The Golden Bachelor's first season has sadly ended in heartbreak as Gerry Turner has announced his divorce from Theresa Nist after three months of marriage.
"Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations," Gerry said on Friday’s broadcast of Good Morning America. "We’ve looked closely at our living situations and we’ve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it’s time for us to dissolve our marriage."
"The things that strike me the most in our conversation… it’s been how dedicated both of us are to our families. So, we look at these situations and I think we just feel like it’s best for the happiness of each of us to live apart," he concluded.
When did Gerry and Theresa divorce?
Gerry, 72, filed to dissolve their marriage on April 12 in Indiana. Their listed date of separation is also April 12 and he cited "irretrievable breakdown" for the reason.
"I still love this person, there’s no doubt in my mind. I root for her every day," Gerry added.
Why are Theresa and Gary divorcing?
Theresa and Gerry shared that they had a "number of heart-to-heart conversations" and had "looked closely at our living situations and we’ve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it’s time for us to dissolve our marriage".
They denied that reports of Gerry's past dating history had impacted their decision; he claimed he had not dated in 45 years and had not been kissed in six years, but an ex-girlfriend alleged that they dated for several years after his wife's death.
How did Gerry Turner meet Theresa Nist?
The pair met on ABC's first season of The Golden Bachelor which was touted as the first of its kind, bringing together women over the age of 50 to vie for Gerry's hand in marriage.
It was a ratings success, and Gerry proposed to Theresa, 70, in November 2023.
During a live broadcast of the finale, host Jesse Palmer revealed that they would be getting married in January 2024 live on television.
They shared that they planned to buy a joint home in South Carolina or New Jersey, where Theresa lived. “We looked at homes in South Carolina [and] we considered New Jersey,” Theresa said on April 12. "We just looked at home after home, but we never got to the point where we made that decision."
However, rumors swirled about their romance earlier in April when it was reported that Gerry was still living in his Indiana home while Theresa was living in New Jersey where she still worked.
Does Theresa Nist have to give back her ring?
Gerry and Theresa have a prenuptial agreement, and as part of their arrangement with ABC they have to return their Neil Lane rings.
"I think that's the rule, I think I have to give this ring back, sad to say," said Theresa.
Who is Gerry Turner?
Gerry, 72, was married to his high school sweetheart Toni for 43 years before she died in 2017.
He was announced as the Season 1 Golden Bachelor on Good Morning America in July 2023. He has two daughters, Angie and Jenny, and two granddaughters, Charlee and Payton.
Who is Theresa Nist?
Theresa was married for 42 years to her high school sweetheart, Bill, before he passed in 2014.
"What happened ultimately was his kidneys were not good," she said on The Golden Bachelor.
"One day when I was at work, he all of a sudden took a turn for the worse, and I ran home, and I watched him take his last breath."
She has two children: Tommy and Jennifer.