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Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist have separated after three months of marriage. The Golden Bachelor‘s first-ever couple to marry announced their divorce during a Friday, April 12, appearance on Good Morning America together.
“Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations, and we’ve looked closely at our situation, our living situation, so forth and we’ve come to the conclusion mutually that it’s probably time for us to dissolve our marriage,” Gerry, 72, explained, before Theresa, 70, pointed out, “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. We want none of that to change for anybody.”
Theresa then added, “Don’t give up. Stay in it. Stay hopeful. ‘Cause we are.”
The pair explained the reason why they decided to split: distance. Theresa noted they had been planning on moving in together in either New Jersey or South Carolina. Theresa is from New Jersey, whereas Gerry lives in Indiana lake house.
“We looked at home after home, but we never got to the point where we made that decision,” Theresa pointed out. Gerry later shared that the “thing that strikes me the most in our conversations, it’s been how dedicated both of us are to our families. So ,we look at these conversation and we both think it’s best for the happiness of each of us to live apart.”
Gerry is a father to his two daughters, Angie and Jenny, whom he shared with his late wife, Toni. He is also a grandfather to granddaughters Charlee and Payton. As for Theresa, she is a mother to her adult children, Jen and Tommy, and she is a grandmother to six grandchildren.
Despite breaking up, the now-estranged spouses insisted they are “best friends” and did not fall out of love with one another as they sat down for the GMA interview holding hands.
“I still love this person,” Gerry vowed about Theresa. “There’s no doubt in my mind, I still am in love with her. I root for her every day.” Theresa added, “I still love him.”
While Theresa noted she’ll be returning the wedding ring to Gerry, he said, “”But you know what? We don’t have to give back the memories.”