Before The Golden Bachelorette star Joan Vassos had her overnight Fantasy Suite dates in Tahiti, she was visited by her good friend and former Golden Bachelor contestant Nancy Hulkower, and Nancy should follow in Joan's footsteps because she'd make the perfect lead for The Golden Bachelorette season 2. Nancy, a 62-year-old retired interior designer and mother of three from Alexandria, Virginia, was a fan favorite from Gerry Turner's Golden Bachelor season.
During The Golden Bachelor, Nancy had some memorable moments, including when she emerged from the limousine and sweetly told Gerry that she also wears hearing aids. She was later shown shooting hoops with Gerry in the Bachelor Mansion driveway. However, although Nancy had a great time on the show, she knew that Gerry's connections with the other women were stronger than hers, and so she self-eliminated after she suffered a stress fracture in her left leg during the pickleball group date. Here's why Nancy deserves a second chance to find love in The Golden Bachelorette season 2.
Nancy Has A Compelling & Relatable Backstory
Nancy Is A Widow Searching For Her Next Great Love
Nancy has a compelling and relatable backstory, which would make her a perfect Golden Bachelorette. Nancy is a widow who lost her husband, Mark, to colon cancer in 2011. Mark was a notable Washington lawyer. Nancy has since started a foundation in his honor to fight cancer.
During The Golden Bachelor, Nancy opened up about her journey with grief. One of the group dates involved a wedding-themed photo shoot, during which Nancy cried to April Kirkwood because she hadn't worn a wedding dress since she married Mark. She said that the best day of her life was getting married to him.
Nancy later opened up to Gerry about how she didn't expect it to hit her so hard. Gerry could relate, and told her that the smell of cinnamon balls once reminded him of his late wife, Toni. Nancy expressed that she still had hope moving forward. Gerry was so moved by her honesty that he gave her the group date rose. Nancy deserves to find love now that she's ready and has hope for the future.
Nancy Has A Fantastic Personality
Nancy Is Kind & Funny
During The Golden Bachelorette, before Joan's overnight Fantasy Suite dates in Tahiti, Nancy joined her. Joan was feeling alone, so she was thrilled when Nancy appeared. Joan lost her husband of 32 years, John, to pancreatic cancer in 2021. She confided in Nancy about feeling guilty about finding a new love after John.
Nancy assured Joan that she wasn't wrong in what she was feeling. She told Joan that she puts everybody else first, which is admirable, but her hope for her was that she'd put herself first because she deserved it. Nancy's best advice to Joan was, "Lonely is not a place that you stay. Lonely is a place you walk through." She then told her that she was there for her.
Chock Chapple's Golden Bachelorette return is a good sign that Joan Vassos will find true love, unlike The Golden Bachelor's Gerry Turner.
Nancy also showcased her personality during The Golden Bachelor. During the talent show, she did the whipped cream challenge, catching a dollop of whipped cream in her mouth. This delighted Gerry so much that he gave her a standing ovation. Nancy was also part of the ASKN ladies--April Kirkwood, Susan Noles, Kathy Swarts, and Nancy--whose motto was "You're askin'; we're tellin'."
In addition, Nancy was self-aware enough to know that her connection with Gerry wasn't as strong as those of the other women. She self-eliminated, which proved that she could sense where she stood with him. This level of emotional intelligence is so important for leads as well as contestants, and it would serve her well if she became the star of her own season. Nancy has the perfect balance of being thoughtful and humorous. She's a wonderful friend, who really knows how to listen. These qualities are ideal for the lead of The Golden Bachelorette.
Nancy Is Well-Loved But Not Overexposed
There's So Much More To Learn About Nancy
Nancy was a fan-favorite Golden Bachelor contestant, but she hasn't been seen as much as some of the other women, such as winner Theresa Nist, runner-up Leslie Fhima, Susan, Kathy, and others. It would be very intriguing to learn more about Nancy and her life, including her three children. During "The Women Tell All," Nancy shared that they see her as more than their mom, but "as a single woman, someone who's ready for love. They just have a refreshed perspective, I think." This is how Bachelor Nation sees her as well.
Nancy embodies all of the qualities of the perfect Golden Bachelorette, and she'd be the ideal person to follow in Joan's footsteps. She's beautiful both inside and out, as well as classy and dignified. Joan set a high standard for the show, and Nancy would continue that tradition. Nancy would be a wonderful representation for her generation, and a shining role model for women of all ages. Nancy should be the star of The Golden Bachelorette season 2.
