Theresa Nist Shares Real Reasons Behind Her Split From Gerry Turner After “Golden Bachelor” Romance
Theresa Nist is finally opening up about her short-lived marriage to Gerry Turner, the first-ever Golden Bachelor. The couple’s whirlwind romance and engagement on the popular dating show had fans cheering, but their story took an unexpected turn when they divorced just three months after tying the knot on live TV in January. Now, Theresa, 71, is shedding light on what really led to their split — hinting that distance wasn’t the only factor.
At the time of their divorce announcement in April, the couple told fans that living miles apart was a challenge. Gerry lives in Indiana, while Theresa resides in New Jersey, and each of them is devoted to their families and communities. However, in a recent interview on the Almost Famous podcast, Theresa hinted there was more to the story. “You really can’t know somebody in four weeks,” she told hosts Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti. “I’ll just say that.”
Theresa revealed that while they had originally planned to start a new chapter together in Charleston, South Carolina, things didn’t go as smoothly as they had hoped. Despite searching for homes virtually, she said they “never got to the point where we found a home” because the couple’s plans kept shifting. Gerry suggested spending six weeks in Indiana and six weeks in New Jersey, which didn’t quite align with Theresa’s vision. “I wanted to have our big home where our family could come visit us,” she shared, expressing her hope for a shared, stable home. “That was my idea because that’s what we had agreed upon.”
Theresa also recalled a memorable disagreement during one of her visits to Indiana. As Gerry was driving her home from the airport, she spotted a piece of open land and casually commented, “Oh wow, you could build townhomes there!” Gerry’s response surprised her, as he became defensive over the farmland, stressing the importance of protecting land in the Midwest. “I go, ‘Note to self, don’t say that again,'” Theresa recounted, realizing that she and Gerry may have had different viewpoints.
Reflecting on the whirlwind romance that didn’t go as planned, Theresa expressed acceptance. In her first Instagram post after the split, she called her Golden Bachelor experience “one of the most incredible experiences of my life.” She added, “I truly thought it was going to last forever. It turns out, even at the age of 70, you don’t know everything. Sometimes things don’t go the way you planned, and that’s okay.”
The two settled their divorce in June, just hours after the announcement aired on Good Morning America. For fans of The Golden Bachelor, it’s a reminder that love can be just as complicated at any age, and Theresa is moving forward with grace, even after an unexpected twist in her journey.
