Joan Vassos Opens Up About Why a 'Golden Bachelor' Comeback Wasn't Meant to Be
Joan Vassos, a contestant on 'Golden Bachelor', contemplated a return to the show following her sudden departure this season Discover why her plans to come back didn't materialize
ABC/Ricky Middlesworth
Joan Vassos, a contestant on Golden Bachelor, had a hopeful idea of making a comeback to the Bachelor Mansion with the intention of finding love with Gerry Turner after her sudden decision to leave the show. Unfortunately, fate had other plans and her desired outcome did not materialize.
Joan, aged 60, shared with TheWrap in a recent interview on Thursday, November 9, that upon returning home her primary focus was providing care for her daughter’s mental health. In the midst of this process, she was presented with the opportunity to come back and participate in the competition. Joan expressed her interest in returning, but wanted to assess her daughter's condition before making a final decision.
During the October 12 episode of Golden Bachelor, Joan and Gerry, aged 72, had a memorable one-on-one date where they felt a strong connection. However, following an emotional phone call with her daughter, Joan made the personal choice to leave the competition.
Joan shared during the Golden Bachelor Women Tell All special on Thursday that her daughter was suffering from severe postpartum depression and needed her support. Joan didn't hesitate and immediately knew she had to be there for her. She could hear the desperation in her daughter's voice and wasted no time in catching the next flight.
Originally, Joan had planned to return to the Golden Bachelor within four or five days after leaving. However, she had a strong feeling that she had unfinished business and wanted to prioritize being there for her daughter.
However, when Joan's daughter fell ill once more, the course of action shifted. "We simply hadn't made enough progress—I had not yet found a doctor for her," she clarified. "I had made some initial inquiries, but unfortunately, things did not progress swiftly enough."
ABC/John Fleenor
Joan shared an update with viewers during Thursday’s Women Tell All, revealing that her daughter and granddaughter are both doing “great” now.
Despite not being able to return to the Bachelor Mansion, Joan gained a valuable life lesson during her brief time on the show.
"When I left, it was the first time I truly felt a connection and saw a potential future with someone," she shared with host Jesse Palmer. "Gerry made me feel seen and truly opened my heart. I held onto hope for a while, and there were moments when I even imagined coming home from work and finding him sitting on my front porch."
On Thursday's episode of The Golden Bachelor, viewers witnessed Gerry's unexpected elimination of Faith Martin. As the episode came to a close, Gerry presented his final two roses to Leslie Fhima and Theresa Nist, setting the stage for their upcoming Fantasy Suite dates. Catch The Golden Bachelor on ABC every Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
