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Golden Bachelor’s Maria Trice Says She ‘Dodged a Bullet’ With Gerry Turner After Theresa Nist Split
The Golden Bachelor alum Maria Trice revealed she’s happy her romance with Gerry Turner didn’t work out amid his split from wife Theresa Nist.
“I think I dodged a bullet,” Maria, 61, told People on April 14. “The interesting part about being at this stage and this age is people have stuff, even if they do their due diligence of finding out as much as they can about everyone, I think other stuff just comes up. Men in particular.”
She added that when “trying to force a shoe that doesn’t fit, you’re going to get corns on your toes.”
Maria then said she hopes Theresa, 70, “is happy” and speculated where she and Gerry, 72, might have hit a breaking point in their relationship.
“At first everyone is showing their inner ambassador and batting their eyes, but when the covers come off, and you see the real reality of who each other are, you’re like, I’m not really sure this is who I want for the rest of my life,” Maria said. “I’ve had a lot of love in my life, real love. She can do it again, and she can do it better. The biggest love you can have is loving yourself and that attracts all sorts of things.”
Fans watched Gerry and Theresa get engaged during the season 1 finale in November 2023, while they wasted no time and wed during a televised ceremony in January. However, their love wasn’t meant to be and the former couple announced their split on April 12 after three months of marriage.
Despite insisting that they’re still in love, Gerry and Theresa explained during an appearance on Good Morning America that they called it quits because neither of them wanted to move away from their families.
“We looked at home after home, but we never got to the point where we made that decision,” Theresa explained, noting that their plans to find a home together never came to fruition.
Meanwhile, Gerry added that they both had a hard time relocating because they’re “dedicated” to their families. “So we look at these conversations and we both think it’s best for the happiness of each of us to live apart,” he said.
However, an insider exclusively told Life & Style that “Theresa really loved Gerry” and she “wanted to work at it more than him.”
“Gerry and Theresa are giving up on their marriage, but they both weren’t on the same page as they’d like you to believe,” the source added, noting that he was the one that “wanted out” of the relationship.
Three days after they confirmed their split, Theresa broke her silence in a heartfelt Instagram message on Monday, April 15.
“To everyone who has expressed love, support and kindness to me I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are all such wonderful human beings. It means the world to me that you took the time to reach out to me, whether in person, on the phone, by text or by direct message. You are all so kind to do so,” she wrote. “For everyone else who is confused and angry and who does not understand, please try to find it in your heart to understand and to try a little kindness. Not just for me but for the world and for everyone you encounter.”
