The ending of the first-ever season of The Golden Bachelor wasn't just a TV finale. It was a cultural moment that felt, for a second, like it might actually change how we view dating over 70. Everyone wanted to know who wins The Golden Bachelor, and when Gerry Turner finally got down on one knee in Costa Rica, the answer was Theresa Nist. It felt like a fairy tale. Two people who had lost their long-term spouses—the kind of "great loves" most people only get once—found each other in the sunset of their lives.
But television isn't real life.
Theresa Nist, a 70-year-old financial services professional from Shrewsbury, New Jersey, stood there in a beaded gown while Gerry told her she was the one he couldn't live without. It was emotional. It was messy. It involved a very painful breakup with runner-up Leslie Fhima just 24 hours prior. If you watched it, you remember the tension. You remember the way Gerry seemed to crumble under the weight of his own decisions. But looking back now, the "win" feels a lot more complicated than a final rose and a Neil Lane diamond.
The Journey to the Final Rose
Gerry Turner started the season as the internet’s favorite grandpa. He was wholesome. He wore hearing aids. He cried when he talked about his late wife, Toni. By the time he narrowed the field down to his final three—Theresa, Leslie, and Faith Martin—the stakes felt impossibly high.
Theresa wasn't necessarily the "frontrunner" in the eyes of the fans early on. That was the thing about her trajectory; it was a slow burn. She had that infamous "zip-a-dee-doo-dah" energy that some of the other women found a bit much. Remember the drama with Kathy Swarts? "ZIP IT" became a meme overnight. Theresa just kept smiling through it, focusing entirely on Gerry.
What really sealed the deal for Theresa was the hometown date. Seeing her in her element in New Jersey, surrounded by her daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons, gave Gerry a glimpse of a life that felt compatible with his own. They shared a history of long, successful marriages. They both knew what it meant to grieve.
The fantasy suites were where things shifted for good. While we don't know exactly what happened behind closed doors, Gerry emerged from his night with Theresa looking like a man who had made up his mind. He later admitted that their conversation about their professional lives and their shared drive was a turning point. Theresa wasn't just a sweet grandmother; she was a sharp, successful woman who understood the world.
Why Leslie Fhima Didn't Win
It's impossible to talk about who wins The Golden Bachelor without talking about who didn't. Leslie Fhima's heartbreak was arguably the most raw moment in the history of the franchise. Gerry had essentially told her she was "the one" during their overnight date. He whispered it. He promised it.
Then he changed his mind.
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The fallout was brutal. Leslie called him out for leading her on, and she was right to do so. It highlighted a major flaw in the "Golden" version of the show: these aren't 24-year-olds who can bounce back in a few months. These are people with decades of life experience who don't have time to waste on "maybe." When Gerry picked Theresa, it wasn't just a romantic choice; it was a choice for stability over the intense, somewhat volatile connection he had with Leslie.
The Wedding and the Whirlwind
After the finale aired in late 2023, ABC moved fast. They didn't want the momentum to die. They announced The Golden Wedding, a live television special that aired on January 4, 2024.
It was a spectacle. Almost every woman from the season showed up. Susan Noles, the fan-favorite Kris Jenner lookalike, officiated the ceremony. Gold petals were everywhere. Theresa looked stunning. For a few hours, it seemed like the "win" was permanent. They were moving to South Carolina. They were looking at houses. They were going to merge their families and live out their days in bliss.
But the logistics were a nightmare.
Theresa had a career she wasn't ready to walk away from in New Jersey. She had a house, children, and grandchildren who were the center of her world. Gerry was rooted in Indiana, at his "dream home" on the lake. The fantasy of the show collided head-on with the reality of two people who had spent 70 years building separate lives.
The Shocking Split After Three Months
In April 2024, just three months after their televised wedding, Gerry and Theresa sat down on Good Morning America for a joint interview. They weren't there to announce a new house or a travel show. They were there to announce a divorce.
The internet melted down.
How could the couple that "saved" the franchise fall apart so fast? They cited the distance. They claimed they couldn't agree on where to live. Theresa wanted to stay near her family; Gerry couldn't bear to leave his.
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"We looked at homes in South Carolina, we considered New Jersey, and we just never got to the point where we made a decision," Theresa explained during the interview.
