Gerry Turner still leads a very active lifestyle, despite being diagnosed with slow-growing bone marrow cancer, Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia, for which there is no cure.
The Golden Bachelor star, 73, revealed the shocking news People in an article published Wednesday — stating that both he and ex-wife Theresa Nist had split just weeks after learning of his diagnosis.
Earlier this year, in January, the former couple tied the knot during a live television special, but their divorce was only announced three months later in April.
Nist has since broken her silence on Turner’s cancer diagnosis – saying she was ‘extremely upset’ when she heard the news, but insisting it was ‘not a factor in the relationship ending’.
And during an interview with TMZshared with Gerry that he has remained positive throughout his health journey and maintains an active, daily routine.
The TV personality explained that he plays pickleball three times a week for three hours and will also take a three-mile walk around a nearby scenic lake twice a week.
Gerry Turner, 73, still leads a very active lifestyle despite being diagnosed with a slow-growing bone marrow cancer, Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia – for which there is no cure; seen above in 2023
Gerry has previously shared and spoken with him about his passion for the sport of pickleball American Pickleball last year.
“I think there’s a commonality among the pickleball communities where it doesn’t matter if you live in Indiana, Los Angeles or Florida.”
He added: “The spirit of the competition remains the same, but it’s not a cutthroat environment either. People are inclusive of players who aren’t that good and that’s something I’ve seen from coast to coast and I really like that.”
He further told TMZ that doctors had advised him to reduce his alcohol and sugar intake.
Despite the dietary restrictions, Turner said he has developed an interest in new adventures, saying, “I get the benefit of living like I’m dying!”
Gerry’s cancer is incurable and he won’t start any form of treatment until he shows symptoms of ‘headaches, dizziness, night sweats and unusual bleeding’ – which he has yet to experience.
In the meantime, the reality star continues to undergo extensive blood tests every six months.
He told TMZ that those diagnosed with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia can live up to nine years before receiving any form of treatment for the symptoms.
The TV personality explained that he plays pickleball three times a week for three hours and will also take a three-mile walk around a nearby scenic lake twice a week.
Nist has since broken her silence on Turner’s cancer diagnosis – saying she was ‘extremely upset’ when she heard the news, but insisting it had not been a ‘factor in ending the relationship’
Turner explained that he’s still in the early stages of that specific time frame, though he didn’t provide exact details.
The star then said he hasn’t asked doctors what his own life expectancy might be.
While he remains on the optimistic side of his health battle, Gerry also has plans to be involved in the… International Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation.
According to the official website, the cancer is described as “a rare, slow-growing cancer of the lymphatic system.”
‘Cancers of the lymphatic system are called lymphomas. WM is a type of lymphoma called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma…’
And while speaking to People, Turner revealed that he was diagnosed with the incurable cancer weeks before his April divorce from Theresa Nist.
He told the newspaper: “I think it’s time, also because it will probably clear up a lot of the mystery around what happened in February, March and April.”
“While Theresa and I were trying really hard to find our lifestyle and where we were going to live and how we were going to make our lives work, I was unfortunately diagnosed with cancer.”
Despite the dietary restrictions, Turner said he has developed an interest in new adventures, saying, “I get the benefit of living like I’m dying!”
‘Unfortunately there is no cure for it. So that weighs heavily in every decision I make. It was like 10 tons of concrete just fell on me. And I was in denial for a while, I didn’t want to admit it.’
He said it was “difficult” to share the devastating news with Nist, who was “understandably impressed.”
Gerry said this played a role in their widespread comments about the decision to split due to location issues – as he lives in Indiana while Nist lives in New Jersey.
The father and grandfather of two added: ‘I wanted my life to continue as normally as possible.’
“And that led me to believe that as normal as possible meant more about spending time with my family, my two daughters, my two sons-in-law and my granddaughters.”
He continued, “And the importance of finding our way with Theresa was still there, but it became less of a priority.”
According to the American Cancer Society, the overall five-year survival rate for people with WM is about 78 percent, and the 10-year survival rate is about 64 percent.
Turner said his journey to discovering the disease began when he suffered a shoulder injury three years ago when he was knocked over during a pickleball match.
When he ‘finally’ visited an orthopedic surgeon, he turned out to have special blood markers.
And while speaking to People, Turner revealed that he was diagnosed with the incurable cancer weeks before his April divorce from Theresa Nist; seen in April
He said it was “difficult” to share the devastating news with Nist, who was “understandably in awe”
He was referred to an oncologist who discovered he had a “blood disease” that he said he knew was “pretty much” cancerous.
Turner told Nist about his blood disorder in February and after undergoing additional tests and a bone marrow biopsy, he was diagnosed with cancer several weeks later.
He told Nist in mid-March, weeks before their split announcement on public TV.
Turner said he now plans to “pack as much fun into his life and enjoy every moment of it,” adding, “And when I’m gone, I’m gone, but I won’t regret it.”
He wishes his ex Nist “all the happiness in the world” and says he will always fondly remember the “glamorous and star-struck, whirlwind time” of their romance.
He said: ‘It was great, and I certainly wish it had had a different ending, that we had found our way, that we had found solutions to a problem. And above all, that I would not have had a diagnosis that so strongly influenced my decisions and the direction I took.’
Nist also broke her silence on Gerry’s cancer diagnosis during a conversation with People, admitting that she had been “extremely upset” when Turner told her the devastating news during a trip to Indiana in March.
“He is a very positive person, and so am I, and I know he will do his best to make this a positive experience.”
Nist said she and Turner rarely speak now and that she “sometimes can’t believe” she got married and divorced in 2024
She added: ‘And I have every confidence that it will work out that way, that it will be the type of cancer that will not affect his life and that he will live to a very healthy old age.’
She said Turner’s diagnosis “was not a factor in the relationship ending, at least not for me” and that part of the reason was the distance between their homes in Indiana and New Jersey.
Nist said she and Turner rarely speak now and that she “sometimes can’t believe” she got married and divorced in 2024.
She added her final message to her ex: ‘wish him the best’ and I wish him a long and healthy, prosperous life, and I hope he finds his person. I want him to be so happy, and I wish him all the best of everything in the world.”