The Golden Bachelorette's Joan Vassos Reveals Heartbreaking Reason Chock's Exit Felt Like With Gerry Turner

The Golden Bachelorette star Joan Vassos revealed the heartbreaking reason that Chock Chapple's exit when his mother passed away felt like déjà vu from when she was a contestant in Gerry Turner's Golden Bachelor season. When Joan appeared in Gerry's season, they had just begun to form a strong connection when she had to return home to help her daughter, who had postpartum depression. During her own Golden Bachelorette season, Joan temporarily said goodbye to Chock, who returned home because his mother had passed away due to cancer.

In an interview with Extra's Billy Bush, shared via Instagram, when asked about Chock's exit, Joan said, "It was like déjà vu." She explained, "I was really sad 'cause I had just kind of been that person in the Golden Bachelor season, and I knew that I had planned, had hoped, to come back. Didn't really plan it, but thought, 'There's a world that I could get everything straightened at home and then come back and this won't be over,' and that literally never happened."

Joan went on to say that even though Chock had promised her that he was coming back, she thought, "'You don't know what's gonna happen at home. You don't know that you're gonna be able to come back. You don't know how much they're gonna need you.'"

Joan gushed that when Chock returned, she was "surprised" and "so excited, 'cause the longer he stayed away--mind you, he was only away for two days--I got less and less hopeful that he was coming back. I was talking myself out of it. I was like, 'He's not coming. He's not coming. I don't know how I'm gonna do this.' Billy told Joan that she lit up when Chock came back. She replied, "I know. I was very happy."

I was really sad 'cause I had just kind of been that person in the Golden Bachelor season, and I knew that I had planned, like, had hoped to come back. Didn't really plan it, but thought, 'There's a world that I could get everything straightened at home and then come back and this won't be over,' and that literally never happened. And so even though he said to me, 'I'm coming back. I'm coming back,' I thought, 'You don't know what's gonna happen at home. You don't know that you're gonna be able to come back. You don't know how much they're gonna need you.' So when he showed back up ... I was surprised, and I was so excited, 'cause the longer he stayed away--mind you, he was only away for two days--I got less and less hopeful that he was coming back. I was talking myself out of it. I was like, 'He's not coming. He's not coming. I don't know how I'm gonna do this.'

What Chock Leaving & Coming Back Means For Joan Vassos

Joan & Chock Are Closer Than Ever

Joan and Chock faced a similar situation when they both had to leave their respective seasons in order to help their families. However, Joan heartbreakingly never returned to Gerry, while Chock did come back to Joan. This has brought them closer than ever, as evidenced by Chock and Joan not leaving each other's sides during the bowling group date the following week.

When Chock got the call that his mother had passed away, Joan was dealing with her own family emergency as her 92-year-old mother had gotten sick, and she felt that maybe she should go home to be with her. Thankfully, Joan's mother eventually recovered. But this was another situation in which Joan and Chock could fully relate to each other.

In addition, during week 1, Joan and Chock had a magical one-on-one date at Disneyland, during which he opened up to her about the loss of his fiancée, Kathy, to brain cancer. Joan could completely relate to him because she lost her husband of 32 years, John, to pancreatic cancer in 2021. Joan and Chock have a lot in common, so they understand each other on a level that she doesn't share with the remaining men--Jordan Heller, Guy Gansert, and Pascal Ibgui.

Our Take On Similarities Between Chock & Joan’s Exits

Joan & Chock Both Value Family

Joan and Chock both put their families above all else, including their own journeys to find love. Although their experiences ended differently because Joan wasn't able to return and Chock was, the feelings that they had during these family situations were the same. In addition, Joan felt that she was reliving what had happened with her and Gerry when the possibility arose that Chock wouldn't come back to her. She once again would've been left with what-ifs and could've-beens, as Chock would've been the one that got away.

Golden Bachelorette Fans Were Thrilled About Chock Returning To Joan

Chock Is A Fan-Favorite Contestant

In an Instagram post the week following Chock's return from the show, Chock posted a photograph from when he came back, which showed him and Joan speaking together. The caption read, "See how my story continues tonight!" In the comments section of the post, fans gushed about how much they love Chock, and how perfect he is for Joan.

One fan wrote, "This is love. When a man keeps telling you he is crazy about you pay attention. Chock gives me butterflies." Another said, "I literally am screaming inside when you two are together, that they should just stop production and you both should just ride off into the sunset together. You share the same kindhearted and almost magical energy when you are together. Your eyes are just filled with undeniable adoration for each other."

 

Many fans expressed their hope that Joan would choose Chock in the end. It seems as though it's possible, considering that Joan wasn't sure how she'd continue if he didn't come back to the show. While Joan shares special bonds with the other remaining men, including Jordan, Guy, and Pascal, there doesn't seem to be as deep of a connection as the one that she shares with Chock. Now that Joan and Chock have been through something traumatic together, they probably feel even closer to each other.

Watching Joan and Chock's reunion is a reminder that Joan was also a fan favorite, and fans were devastated when she had to leave Gerry's season. Seeing how happy Joan and Chock are after his return makes one wonder what would've happened if Joan had gone back to Gerry's season. Perhaps he would've chosen her in the end, and everything would've worked out differently. However, that path led Joan to Chock, which feels like fate.

It seems that Chock's exit and return has made Joan realize how strong her feelings are for him. When she stated that she didn't know how she was going to continue if he didn't come back, she proved that perhaps she has the deepest connection with him. Chock is definitely all-in on Joan, as he returned saying that he was crazy about her. As Joan moves forward with her Golden Bachelorette journey, and she visits Chock's hometown, hopefully their relationship will continue to grow, and they'll live happily ever after.