The New 'Golden Bachelor' Is Already Making Everyone Cry
Earlier this week, ABC revealed that Gerry Turner, a 71-year-old grandfather from Indiana, is the network's first-ever Golden Bachelor lead. "He posts his thirst traps in a leather-bound album," the promo said. "His DMs have postage. He gets the Early Bird Special anytime he wants."
Now, we're learning more about the septuagenarian who will be handing out roses on national television, including how he thinks his late wife, Toni, might react to his new role. "I think she would be very pleased," he said on the latest episode of the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast. Gerry (pronounced "Gary") and Toni were high-school sweethearts who started dating in the '60s and stayed together until her death in 2017.
"I have a picture of her in my walk-in closet, so every night I'm in there and I see her picture," he said. "We talk. I'll make a brief comment, or sometimes that talk is silent. But here lately in the last couple of months, my question for her is always, 'So what do you think of this? Am I doing the right thing?' And I really have strong positive feelings about it. I think she would be very happy." Aww, Gerry!
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When he's not busy making you cry, Gerry can be found playing pickleball, running marathons and eating healthy—and he's looking for a woman who's up for the same. "I would want someone, in their own way, that's fit," he said. "If they're tall or short, those kind of things don't matter. Are they getting the most out of their physical attributes? Are they refusing to give up?"
The woman of his dreams will also be tight with her children. "Really important is, how close are they to family?" Gerry said. "I've dated a few women along the way and it's very revealing when someone doesn't have good, friendly ties with their children. It manifests in a number of negative ways."
In short, Gerry is looking for a pickleball partner whose kids actually pick up the phone when she calls. Will he find her on national TV? One can hope.
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