'The Golden Bachelor': Gerry Turner Says Cancer Diagnosis Contributed to Divorce From Theresa Nist

Although Gerry Turner stole hearts as the first Golden Bachelor lead in The Bachelor spinoff, things became a little less golden and sparkly when the cameras stopped rolling and he and fiancé Theresa Nist got used to life in the real world. Still, they went through with their wedding and they seemed to intend to stay together. But in April 2024, Gerry filed for divorce, so what happened?

When Gerry filed papers for their split, he cited a "dissolution of marriage," and it was after several months of being together, post Golden Bachelor. However, things didn't work out for the pair after facing the pressure of being the first ever engaged couple to come from the series. And now, there is a little more clarity on what went wrong.

The pair originally said they decided to split up because of the distance. With Theresa living in New Jersey and Gerry's home being in Indiana, it presented a big problem for the two of them. On a reality show like The Bachelor or The Bachelorette, relocating might seem less complicated — but for the Golden couples, who had deep-rooted lives, children, and grandchildren, the logistics were far more complex.

However, it appears there was more to the story than just the distance. In December 2024, Gerry shared with People that, during the time he and Theresa were trying to figure out how to make their relationship work, he was diagnosed with cancer.

Gerry was diagnosed with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia, a slow-growing form of bone marrow cancer. The Mayo Clinic, explains that this disease causes white blood cells to transform into cancer cells, which then accumulate in the bone marrow — the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made.

"Unfortunately, there's no cure for it. So that weighs heavily in every decision I make," he said of the diagnosis. "It was like 10 tons of concrete were just dropped on me. And I was a bit in denial for a while, I didn't want to admit to it."

The discovery of his cancer was more of a "process" than a single, defining moment. Initially, Gerry's oncologists told him he had a blood disorder (though he suspected it was cancer). After sharing his concerns with Theresa in February, Gerry underwent further testing, including a bone marrow biopsy. By mid-March, the diagnosis was confirmed, and he decided to share the news with her.

"Certainly, it was hard for me," Gerry recalls of telling his then-wife. "But the conversation was brief and I think [she was] a little bit awestruck by the news. So understandable."

As he processed his diagnosis, Gerry focused on what mattered most: Spending time with his family — his daughters, sons-in-law, and granddaughters. While his relationship with Theresa remained important, it "became less of a priority."

Looking back on their time together, Gerry wishes Theresa nothing but the best: "That glamour and starstruck, whirlwind time was really a cherished memory," he said. "It was wonderful, and I certainly wish it would've had a different ending, that we would've found our way, that we would've found solutions to a problem. And most of all, that I would not have had a diagnosis that so strongly influenced my decisions and the direction I went."

However, Theresa offered her side of the story with People, claiming that Gerry's cancer diagnosis "wasn't a factor in the ending of the relationship, at least not for me."

"If that was something on his part, maybe, I don't know. But no, that didn't factor into ending the relationship," she explained. "Part of it was the distance, but that wasn't the only part. That's really all I will say."

In the Nov. 5 episode of the Almost Famous podcast, Theresa opened up a little more about why she and Gerry called it quits.

"You really can't know somebody in four weeks. I'll just say that," Theresa said on the podcast. "I don't wanna say any more than that."

She also hinted at a differing opinion about farmland being preserved in the Midwest, where Gerry is from, and a clash over ideas where that is concerned. It was something she made note of as a touchy subject, but it later added to things she wouldn't forget as their marriage came to an end.

Besides Theresa being more candid than before on the Almost Famous podcast, the former couple has shared other feelings regarding their relationship and their time on The Golden Bachelor.

In April 2024, Gerry appeared on Good Morning America and announced that he and Theresa had "mutually" decided to end things: "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 said at the time.