Television personality Drew Carey‘s quest for lasting romance has been marked by two broken engagements, with one story ending in unimaginable tragedy. The beloved game show host’s relationship history reveals a pattern of hopeful beginnings and devastating conclusions.

Carey’s first major public engagement was with Nicole Jaracz in October 2007, shortly after she graduated from culinary school. “They are both very happy and excited about their future together,” Carey’s representative said at the time, though no wedding date was set. The couple seemed destined for happiness, with Jaracz’s son Connor inspiring Carey’s 80-pound weight loss. However, the relationship ended in January 2012 after nearly five years, with his representative stating, “He and Nicole still have a great deal of love and affection for one another.”

In 2017, Carey, then 58, found love again with Dr. Amie Harwick, 35, a licensed marriage and family therapist and author of The New Sex Bible for Women. Their romance blossomed quickly after meeting at a Hollywood party where she was bartending. “She said, ‘It’s my birthday, and my boyfriend stood me up.’ And I said, ‘Boy, you should get a better class of boyfriend.’ And she said, ‘Yeah, maybe I should.’ That was my first flirty line with her,” Carey recalled. “And then, by the end of the night, I got her number.”

The couple became engaged, with Harwick even appearing on a 2018 Valentine’s Day episode of The Price Is Right. However, their relationship faced unique pressures, particularly regarding media attention. “It would only happen if we were in the paper or something,” Carey explained to 48 Hours about Harwick’s concerns over her ex‘s reactions. “Frequently, after a news story came out, he said, Harwick would tell him she noticed someone trying to sully her reputation online.”

Tragically, Harwick was murdered in February 2020, just days after reaching out to Carey about reconciling as friends. She died at 3:26 a.m. on Feb. 15, with an autopsy revealing blunt force trauma, defensive wounds on her hands and arms, bruising on her neck, and signs of a struggle in her home. Gareth Pursehouse, 45, was convicted of first-degree murder and residential burglary in September 2023.

“I can barely remember the guy’s name — that’s how much I’ve put him out of my life,” Carey recently told People. “But ever since the final sentencing, it feels like we’ve all let out a breath and are able to finally move on.” Following Harwick’s death, Carey suspended production of The Price Is Right to mourn, stating, “Amie and I had a love that people are lucky to have once in a lifetime. She was a positive force in the world, a tireless and unapologetic champion for women, and passionate about her work as a therapist.”

Today, Carey maintains Harwick’s memory through photos in his home and Price Is Right dressing room. “She’s with me always,” he shared. “A lot of times I’ll feel like I’ll be thinking things through, and it’s almost like I can hear her voice saying, ‘Well, really, it’s because of this and that.’ It’s really nice, honestly.”