Gerry Turner, the inaugural Golden Bachelor, is revealing the mental health struggles he faced after his brief marriage to Theresa Nist in his upcoming memoir, Golden Years: What I’ve Learned From Love, Loss, and Reality TV.

The 74-year-old reality star and former bachelor shared in an excerpt obtained by TMZ that he contemplated suicide following the public scrutiny surrounding his split from Nist, who he married for just three months.

“One night, while I was lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, it all became too much, and for the briefest moment, I thought about putting a gun to my head,” Turner wrote.

Turner explained that, though he usually has a “marathon mentality” when facing negativity and had never been prone to depression, this period felt different. Thinking of his daughters, Jenny and Angie, he knew he could never act on these thoughts.

“I dreamed of renting a room in some remote part of Alaska no one had ever heard of and not coming out for a month,” he added, reflecting a desire to escape rather than end his life.

From Reality TV Romance to Divorce

Turner and Nist met during the first season of The Golden Bachelor in August 2023, got engaged at the end of the season in November, and tied the knot in January 2024. The couple announced their divorce on Good Morning America in April 2024, with Turner filing officially the same day.

“Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations… and we’ve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it’s probably time for us to dissolve our marriage,” he explained.

Health Update and New Chapter

In December 2024, Turner disclosed he had been diagnosed with an “incurable” slow-growing form of bone cancer, though he emphasized he felt optimistic about his prognosis.

“I feel great… Until I have any symptoms, there’s no treatment,” Turner said on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast.

Since his split from Nist, Turner has found love again. He recently became engaged to Lana Sutton, sharing photos of the couple’s engagement on Instagram in October 2025.

“We’ve got BIG news. The Golden Bachelor is OFF the market. I found my perfect match and she said ‘YES.’ I love this woman,” he wrote.

Turner’s memoir promises a candid look at love, loss, and personal resilience, offering insight into the emotional toll of reality TV fame and public scrutiny.