it finally ended in 2018, after they reached an agreement of joint custody.

What do you think about Nicole Curtis and Ryan Sawtelle's past relationship?

Also Read: 'Single's Inferno Season 5' Finale, Which Couples Ended Up Together In The Dating Reality Show?

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