Sometimes love stories don’t have the fairytale ending we expect, especially when the cameras stop rolling. That seems to be the case with The Golden Bachelor’s first-ever couple, Theresa Nist and Gerry Turner. The pair had America rooting for them when they tied the knot live on ABC in January 2024—but just a few months later, they stunned fans by calling it quits.
Now, things have taken a new turn.
In a revealing appearance on the June 5 episode of the Almost Famous Podcast, Theresa Nist set the record straight and responded to what she sees as a misguided narrative being shaped by her ex-husband. Specifically, she's pushing back on Gerry's claims that his cancer diagnosis was somehow a driving factor behind their divorce.
Let’s rewind a bit. Gerry Turner, 73, was the inaugural Golden Bachelor—a twist on the long-running Bachelor franchise that spotlighted romance among seniors. His relationship with Nist, 71, captured hearts during the show’s first season in 2023. Their whirlwind romance culminated in a live, nationally broadcast wedding. It was charming, it was heartfelt, and it felt like a victory for second chances in love.
But the honeymoon phase was brief.
By April 2024, the couple had announced their split, citing incompatibilities like where to live and what lifestyle suited them best. At the time, both presented it as an amicable decision. Divorce papers were signed by June.
Then came the curveball.
In December 2024, Turner revealed he had been diagnosed with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia—a rare, incurable form of bone marrow cancer that falls under the category of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In his public disclosure, he suggested that his health condition might help "clear up" confusion over the timing and nature of the split.
Naturally, fans were left piecing together the puzzle—was Theresa blindsided? Did she walk away when things got tough? And did Gerry’s illness really play a role?
Theresa Nist is not here for those assumptions.
Speaking candidly on the Almost Famous Podcast hosted by Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti, she said she was completely shocked by Gerry’s insinuations.
"I was just so surprised that he even said that I knew about the cancer a long time ago," she said, clearly frustrated but still composed. According to Nist, Gerry had downplayed the seriousness of his diagnosis from the beginning. “The way Gerry presented it to me was that, ‘The doctor said that I'm going to die of old age before this cancer gets to me.’ He bluffed it off, like it really wasn't that important. He had no symptoms, and he still doesn't.”
Let that sink in: she claims that not only was the illness not an urgent issue, but that Gerry himself didn't treat it as a life-altering event—so why would she?
“I would have never left my husband over an illness,” Theresa firmly stated, squashing any speculation that she bailed when the going got tough.
If anything, Nist feels like her ex-husband’s comments are feeding a false narrative, one that paints her in an unfair light. She made it clear that there was never a conversation between the two where his diagnosis was the reason for their split.
"We never had a conversation that said, 'Oh my gosh, you're sick. I can't stay with you now. I have to leave.' That never happened," she told the podcast listeners, her voice calm but resolute.
But Theresa didn’t stop there—she raised an eyebrow at Gerry’s intentions for sharing his story in such a way.
"Did he want empathy from the public?" she asked, suggesting his words may have been a bid for sympathy or attention. It wasn’t an accusation as much as a thought-provoking question.
Still, in true Theresa fashion, she didn’t linger in bitterness. “I was angry that he would say something like that,” she admitted. “But then I am such an understanding person, and I can put myself easily in someone else's shoes.”
That empathy might be the very reason she’s choosing grace over a media feud. “So I tried to see it from his perspective, and I thought, ‘OK, if that's in his mind, then I guess that's how he sees it.’ Everyone has their own perception of what happened.”
Now, if you’re wondering how things truly unraveled between these two, the answer isn’t as dramatic as a health crisis or scandalous betrayal. Based on what both have shared before, it really came down to lifestyle differences. After their televised wedding, they had to decide where to live—Theresa is based in New Jersey, while Gerry lives in Indiana. Turns out, choosing a forever home post-rose ceremony is more complicated than it looks on TV.
Both wanted to stay close to their families, and neither was willing to compromise enough to make the relationship sustainable. Add to that the realities of living under a public microscope, and it’s easy to see how strain can build up quickly.
But make no mistake: Theresa is not someone who runs from hard times. “I didn’t marry Gerry for a temporary commitment,” she emphasized. “I meant my vows.”
As for Gerry, he’s been relatively quiet since his initial interview with People magazine, in which he hinted that his illness might explain “what happened back in February, March, and April.” Whether or not he responds to Theresa’s statements remains to be seen.
Still, this isn’t just a tabloid drama—there are deeper lessons here. It highlights how public narratives can be skewed, even in seemingly sweet love stories. It shows the importance of owning your truth and not letting others tell your story for you.
And most importantly, it reminds us that aging doesn’t mean drama-free relationships. Love is love—messy, complicated, emotional—at any age.
So where do things stand now for Theresa Nist? She’s moving forward with her head held high. No regrets. No bitterness. Just a strong woman telling her side of the story with honesty and grace.
And in today’s world of reality TV spin cycles, that kind of authenticity is rare—and refreshing.
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