'Golden Bachelor' star Gerry Turner reveals rare cancer diagnosis, admits to being in denial for a while

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gerry Turner, star of 'The Golden Bachelor', has revealed he is battling a rare form of cancer.

The 73-year-old reality TV star opened up in an interview with People, sharing the details of his diagnosis and how it influenced his personal decisions, including his recent divorce from his wife Theresa Nist.

Gerry Turner says he couldn't accept his cancer diagnosis

Speaking about his diagnosis, Gerry Turner said, "There’s a topic that I haven’t wanted to talk about until now."

“I think it’s time, also because it probably will clear up a lot of mystery around what happened back in February, March, and April,” he added.

Turner disclosed that he was diagnosed with Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, a rare and slow-growing form of bone marrow cancer.

The condition, which affects blood cell growth and weakens the immune system, was discovered after he sought medical attention for a shoulder injury sustained during a pickleball class three years ago.

“An orthopedic surgeon went to my family doctor, my family doctor referred me to an oncologist, and now I’m working with a hematology-oncology group in Fort Wayne,” he explained.

“It was like 10 tons of concrete were just dropped on me. And I was a bit in denial for a while,” Turner admitted.

“I didn’t want to admit to it," he added.

Gerry Turner on the impact of his cancer diagnosis on marriage and family

Gerry Turner revealed that his diagnosis played a pivotal role in the end of his short-lived marriage to Theresa Nist, whom he proposed to during the 'Golden Bachelor' finale in November 2023.

The couple wed in a televised ceremony two months later but announced their divorce in April, just three months after their wedding.

“As Theresa and I were trying very hard to find our lifestyle and where we were going to live and how we were going to make our life work, I was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer,” Turner shared.

He explained that the diagnosis shifted his priorities, prompting him to focus on spending time with his two daughters, their spouses, and his granddaughters.

“When you are hit with that kind of news and the shock wears off... you regroup and you realize what’s important to you. That’s where you start to move forward,” he said.

Turner acknowledged that this focus on family affected his relationship with Nist.

“The importance of finding the way with Theresa was still there, but it became less of a priority,” he admitted.

Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist's mutual decision to part ways

In April, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist publicly announced their decision to end their marriage, describing it as mutual.

Speaking on 'Good Morning America', Turner said, “Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations... and we’ve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it’s probably time for us to dissolve our marriage.”

Nist echoed his sentiments, expressing gratitude for the support they received from fans of 'The Golden Bachelor'.

“We have received so much love and support from so many people who watched The Golden Bachelor, and... it gave them so much hope," he shared.

"We want none of that to change for anybody,” he added.