Golden Bachelor couple Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist were still contending with one major issue that was keeping them from fully merging their lives together in the days leading up to their shock divorce announcement. 

During an appearance on the Dear Shandy podcast back in March, the then-couple described how Nist's job had become a 'hurdle' in their marriage.

Nist, 70, works as a securities professional and remained committed to her job after becoming engaged to Gerry, 72, on The Golden Bachelor.

However, her career kept her in New Jersey, hundreds of miles away from Gerry's home in Indiana.

The former couple - who wed in January 2024 before announcing their divorce just three months later - opened up about the obstacle during an appearance on Bachelor vet Sharleen Joynt's podcast, admitting they were in a 'long-distance relationship.' 

Gerry Turner described how Theresa Nist's job impacted their marriage during an interview done ahead of their shock divorce announcement 

'I still work, so that’s the hurdle,' Theresa explained. 

'When I went on the show, I'm a very, very loyal person, and I had no idea what lay in store for me that I would be on this show for so long. I said, "I'll be back in two weeks,"' she explained. 

Initially Nist had only hoped to make it through the first night - but she ended up staying far longer than anticipated. 

She had also assured her employer she wouldn't be leaving her job.  

'I honestly thought, "Oh, let me just get through the first night,"' she recalled. 'And I stayed and I stayed and I stayed, and my employer was so good to me. And before I left, I kind of said, "Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you."'

'So kind of stuck with me, even though my intent, I'm not going to work until I'm 80, but I am still working. So, right now, it's a long distance relationship essentially.

'Until we decide on a place to really live, then I can really make a big decision to say, "Okay, we’re going to live in this place or that place," she said. 'And originally, it was South Carolina. We’re still not sure if that’s what it is.'

Asked how he felt about the challenge, Gerry said: 'I go through phases.'

While Theresa was still working, Gerry was now retired and was hopeful for a life of 'fun' and 'adventure' with his partner.  

The former couple - who wed in January 2024 before announcing their divorce just three months later - opened up about the 'hurdle' during an appearance on Bachelor vet Sharleen Joynt's podcast Dear Shandy 

'I work, so that's the hurdle,' Nist admitted

'I guess the difficult part is I went on to the show to find my partner, and I’ve been retired for a long time,' he said. 

'I wanted fun, adventure. I wanted to go do,' he explained. 'So that is the crux of it, right now, is when does that start? I think the living arrangement is really secondary to the freedom of being able to go and enjoy life and do.'

Gerry admitted it was Theresa's first week visiting him at his home in Indiana and she had won over his friends after meeting them during a get-together the night prior. 

'This is Theresa's first week in Indiana at my house. So we had the good fortune last night, I got my closest friends together and went to the nearby bar and grill and had a great night. 

'And then this morning I see those same friends playing pickleball and they're all raving. "Theresa was so nice, is she enjoying her time here in Indiana?" All positive comments.'

Gerry added they were 'dealing' with the obstacle: 'That hurdle is still there, and right now, we’re dealing with it. It’s just something we’re gonna have to find a way around.'

The couple said 'I do' in a lavish televised wedding in January 2024 

Theresa noted they had plans in store together, including a trip to Italy: ' Coming up we're about to be doing a lot of things together.'

Theresa and Gerry's long-distance marriage was no secret to fans, with TMZ reporting early this month that they were still living apart due to the roots they already planted in their respective cities. 

The marriage, however, wasn't meant to be - just three months after saying 'I do' on TV, they announced their divorce this past Friday on Good Morning America. 

'Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations, and we’ve looked closely at our situation, our living situation, so forth and - and we’ve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it’s probably time for us to - dissolve our marriage,' Gerry told host Juju Chang.

The same day, Gerry filed for divorce.

In documents obtained by TMZ and filed by Turner on Friday morning in his hometown of Petersburg, Indiana, the star cites an 'irretrievable breakdown' of the marriage as the reason for the split.

Gerry proposed to Nist in Costa Rica 

In their interview Turner admitted that their decision to separate was motivated in large part by their 'dedication' to their respective families - hinting that this has made it incredibly difficult for them to decide on a place to settle down together.

Both Gerry, a retired restauranteur from Indiana, and Theresa, a securities professional from New Jersey, have kids from past relationships; he has two daughters and two granddaughters, while she has a son, daughter, and six grandsons.

'The thing that strikes me the most in our conversations, it’s been how dedicated both of us are to our families,' Gerry explained.

'So we look at these situations and I think we just feel like it’s best for the happiness of each of us to live apart.'

However, Theresa insisted that the former couple tried their utmost to reach a compromise that would work for both of their families, revealing that they had looked at different locations across the country in the hopes of finding a ideal home to start their new lives together.

But the marriage wasn't meant to be, and they announced their divorce three months later

'We looked at homes in South Carolina, we considered New Jersey, and we just looked at home after home, but we never got to the point where we made that decision,' she said.

'We have received so much love and support from so many people who watched The Golden Bachelor, and I don’t think we can tell you how many people told us that it gave them so much hope,' Theresa added. 'We want none of that to change for anybody.'

When asked if they 'fell out of love,' Gerry insisted, 'No. I still love this person. There's no doubt in my mind, I am still in love with her and still root for her every day.'

They added that they were going to have to 'give their rings back,' but that they were happy they could keep 'the memories' that they shared.