Gerry Turner, the star of The Golden Bachelor, has recently shared details about his divorce from Theresa Nist, revealing a significant health challenge that played a crucial role in their separation. In a candid interview, Turner, 72, disclosed his diagnosis of cancer, adding a new layer of understanding to the couple’s sudden split after just three months of marriage.
The Golden Bachelor journey captivated audiences as Turner and Nist, 71, found love on the inaugural season of the ABC dating show. Their engagement during the finale in November 2023 was followed by a televised wedding special in January 2024. However, the fairytale took an unexpected turn when they announced their divorce in April 2024, citing distance as a primary factor. Now, Turner reveals there was more to the story.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(949×0:951×2)/golden-wedding-gerry-theresa-010524-tout-ed4a3382aeb84f92ac9085289f210f6a.jpg)
Turner explained that while geographical distance between his Indiana home and Nist’s New Jersey residence was a challenge, a more personal and profound issue emerged. “There’s a topic that I haven’t wanted to talk about until now,” Turner shared with PEOPLE, explaining his involvement with charities inspired him to be more open. “As Theresa and I were trying very hard to find our lifestyle… I was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer.”
The diagnosis came about unexpectedly following a shoulder injury three years prior. Initially sustained during a pickleball class, Turner’s shoulder issue eventually led to a doctor’s visit. “Finally I got around to going [to the doctor] and the orthopedic surgeon said, ‘Yeah Gerry, there’s not much we can do for your shoulder, but there are some unusual blood markers here,'” Turner recounted. This discovery prompted a referral to a family doctor and subsequently to an oncologist, leading to a life-altering diagnosis.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(694×414:696×416)/golden-bachelor-gerry-turner-072023-72b1f8be1a544115838b9499e4dde950.jpg)
Turner was diagnosed with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, a slow-growing form of bone marrow cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, this disease involves cancerous white blood cells accumulating in the bone marrow, impacting blood cell production. “Unfortunately, there’s no cure for it,” Turner stated, highlighting the weight of this news on his life decisions. “It was like 10 tons of concrete were just dropped on me.”
Sharing the diagnosis with Nist in February, Turner underwent further tests, including a bone marrow biopsy, which confirmed the prognosis. By mid-March, he had a more definitive understanding and shared the full situation with Nist. “Certainly, it was hard for me,” he admitted, noting Nist’s understandable shock.
This health revelation significantly shifted Turner’s priorities. He emphasized his desire to maintain normalcy, which for him meant focusing on family. “I wanted my life to continue on as normal as possible, and that led me to believing that as normal as possible more meant spending time with my family… And the importance of finding the way with Theresa was still there, but it became less of a priority.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(749×0:751×2)/golden-bachelor-recap-4-092823-2099cf74dfbb4abfa149fbede77793fd.jpg)
Turner hopes that by sharing his diagnosis, the public will understand the complexities behind his divorce from Nist. He feels the judgments were “unfair” without the context of his health struggles. “Hopefully they’ll look at things a little bit differently, that maybe it wasn’t quite a rash, fast decision that people thought. That there was something else going on,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Turner is embracing a positive outlook, inspired by Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying.” He plans to maximize joy in his life and live without regrets. He also expressed well wishes for Nist, hoping she finds happiness. Reflecting on their brief but intense relationship, Turner cherishes the “glamour and starstruck, whirlwind time” and wishes things could have ended differently, particularly without the influence of his cancer diagnosis.
