‘The Golden Bachelor’ recap: Gerry connects with women over shared grief, lost love

It’s only week two of The Golden Bachelor and Gerry Turner is already making strong connections with the women competing for his heart.

Theresa, 70, from Shrewsbury, New Jersey, went on the first one-on-one date with Gerry.

Before the date, the financial services professional opened up about her first love, her late husband Billy, whom she married when she was 18. Like Gerry’s first love Toni, Billy was Theresa’s high school sweetheart. They were married for 42 years. Theresa said that before her husband died eight years ago, he told her he hoped she would find someone and get married again.

While on their date at a 1950s-themed diner, Theresa’s story about Billy touched Gerry, who told her that he understood what losing a spouse feels like. At the end of the date, Gerry told Theresa that he has hope he’ll find someone he can “enjoy the rest of my life with” and gave her a rose.

Several women in the mansion went on the first group date of the season where they got to live out the fantasy of being on the cover of a romance novel. Gerry surprised them with a photoshoot where they were able to dress up and pose for a photo with him.

While it was a fun activity for the women on the date, it was an emotional one for Nancy, a 60-year-old retired interior designer from Alexandria, Virginia, who opted to wear a wedding dress for the photoshoot. She broke down in tears after the dress brought up the memory of her wedding to her late husband Mark, who died 12 years ago.

Nancy told Gerry that while she felt sad, “there’s joy in remembering” and that she “still has hope moving forward.” Their connection earned her the group date rose.

Later, at the rose ceremony, Gerry was in tears after giving out the last rose and said goodbye to Peggy, Natascha and Jeanie.

The women who remain include Leslie, Joan, Edith, Ellen, Sandra, Susan, Kristina, Faith, April and Kathy.

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