SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of “The Golden Bachelor.“
The first season of “The Golden Bachelor” came to quite an emotional conclusion. At the top of Thursday’s finale, Gerry Turner introduced the final two, Theresa Nist and Leslie Fhima, to his family.
Both meetings went great, but since Theresa went first, it was a bit tougher for Gerry’s family to warm up to Leslie. And it quickly seemed like Gerry felt the same way. After Leslie and Gerry’s time with his family, they had one last date night together and she could tell he was off. She asked him what was going on but he didn’t answer — at first. After leaving her room and gathering his thoughts, he decided that it was time to end their relationship.
“I have fallen in love with Theresa and that’s the direction I’m going to take,” he told her after going back into her room. Leslie, understandably blindsided, immediately began crying.
“Everything you told me the other night was a complete and utter lie, Gerry,” she said. He stated that wasn’t the case, telling her, “Things have changed, things have evolved… Had I known this would be how much pain I would have caused someone, I would have never taken the first step in this journey.”
As she cried, she seemed to blame herself, saying this is how her life goes. When he told her not to think that way, she responded, “No offense, I can think whatever the fuck I want right now. I’m heartbroken once again, but now I have to do it in front of the whole world to see… You made it sound like you chose me. You said things to me that made me think that this was going to be it. You led me down a path and then you took a turn and left me there and that’s how I feel.”
She admitted it was “mind-boggling” to her that, 12 hours before, they were telling each other they were in love and she was meeting his family. However, she was thankful for one thing — that he broke up with her in her hotel room.
“The only good this is now I don’t have to walk down in that $60,000 dress and diamond earrings and get on that platform and be completely embarrassed… that I thank you for,” she said.
After he left the room, Gerry also broke down into tears and told Jesse Palmer that the only time he’d been in more pain was when he lost his wife. He said he hated himself for breaking her heart.
That said, the show had to go on — and the next day, it was time to propose to Theresa.
At first, he told her, “I came to the realization that you’re not the right person for me to live with.” She looked disappointed and after a (very long!) pause, he said, “You’re the person that I can’t live without.”
After a hug and kiss, he got down on one knee. “I’m never going to stop believing that every day, I choose you,” he said. In addition to a diamond ring, he handed her his final rose — a golden one.
“It’s never going to wilt. It’ll last forever,” he said. “It’s a symbol of the love that we have for each other.”