Leslie Fhima thought Gerry Turner was the one, but The Golden Bachelor gave his final rose to Theresa Nist instead. Gerry, the 72-year-old widower and retired restaurateur, dated 22 single women throughout the inaugural season of TheBachelor spin-off. After a series of group dates, one-on-ones, rose ceremonies, and dramatic moments, Gerry ultimately eliminated all but 65-year-old Leslie and 70-year-old Theresa. Gerry told both of the final two women that he loved them and even told Leslie she was the one. In the end, he gave his final rose to Theresa, sending Leslie home heartbroken.
It must have been hard for Leslie to see Gerry and Theresa wasted no time planning their Golden Bachelor wedding. Their wedding aired on January 4. The highly-anticipated television event was attended by many Bachelor Nation stars, including Leslie herself, still stinging from Gerry's public rejection. Hopes were high for the couple after the dream wedding, but they announced their split in April. Though Leslie was vindicated, it probably doesn't make it hurt any less.
Leslie's Golden Bachelor Journey
Her Dream Come True Became A Nightmare
Though the attractive Leslie caught Gerry's eye on night one of The Golden Bachelor, the divorced 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 last divorce was 22 years ago, and she has been single ever since.
While Gerry and Leslie grew close while filming The Golden Bachelor , it didn't end the way Leslie wanted.
Gerry seemed to lead Leslie on until the last moment, so it came as a shock. It was hard for Leslie to understand why he would tell her she was the one, only to pick someone else. Though it must have been painful for Leslie to then attend Gerry and Theresa's wedding, she powered through it like a boss. Leslie continued to harbor strong feelings towards Gerry over what happened between them on the show, but she managed to move on gracefully.
Leslie Has Been Focused On Family
A Wedding She Wanted To Attend
Since having her heart trampled on, The Golden Bachelor season 1 contestant has been focused on healing. She has been posting photographs of herself spending time with her family. In June, Leslie posted a photo taken during her son's recent wedding. In the photo, the thrilled mother-of-the-groom is wearing a strapless blue gown and is seated on the temple steps, surrounded by her son and all his groomsmen.
The post has 4.8K likes, and the caption reads, in part, " I'm still in the afterglow of the wedding last week 💍."
After having to attend the wedding of the man she loved to the woman he chose over her, it's nice that Leslie got to attend a wedding that she actually wanted to go to.
Leslie Has Been Staying Fit
She Believes In The Power Of Physical Fitness
In addition to spending time with family, Leslie has been healing from her heartbreak by staying fit. Leslie is a fitness instructor, so she knows better than most people how crucial a role physical fitness plays in mental health and well-being. It's no surprise Leslie has stayed on the move since the disappointing end to her journey on the inaugural season of TheGolden Bachelor. In February, Leslie posted an Instagram video of one of the dance classes that she teaches.
The post's caption reads, in part, " What an amazing night! My first class back at @lifetime.life ."
Will Leslie Ever Give Gerry Another Chance?
She's No One's Second Choice
Now that Gerry is 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. In contrast, Gerry presents a more relaxed energy that's similar to Leslie's. Also, while Theresa lived in New Jersey, Leslie was, like Gerry, a Midwesterner. Since location was a big part of why Gerry and Theresa broke up, Leslie may have been a more rational choice.
That being said, love isn't driven by reason, and neither is The Golden Bachelor.
Leslie was asked about TheGolden Bachelor's divorce during an interview on the Playing The Field podcast, which aired on YouTube. She revealed she knew about Gerry and Theresa's divorce a couple of days before the news was made public. She also said 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. “We laughed and had meals together, so I guess I was shocked [by the divorce]. I didn’t see that coming.”
When asked if she would ever consider rekindling her short-lived romance with The Golden Bachelor, Leslie said no. She explained that, though she didn't hate Gerry for what happened between them on The Golden Bachelor, she simply wasn't willing to be a second choice. It's unclear if Leslie has been dating anyone else since the split with Gerry. Considering she was single for 22 years before Gerry, she's comfortable being on her own. For his part, Gerry was already spotted attending a dating event.
