lesliefhima/Instagram
Golden Bachelor’s Leslie Fhima Was Hospitalized on 65th Birthday and Had to Have ‘Random’ Surgery
Leslie Fhima turned 65 on December 28 and left fans wondering why she didn’t share any photos or videos from her birthday celebrations on social media. The Golden Bachelor runner-up eventually explained why there was no evidence of a party on her Instagram page.
“I know that everyone was just curious to know what I did on my 65th birthday. I spent it in the hospital,” Leslie explained in a now-expired Instagram story. “Yes, I had a bowel blockage, severe cramping, came into the ER.” She also revealed that she had to have surgery done to fix the problem.
“[It was] just something so random,” Leslie added. “Actually, scar tissue from an appendectomy I had when I was 18 years old. If you have severe stomach issues, don’t wait 12 hours to go to the hospital like I did.”
Despite the rough turn of events on her big day, the fitness instructor had a lot to be thankful for as she turned 65. “Thank you to everyone, from the bottom of my heart, for the amazing birthday messages that I received,” she wrote in an Instagram post on December 30. “I am so appreciative and grateful for everyone that supports me on a daily basis. This has been an amazing year for me and I count my blessings daily.”
Bachelor Nation viewers got to know Leslie on season 1 of The Golden Bachelor in 2023. She introduced Gerry Turner to her family on hometown dates and was one of the two women who spent time with him in the fantasy suite. However, Gerry, 72, dumped Leslie ahead of the final rose ceremony, leaving her blindsided and heartbroken. He wound up proposing to Theresa Nist instead.
“He made plans with me for [the] future,” Leslie said in December. “He said kind of, like, ‘Save the date, this is what we’re going to do. [In] two more days, we’ll be done with this [and] be together, start our life.’ Did he say, ‘Will you marry me?’ in there? No. But he all but said that.”
Gerry and Theresa, 70, are set to tie the knot on Thursday, January 4. While other contestants from The Golden Bachelor are going to be attending the nuptials, it’s unclear if Leslie is a confirmed guest. However, Theresa previously admitted that she’d love to have her there. “I would invite Leslie,” she said. “I don’t know if she would come.”
