After winning one-on-one time (and a rose) from Gerry, 72, Joan Vassos got a text from home.
“My daughter just had a baby and it wasn’t a normal everyday delivery at all,” Joan, 60, explained. “Things go wrong and even if everything went right, you need your mom.”
Following emotional goodbyes with her fellow contestants, Joan informed Gerry about her plans to leave.
“I get it. I understand. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am,” Gerry told Joan. “I was so excited this morning [that] I was out of bed dancing. … But there’s a moral compass that we both share. Sometimes the right thing to do is the hardest.”
Gerry got visibly emotional as Joan drove off, but she tried to keep things positive.
“I hope one of my good friends back there gets to spend their life with him because I think he’s worth it,” she told the cameras.
The Golden Bachelor airs on ABC Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET. For a recap of week 3, watch the video above.
