Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist have explained why they decided to end their marriage just three months after their Golden Wedding.
“Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations,” Gerry, 72, said during the Friday, April 12, 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.”
Theresa, 70, and Gerry confirmed that they are planning to get a divorce.
“The things that strike me the most in our conversations it’s been how dedicated both of us are to our families,” Gerry added. “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 continued, “I still love this person, there’s no doubt in my mind. I root for her every day.”
Theresa and Gerry, who both have adult children and grandkids from their previous marriages, tied the knot in a televised ceremony in January before making plans to move in together either in New Jersey or South Carolina. After house-hunting in both states, they couldn’t agree on a place.
“We looked at homes in South Carolina, we considered New Jersey, and we just looked at homes after home, but we never got to the point where we made that decision,” she said on GMA.
The twosome have also been grateful for the amount of support they’ve received from Bachelor Nation.
“We have received so much love and support from so many people who watched the Golden Bachelor, and I don’t think we can tell you how many people told us that it gave them so much hope,” Theresa added. “We want none of that to change for anybody.”
Theresa and Gerry sparked split speculation earlier this month after TMZ reported they were living apart. A source subsequently told Us Weekly that Theresa had no plans to move away from New Jersey, where her job as a senior compliance officer is based and explained that the pair would frequently visit one another. Gerry and Theresa most recently traveled to California earlier this month to film an episode of Celebrity Family Feud and attended a Hulu on Disney+ launch party.
The inaugural Golden Bachelor couple do plan to give back their wedding rings amid their divorce but will forever keep their fond memories.
“We don’t have to give back the memories,” Gerry quipped, noting he will continue pursuing love in the future. “And I still love [Theresa].”
Theresa echoed Gerry’s sentiments as he kissed her hand and confirmed that they are still “best friends.”
The now-exes met during the first Bachelor Nation spinoff for older contestants, which finished airing in September 2023.