Honestly, it felt a little hollow to a lot of viewers. People started digging. Reports surfaced about Gerry's past—allegations from an ex-girlfriend that contradicted his "grieving widower who hasn't dated in years" persona. While Theresa remained classy and quiet, the "Golden" glow around Gerry began to fade. The "win" started to look more like a temporary TV contract than a lifelong commitment.
What We Learned from the Theresa Nist Victory
So, who really won? If we're talking about the show's format, Theresa Nist won. She got the ring. She got the wedding. She got the title.
But if we look at the aftermath, the real winners might have been the women who didn't get the final rose. Joan Vassos, who had to leave early to care for her daughter, became the first Golden Bachelorette. Faith Martin went back to her horses and her music, her dignity intact. Leslie Fhima became a symbol of resilience for women everywhere who have been told "it's you" only to have the rug pulled out.
Theresa, to her credit, handled the split with incredible grace. She didn't bash Gerry. She didn't go on a press tour of vengeance. She went back to her life in New Jersey, back to her work, and back to her family.
The Logistics of Senior Dating
The biggest takeaway from the Theresa and Gerry saga is that dating in your 70s is harder than dating in your 20s. When you're young, you're building a life with someone. You're both starting at zero. You can move across the country for a job or a partner because you haven't put down deep roots yet.
When you're 70, you are the root.
You have property. You have tax implications. You have grandchildren who you want to see every weekend. You have doctors you trust and a community that supports you. Asking someone to give all of that up for a person they've known for six weeks on a reality show is, in hindsight, a massive ask.
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The Legacy of the First Season
Despite the divorce, the first season of The Golden Bachelor was a massive success for ABC. It proved that there is a huge audience for stories about older people. It showed that romance doesn't end at 50, or 60, or 70.
Theresa Nist remains a beloved figure in the Bachelor Nation world. She proved that you can be vulnerable, competitive, and successful all at once. Even if the marriage didn't last, her journey on the show resonated with millions of people who felt invisible in a culture obsessed with youth.
Moving Forward: Lessons for Future Seasons
If you're following the franchise, the "win" is now defined differently. It's not just about the proposal. It's about the "Hometowns" and the actual, boring conversations about bank accounts and zip codes.
- Be wary of the "Edit": The show portrayed Gerry as a saint and Theresa as a lucky winner. The reality was two complicated humans with conflicting lives.
- Location is everything: If you can't agree on a state, you can't have a marriage. This seems obvious, but the "bubble" of the show makes people forget.
- Career matters: Theresa's dedication to her work was a major factor in her life that the show didn't highlight enough until it became a problem for the relationship.
The question of who wins The Golden Bachelor has a simple answer: Theresa Nist. But the story of what happens after the cameras stop rolling is the one that actually matters. Theresa is currently living her best life in New Jersey, proving that you don't need a man—or a final rose—to be the protagonist of your own story. She showed us that the real prize is the courage to put yourself out there, even if it doesn't end in a "happily ever after" that lasts decades.
If you're looking for love later in life, the Theresa Nist story is a masterclass in risk-taking. It’s okay to go for it. It’s okay if it fails. The important part is that she was willing to try, and she came out the other side stronger, more famous, and with a community of women who have her back. That’s a win in any book.
To stay updated on what the rest of the cast is doing, check out their social media. Many of the women from Gerry's season, including Kathy, Susan, and Nancy, have started their own podcasts or are making appearances at fan events. They’ve formed a "Golden Girl" squad that seems much more permanent than any of the romances from the show. Honestly, the friendship among the contestants might be the most "real" thing to come out of the entire experiment.
Keep an eye on the upcoming seasons. The producers have likely learned a lot from the Gerry and Theresa fallout. Expect more pointed questions about relocation and retirement in future episodes. The "Golden" era is just beginning, and while the first ending was rocky, it set the stage for a whole new way of talking about aging, love, and the reality of life after 70.
Check out the official Bachelor Nation site for casting calls if you know someone who should be the next lead. It's a wild ride, but as Theresa showed us, it's one worth taking. Just make sure you know where you want to live before you say "I do" on national television.
The most important step for anyone inspired by Theresa is to realize that "winning" is subjective. If you find a partner, great. If you find yourself, even better. Theresa Nist did both, even if one of them didn't stick around for the long haul.
Next time you find yourself wondering about the reality of these shows, remember that the most authentic moments often happen after the finale. Stay skeptical, stay hopeful, and always keep an eye on the "ZIP IT" memes. They're usually telling the truth.