The Golden Bachelorette: Speculation About Gerry Turner Wanting A Second Chance With Joan Vassos Explained (Did He Try To Reunite With Joan After Divorcing Theresa Nist?)

The Golden Bachelorette's Joan Vassos was recently asked about speculations that Gerry Turner wanted to reunite with her after his marriage to Theresa Nist went south, and her answer was surprising. Joan, who recently celebrated her 62nd birthday, met 72-year-old Gerry during The Golden Bachelor ​​​​​​season 1. Joan was one of 22 single Golden women who had traveled to the iconic Bachelor mansion to participate in the first unscripted dating show for single's in their golden years. When a family emergency pulled Joan out of the competition early, she was later cast as the spin-off's first female lead.

For his part, Gerry went on to give his final rose to 70-year-old Theresa. The two were married in a star-studded wedding that aired on ABC, just a few weeks after going public with their relationship. The couple shocked and disappointed everyone when they announced their divorce only three months later. There have been speculations that Gerry tried to rekindle things with Joan after his marriage to Theresa went down in flames. The Golden Bachelorette season 1's Joan was recently asked directly about the rumors and gave a very direct answer.

What Happened Between Joan & Gerry?

The One That Got Away

The excitement for The Golden Bachelor season 1 was palpable, and all eyes were on The Bachelor mansion when Gerry greeted his cast of 22 Golden women. The 72-year-old retired restaurateur was married to Toni Turner for 43 years before she died in 2018. Among the women he met that night was Joan, a private school administrator from Maryland. She didn't stand out to him initially, but she did receive a rose that night, which kept her in the game.

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When Joan stood out to Gerry during a talent show group date, he realized she was a great catch. Joan won The Golden Bachelor season 1 talent show, so she won a solo dinner with Gerry. During their solo date, they connected, and it was clear they had serious chemistry. The date ended with Gerry giving Joan a rose, ensuring she'd be there for another week. Things were going well for Joan and Gerry until a phone call from home changed everything.

Though things were promising with Gerry, Joan made the difficult choice to prioritize her family. She pulled Gerry aside and tearfully told him that her family needed her. Part of the issue may have also been that Joan wasn't ready to move on from her late husband. She and John Vassos were married for 32 years until he passed away in 2021. It's possible she wasn't ready to start dating again at the time.

Did Gerry Try To Rekindle Things With Joan?

"Really Good Friendship"

After Joan left The Golden Bachelor season 1 early, Gerry went on to give his final rose to Theresa. After their ill-advised and short-lived marriage went down in flames, Gerry was a single man again. Online speculations continued to say that Gerry reached out to Joan when his marriage fell apart, hoping to rekindle their relationship.

Joan recently made an appearance on the Two Jersey J's podcast, where she was asked directly about the rumors. She told hosts Jackie Goldschneider and Jennifer Fesler that she did have a romantic connection with Gerry early on, but their relationship evolved into a "really good friendship." Joan went on to confess that she and Gerry continue to stay in touch regularly. When the hosts asked if Gerry may have wanted to give their relationship another chance, Joan responded, "I'm not gonna comment."

Why The Rumor Is Unlikely

Gerry Was Dealing With A Serious Illness

Fans were shocked by the announcement of the Golden divorce, and many blamed him for the divorce. Gerry stayed mostly quiet while his divorce from Theresa was being finalized. Thankfully, they had an airtight prenuptial agreement, so they walked away from the marriage with what they brought to it. They initially blamed the split on geography, but in December 2024, Gerry broke his silence during an interview with People. He revealed what happened between him and Theresa after they got married and left The Golden Bachelor season 1.

The truth about what was happening between the couple was more shocking than anyone could have imagined. Doctors discovered a problem with Gerry's bloodwork while doing a routine exam for a shoulder injury. Gerry was soon diagnosed with slow-acting bone marrow cancer. The Golden Bachelor was initially told that he had a blood disorder, which he told Theresa a few weeks after their January wedding. He also told her right away when he got his cancer diagnosis in March.

Gerry wanted to spend as much time as he had left with his family and just couldn't build a new relationship. The fact that he lived in Indiana, while Theresa lived far away in New Jersey, didn't help matters. The couple ended up announcing their divorce in April, after three months of living in a long-distance marriage. It's unlikely that Gerry was trying to reunite with Joan when he was dealing with cancer.

Did Joan Ever Find True Love?

She Went On To Be The Golden Bachelorette

After leaving The Golden Bachelor season 1 early, she was cast as The Golden Bachelorette. It wasn't long before she found herself standing where Gerry stood just a few months earlier, meeting 24 single Golden men. Among the men was 60-year-old Chock Chapple. Joan hit it off with the insurance executive right away, and the season ended with the pair getting engaged. Joan and Chock are spending a lot more time together than Gerry and Theresa ever did, and there could be another Golden Bachelor wedding on the horizon.