The Golden Bachelor season 1 couple, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist, recently announced their divorce, and Theresa has already been spotted with a new man. Gerry, the 72-year-old widower and retired restaurateur, dated 22 women during his season. He hit it off with multiple women during a slew of group dates, one-on-ones, rose ceremonies, and dramatic interludes, but he gave his final rose to 70-year-old financier Theresa. The couple got engaged and wasted no time planning their dream wedding.
Gerry and Theresa's Golden Bachelor wedding took place just a few weeks later, despite the revelation Gerry had been in a serious relationship. The wedding aired on January 4. The highly anticipated television event was attended by Bachelor Nation stars, including many of the women Gerry had rejected. Gerry and Theresa represented the hope of finding love later in life, so many people were rooting for them. Sadly, Gerry and Theresa announced their split in April, and Theresa was recently spotted with a mystery man.
Theresa Was Seen With A Mystery Man
She's Living Her Best Life
In June, Theresa posted Instagram photos of herself at dinner with a couple of friends, including a mystery man. The post has 6.8K likes, and the caption reads, "One of the unexpected aspects of being on the show was people recognizing me places, which led to conversations, which actually resulted in new found friendships!" Though Theresa and the mystery man are seated very close together, he's wearing what appears to be a wedding ring.
There's also the possibility that Theresa is trying to make Gerry think she's in a new relationship.
Theresa & Gerry's Love Story
A Second Chance At Love
Gerry and Theresa's whirlwind romance played out for the world to see during The Golden Bachelor season 1. In July 2023, ABC announced Gerry would lead The Bachelor spin-off. The names of the 22 women chosen to vie for Gerry's heart were made public soon after, in August 2023. Years before appearing as The Golden Bachelor, Gerry had been married to his high school sweetheart, Toni, for 43 years until she passed away in 2017 after a brief illness.
Theresa was also a widower, as her husband passed away several years ago, and she realized that she was ready for love again.
Theresa was looking for a partner who could be her best friend during the next chapter of her life, and Gerry wanted a partner who was high-energy and lived an active lifestyle. They hit it off right away, and Theresa was one of the front-runners throughout the season despite running into drama with some of the other women competing for Gerry's heart.
Gerry claimed he hadn't dated since his late wife's death, but that turned out to be untrue. It was revealed Gerry had been in a serious relationship with a woman he had even lived with briefly. Allegedly, the relationship had ended on bad terms when Gerry threw the woman out of his home. Despite learning about this secret relationship, as well as the fact that Gerry wasn't completely honest about his career, Theresa decided to marry him anyway.
Why Theresa & Gerry Broke Up
They Had Irreconcilable Differences
Though Gerry and Theresa genuinely seemed to fall head over heels in love on The Golden Bachelor, they couldn't figure out how to blend their separate lives. Gerry lived in his lakeside Indiana dream home that he built with his late wife, Toni, while Theresa was in New Jersey, where she had lived with her late husband. Both lived near their children and grandchildren and were reluctant to leave their families behind. Theresa also had the added complication of her work to consider.
Though Gerry and Theresa tried to see each other regularly, it turned into a long-distance relationship, which became untenable.
This problem was foreseeable when talking about people in their 60s and 70s. People that age have lived full lives and have put down roots. This will likely be a challenge The Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos will have to face during her upcoming season. It's hard to imagine anyone uprooting their entire world to be with someone they dated for a few weeks on a reality show.
Gerry and Theresa's decision to divorce affects other people, too. Gerry and Theresa spent time with each other's families and cared deeply for each other's children and grandchildren. As recently as March, Gerry posted Instagram family photos of the couple hanging out at Gerry's granddaughter's volleyball game. Gerry's caption read, "What better way to spend a Saturday than watching your granddaughter play volleyball with Theresa and all the family."
One month after this post, which has 13.6k likes, The Golden Bachelor couple announced their divorce.
What Has Theresa Been Up To Since The Divorce?
Keeping Herself Busy
Since the breakup, Theresa appears to be doing well. In addition to making new friends, she has been spending more time with her family. Theresa recently posted Instagram photos of a fun family trip to a charming little beach town. In the photos, Theresa posed with her grandchildren in front of a wall of plants. Her caption reads, "Greetings from Long Branch, NJ!" She explains that this was the beach her father brought her to as a child. For Theresa, spending time with family was a healthy way to heal from her failed marriage.
In addition to spending more time with her family, The Golden Bachelor star has been getting her hands dirty, working in the garden. New Jersey is known as The Garden State, and Theresa has always loved being outside in nature. In April, Theresa posted a carousel of photos of her garden to Instagram. She was clearly blessed with an impressively green thumb, as her garden was in full bloom.
The caption reads, in part," Gardening has been a constant source of joy in my life. It feeds my body, mind and soul. "
It's unclear if Theresa is seeing someone new or if she's even open to dating again so soon after the divorce. The hope among fans of The GoldenBachelor is high, as Theresa could be back for a future Bachelor Nation show, perhaps even Golden Bachelor In Paradise. For his part, Gerry had already been spotted at a dating event.
