‘Golden Bachelor’ Star Gerry Turner’s Dad Was Team Leslie: ‘Theresa Rubbed Me the Wrong Way’
Golden Bachelor star Gerry Turner made the wrong choice when he picked Theresa Nist instead of Leslie Fhima, according to his dad, Everett Turner.
“I had Leslie picked out. For some reason, I just didn't care for Theresa,” Everett, 92, told The Sun on Friday, December 1. “I was 60 percent for Leslie and 40 percent for Theresa. I couldn't say why. Right off the bat, Theresa rubbed me the wrong way.”
Everett, who has yet to meet Theresa, 70, added that his opinion “doesn’t matter” and he’s “bound to like her,” because she’s marrying his son.
He joked, “If she don't make him happy, I’ll probably kick her in the butt!”
Everett said that he and his wife, Norma (who goes by Peggy), watched every single episode of The Golden Bachelor in support of Gerry, 72, along with several of their friends, where they live in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
However, Everett was alone in his preference toward Leslie, 64, as Peggy, 91, was Team Theresa. She said that she had “Theresa picked out from the start.”
“I thought so because they had so much in common. His two daughters and granddaughter seemed to like her last night. They are his pride and joy, so he’s listening to them,” Gerry’s stepmother told interviewers.
Everett revealed that he and Peggy learned about Gerry’s decision along with audiences at home because Gerry kept his final choice a secret.
Despite Theresa not being Everett’s first choice, he said that he’s happy for his son regardless.
“I am always tickled to see him. I have always been proud of him. Not only for this Bachelor thing. He’s been terrific,” Everett gushed.
Gerry’s father also added that he and Peggy are excited for the upcoming nuptials. The Golden Bachelor finale surprised everyone by announcing that Gerry and Theresa’s wedding would be aired on TV on January 4, 2024.
He’s also excited to attend the ceremony and said, “We'll go anywhere. If he feels she's the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with, he might as well go ahead and get married."
“[Gerry] said because of the age, we're not getting any younger. We don't want to pass the time up,” Peggy added.
Even though Gerry shed tears over his decision to say goodbye to Leslie during the finale and even said he woke up with “mixed feelings,” he still got down on one knee for Theresa.
Right before he popped the question, the retired restaurateur confessed, “I got to the point with the questions I had asked myself about, 'How did I get here?' And 'Is she the right girl?' And I came to the realization that you’re not the right person for me to live with. You’re the person that I can’t live without. I love you, 1,000 percent.”
