Theresa Nist says suitors ‘younger than my son’ are texting her

Teresa Nist She has no shortage of attention, especially from fans who are much younger than her!

The “Golden Bachelor” alum and Gerry Turnerwhose love story culminated in a televised wedding in January 2024, surprised their fans when they announced their divorce just three months later, on April 12, 2024.

Now back on the dating scene, Theresa Nist is attracting a lot of interest.

The couple’s split came weeks after the emotional and heartfelt ceremony that captivated Bachelor Nation. Turner and Nist got engaged during the finale of the inaugural season of “The Golden Bachelor,” which aired in November 2023. Their journey continued with a live wedding in January, solidifying their place in “Bachelor” history.

However, the fairy tale did not last long. The couple revealed during a joint interview on “Good Morning America,” broadcast the same day Turner filed for divorce, that irreconcilable differences over where they should live ultimately led to their separation.

In an interview with PEOPLE Magazineshared how she is navigating single life after divorce. While she’s staying off dating apps for now, that hasn’t stopped her fans from flooding her DMs, including suitors who are much younger than her son.

“They contact me through Instagram direct messages, but you wouldn’t believe how young these kids are,” he told the outlet. “They are so young, they are younger than my son!” After giggling, she continued, “But these young people, I’m just baffled and they will persist and persist and persist. And I’m talking about 33-year-olds!”

Although Nist admits that he would prefer to “date someone younger,” he clarifies that his ideal partner would be “maybe 10 years younger” at most. “For me, age doesn’t matter to a certain extent,” he explained. “(But) we’re too young, we’re just not culturally the same, we didn’t experience the same things growing up, the same music, the same movies. It’s hard to have a conversation. And I don’t think anything is like that.” too old.”

“It’s just your energy. It’s basically who you are,” he added.

Although Nist is hopeful of finding his next great love, he admits that he has yet to venture back into the dating scene and hasn’t been on a date since his divorce.

“They asked me and I said no,” he said. “I don’t know. I’m more clear about what I want, so I don’t want to waste anyone’s time. I definitely want to be with someone. I do,” he continues. “I think life is a lot better when you’re with someone, but I know that even young people have a hard time finding people. Imagine how hard it gets… I’m 71 years old. That number scares people.”

The reality star admitted she’s “not sure” if marriage is in her future, but she’s open to finding a partner who shares a strong sense of “passion.”

“Like a passion for something you love to do, something that makes you wake up and want to get out of bed in the morning,” she explained of her dating requirements. “It’s intelligence. It’s being able to talk on the same level. And that’s really unique when you start talking to someone, whether you understand each other or not, you essentially understand each other.”

In November 2024, Nist shared new details about her unexpected divorce from Turner, hinting that there was more to their split than was initially revealed.

While the couple’s original statement cited their unwavering commitments to their respective families and the resulting challenges in deciding where to live, Nist now suggests that deeper, unspoken issues also contributed to their decision to go their separate ways.

“You can’t really get to know someone in four weeks. I’ll just say that,” the New Jersey native shared during the Nov. 5 episode of Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti’s podcast, “Almost Famous.”

While she acknowledged that her divorce “wasn’t just a matter of location,” she added, “I don’t want to say anything more than that.” His comments come months after he addressed the split in a statement on social media, writing, “Sometimes things don’t go the way you planned, and that’s okay.”

During his conversation with Ashley and Ben, Nist shared details about a disagreement he had with Turner during one of their visits to Indiana.

“So we were driving from the airport, it was like three hours, and we were approaching Gerry’s house,” he recalled. “Then I see this open land (I don’t see crops, I just think it’s flat land) and I say, ‘Oh wow, you could build townhouses there!’ That’s all I said. And Gerry said, ‘Oh, so you want to take the farmer’s land?’ I say, ‘Note to self, don’t say that again.'”

Nist recalled that his comment unintentionally led to a deeper discussion about their different perspectives on the land, and Turner reportedly became defensive about the importance of protecting farmland in the Midwest.

Nist and Turner finalized their divorce earlier this year.