Gerry Turner gave his final rose to Theresa Nist, but runner-up Leslie Fhima was the real winner of The Golden Bachelor. Gerry, a 72-year-old retired restaurateur and widower, was chosen as the first Golden Bachelor, and he was introduced to 22 eligible women in their 60s and 70s. Though he hit it off with multiple amazing women, he whittled his options down to 65-year-old Leslie and 70-year-old Theresa. During their overnight date, Gerry told Leslie she was "the one." Leslie was blindsided when Gerry chose Theresa and sent Leslie home in tears.
Adding insult to injury, a brokenhearted Leslie had to watch from the sidelines as Gerry and Theresa wasted no time planning their Golden Bachelor wedding. The wedding aired mere weeks later, on January 4. The highly-anticipated television event was attended by Bachelor Nation stars, including a few The Golden Bachelor contestants. Leslie had to set her pain aside to attend the wedding. After a few short months of marriage, Gerry and Theresa announced their divorce in April. Though Leslie was devastated when Gerry rejected her, she should be grateful as she dodged a bullet.
What Went Wrong Between Leslie & Gerry?
Their Golden Bachelor Journey
Leslie caught Gerry's eye on night one of The Golden Bachelor season 1, but the fitness instructor from Minneapolis, Minnesota, wasn't one of the front-runners early in the competition. Gerry seemed more interested in Theresa and Faith Martin, a 60-year-old guitar-playing radio host and motorcycle enthusiast. It wasn't until later in the season that Gerry finally noticed the beautiful, soft-spoken Leslie. The mother of three revealed she had been married and divorced twice. Her second divorce was 22 years ago, and she has been single ever since.
While Gerry and Leslie grew close while filming The Golden Bachelor , her dreams of true love were dashed when Gerry picked another woman.
It was hard for Leslie to understand why Gerry seemed to lead Leslie on until the last moment. It's unclear why he would tell her she was the woman for him only to turn around and pick someone else. Though it must have been painful for Leslie to attend Gerry and Theresa's wedding, she bravely put on a smile and powered through it. Leslie harbored strong negative feelings towards Gerry over what happened between them but has since moved on and is thriving.
Leslie Has A New Dance Class
She Keeps It Moving
Since her stint on The Golden Bachelor, Leslie has been healing from heartbreak by spending time with family and staying fit. Leslie is a fitness instructor, so she knows that physical fitness plays a major role in mental health and well-being. In June, Leslie posted an Instagram teaser about an upcoming dance class she plans to teach. The post has 1.1K likes, and the caption reads, "New classes coming soon!! Stay tuned." In the accompanying photo, Leslie was snapped in the middle of an energetic dance move, and she has never looked happier.
Leslie Flaunts Her Summer Bod
Eat Your Heart Out, Gerry
Since having her heart broken on national television, Leslie has kept her body in top shape. In April, Leslie posted an Instagram clip that opened with her in a pink bikini, lounging in the shallow end of a swimming pool. The post turned into a sponsored ad for a beauty product. Leslie was a fan favorite during the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor, and her career as a social media influencer has taken off.
The post has over 700 likes, and Leslie's caption reads, in part, " I love being outside, so I'm thrilled with @madhippiebeauty Sun Care Collection! "
Leslie Met 50 Cent
It's Not Leslie's First Celebrity Rodeo
In February, Leslie posted an Instagram carousel of photos of herself hanging out with none other than the rapper and actor 50 Cent. The post has over 5K likes, and Leslie's caption reads, "Had fun hanging with our friend @50cent at the @timberwolves game this weekend." This wasn't Leslie's first run-in with a celebrity, as Leslie dated the late pop star, Prince.
Would Leslie Ever Give Gerry Another Shot?
Leslie Has No Interest In Gerry Anymore
With Gerry finding himself single again, there has been some speculation about whether Leslie would ever give him another chance. Leslie may be more compatible with Gerry than Theresa was. Theresa seemed like a structured, type-A personality, while Leslie's laid-back energy is more similar to Gerry's personality. Also, while Theresa lived in New Jersey, Leslie and Gerry were both from the Midwest. It's not crazy to think that Gerry and Leslie could try again.
Leslie was asked about it during an interview on the Playing The Field podcast, which aired on YouTube. She revealed she knew about Gerry and Theresa's divorce several days before the news was made public and kept the secret to herself. She had spent time with the couple in April when they all appeared on Celebrity Family Feud together. “We were all hanging out together and had a really good time,” Leslie said. She explained that the couple seemed to be doing well, so she was shocked by the divorce announcement.
When asked if there was any chance she could rekindle things with Gerry, Leslie unequivocally answered no.
She said that though she no longer harbored negative feelings towards Gerry because of what happened between them on The Golden Bachelor, she wasn't interested in being anyone's second choice. It's unclear if Leslie has been dating anyone else since the split with Gerry. Considering she was single for 22 years between her second husband and Gerry, she's comfortable being on her own.
