From his divorce from Teresa Nist after three months of marriage to his shocking cancer diagnosis. ”golden bachelor' star Jerry Turner had a productive year, but those setbacks didn't prevent him from finding love again.
”“I've dated a little bit on and off,” Turner, 73, told Fox News Digital. “You know I'm dating someone right now, but I don't think I'll find a partner for the rest of my life. I intend to continue my search for this purpose.”
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the reality TV star and former restaurateur opened up about his cancer journey and explained how the diagnosis led to his breakup with Nist. , explained why his new love interest is “so refreshing” from his previous relationship. .
'Golden Bachelor' Jerry Turner says incurable cancer diagnosis is the reason for divorce from Teresa Nist
“The Golden Bachelor” star Jerry Turner says he's dating Teresa Nist after his breakup. (Brian Bowen Smith/ABC via Getty Images)
When asked if he considered this new woman his girlfriend, Turner replied, “Let's not talk about labels yet.” “Maybe it's a little early for that. We haven't been dating that long. You know, a very short period of time.”
“There's a certain freedom and a certain acceptance of who you are,” he said of his new relationship. “It's humorous how, over the last year, year and a half, so few people understand where I'm coming from. It's really refreshing that people who haven't seen all of this history are hanging out with me. They don't. They don't care about what's on social media. ”
Turner and Nist married in a televised ceremony in January. Turner suggested on the season finale of the ABC reality dating series.
Jerry Turner said that given their living situations and other factors, he and Teresa Nist realized it was best for them to go their separate ways. (John Flinner/Disney via Getty Images)
WATCH: 'Golden Bachelor' Jerry Turner dates new woman after divorcing Teresa Nist due to cancer
Turner filed for divorce on April 12 in her hometown of Petersburg, Indiana, citing “irreconcilable differences.” His filing came hours after the couple announced their breakup on “Good Morning America.”
“Teresa and I have had many heart-to-heart conversations,” he said on GMA. “We took a hard look at our living situations and came to the conclusion that it was time to dissolve our marriage. What struck me most about our conversation was how committed we both were. So we look at this situation and feel that it is best for our respective happiness to live apart. ”
'The Golden Bachelor' Jerry Turner and Teresa Nist divorce three months after their televised wedding
The two married in January in a televised wedding. (Getty Images)
“I still love this person. There's no doubt in my mind. I'm rooting for her every day.”
The two finalized their divorce in June.
in a recent interview people magazineTurner revealed in March that he had been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer.
“There are some things I've never wanted to talk about,” Turner told the show., He mentioned his breakup with Nist. “I also think the time has come, because a lot of mysteries about what happened in February, March and April will probably be solved.”
He continued, “Teresa and I were trying very hard to figure out our lifestyle, where to live, how to get on with life, and unfortunately, we were diagnosed with cancer. Ta.”
According to Starr, Turner's bone marrow cancer has a “very long name.” He was diagnosed with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. mayo clinic, “It is a type of cancer that starts in white blood cells. Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is considered a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It is also called lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.”
Jerry Turner revealed his cancer diagnosis on December 11th. (Craig Sjodin/ABC/Getty Images)
WATCH: 'Golden Bachelor' Jerry Turner and Teresa Nist 'barely have a conversation' about their cancer battle
“Unfortunately, there is no cure,” Turner told the program. “So it weighs heavily in every decision I make. It felt like 10 tons of concrete was falling on me. And I was in a little bit of denial for a while, so that I didn't want to admit it.”
Turner told Fox News Digital that his diagnosis was a “huge factor” in his decision to part ways with Nist.
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“I think this is the unknown that people have always wondered about,” he says. “You know, the question is always, ‘What’s going on? There's got to be more to this story.''And the truth is, when I heard that news and got through that period of feeling like I had been punched in the gut, the most important thing to me was: I realized something, and in some ways I went back to old habits, old feelings of my family and my two daughters, and when my wife died, and it wasn't just me. Thinking about how it affected my daughters.”
“I don't know if everything is completely logical, but sometimes emotions are not logical,” he added. “But the bottom line is that it had a huge impact on the way I thought about my relationship with Teresa and my marriage.”
Jerry Turner said he and Teresa Nist had “very little conversation” about her cancer journey so far. (Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images)
Nist told People that the news was “devastating,” but given Turner's optimism, she remains hopeful.
“But he told me that it's the type of cancer where you're most likely to live a long life,” she told the outlet. “He's a very positive person and I'm the same way. And I know he'll do his best to make this a positive experience. And I believe it will work out that way.” The type of cancer will not affect his life and he will live to a very healthy old age.
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But since her diagnosis, Turner said the two have had “very little conversation” about their journey so far.
“Teresa and I had very little conversation about this. [the cancer diagnosis]”When I told her about it in February, we only had one short conversation after that…and that was it,” he told FOX News Digital.
“There's really no communication,” he added. “It hasn’t been for quite some time.”
But Mr Turner said he wished only “the best” for Mr Nist.
“There's no animosity at all,” he said. “There's nothing that makes me feel that way. I want her to be successful in whatever she strives for.”
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Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash contributed to this report.
