As Charity Lawson’s Bachelorette season winds down, another rose-filled journey is right around the corner. Gerry Turner’s debut as the Golden Bachelor airs this September, and he had his first in-person interaction with Bachelor Nation at Charity’s Men Tell All special on Aug. 14.
Fans knew that Gerry had been married to his high-school sweetheart, Toni, for 43 years before she passed away in 2017. However, in a new video that aired during Men Tell All, Gerry went into further heartbreaking detail about that loss: sharing that Toni became ill right after the couple closed on their dream home and passed away weeks later. “Every time I look at that lake, I go, This is her dream. This is what she deserves. Why am I standing here alone?”
But Gerry also displayed his playful side during his introduction package — gleefully announcing that he’d passed his STD and substance tests for the show and revealing his dream celebrity suitor. “Best-case scenario is I find out that Helen Mirren’s on the market, and she’s really happy to be on The Golden Bachelor,” he said.
After stepping onto the Men Tell All stage and receiving a standing ovation, Gerry opened up about his upcoming journey. (Reality Steve reports that Gerry’s season started filming at the beginning of August, while Men Tell All taped the week before.)
Sitting down with Jesse Palmer, Gerry teased that overnight dates “might be a little different” from what fans typically expect from the franchise. “That’s a long way down the journey,” he added.
ABC/Craig Sjodin
The Golden Bachelor also shared his advice for a long, loving marriage. “Look at your spouse every day, and tell them you love them,” he said. “Because the day comes too soon for one of you, that you can’t do that. And I would give anything to be able to do that one more time. Tell them you love them every day. Give them that hug.”
He also explained that a love like the one he shared with Toni is not “what [he’s] looking for.” Rather, he explained, he’s looking for “the new person that will make [him] whole again.”
Naturally, fans on Twitter were excited — and emotional — to see the 71-year-old widower begin his journey for love after loss.
A few fans even pointed out that they’d like the chance to date Gerry, too — even if they’re a few decades away from his dating demographic.
Alas, you won’t be seeing any 20-something suitors on Gerry’s season — obviously. As the Golden Bachelor recently told Variety, he suggested to producers a “general” age range of 60 to 70 years old.
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