Long Island City lawyer loses out on The Bachelorette
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ABC’s The Bachelorette aired monday night. eagle Photo by david Brand
By David Brand
He was there for the right reasons, but it all went wrong Monday night for a Long Island City lawyer looking for love on The Bachelorette.
Riley Christian, a medical malpractice attorney and sports agent, was eliminated from the marriage contest by star Tayshia Adams after making it to the cusp of hometown dates — a major milestone in the accelerated Bachelorette dating universe.
While he didn’t score the final rose, or even a night in the fantasy suite, he did win the hearts of millions of reality show viewers — and plenty of his Queens neighbors, too.
“Riley! I’m coming for you baby! Find me in Queens,” wrote one Twitter user shortly after he left the show.
Christian shared intimate details about his childhood in Detroit and his challenging family life with Adams. His vulnerability, combined with his cool demeanor and bulging biceps (frequently seen flexing in Western Queens parks) made him a fan favorite.
His Instagram is peppered with pictures from the waterfront in Long Island City, the jogging path along Astoria Park and a few other Queens greenspaces.
And throughout the show, his chyron identified his hometown as Long Island City, NY — unlike other contestants who list the generic “New York, NY” instead of an actual borough or neighborhood.
Christian said he couldn’t talk with the Eagle for this story without clearance from Bachelorette producers. That hasn’t come through yet.
But he remains an active attorney with the AFRD Law Firm and he has worked on dozens of lawsuits in New York City courts, including three filed in Queens Supreme, according to a search of the state’s electronic filing system. One case involves a wrongful death complaint against Queens Hospital Center.
Christian also runs the sports agency Reberth, which he founded while in law school at Syracuse University.
It seems a good fit. Riley, a shortstop, was drafted out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 30th Round of the 2008 MLB Draft.
He instead chose college over the minor leagues, a dramatic journey that led to Long Island City.
