Gerry Tuner's First Wife Kept Him In The Dark About Her Health Diagnosis Before Her Sudden Death

The loss of a spouse can be hard on anyone, whether its someone from the regular walks of life or a celebrity. No matter how long it has been, the pain doesn't always get any less. Gerry Turner has now reflected on the moment when he realised his wife didn't want "anybody" to know about a health diagnosis after her 2017 death. In his new book, Golden Years: What I've Learned from Love, Loss, and Reality TV, the Golden Bachelor alum looked back at the time he "started to go through" Toni's things after she died of a bacterial infection that summer.

Gerry Turner reflects on his first wife, Toni's death

In the book, Gerry Turner reflected on losing his first wife. He revealed that he was going through his wife's things when he found out the clear sign that Toni didn't want anyone to know about her diagnosis. He shared that there were medical supplies that had remained untouched, as she had never mentioned anything about the diagnosis to anyone. The book could be read as:

"Tucked away in the back of a bathroom drawer, in a clear sign that she didn't want anybody to uncover what was in there, I found evidence that she had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. There was literature, prescriptions, a blood glucose meter, and other supplies — all apparently untouched and unused. She'd never mentioned this big diagnosis to her daughters or me, and, as far as I could tell, she'd never followed through with treatment."

Gerry Turner's mind was clouded with 'what-ifs'

In the same book, Gerry Turner shared that the discovery left him reeling with "what-ifs." Gerry revealed that "untreated or unmanaged diabetes stresses the body, particularly the kidneys." He wondered if he had contributed to Toni's mentality, wondered why she wouldn't confide in him. He emphasised that the "saddest" part about Toni's death was that she "didn't feel safe enough to tell anyone the truth of what was happening with her." He was quoted as saying:

"Had Toni had the means to live longer, but been undone in the end by the belief that any kind of whining was frivolous? Had I somehow contributed to this mentality? Why hadn't she felt comfortable confiding in me about something as important as having diabetes? The loss of any loved one is sad. But to think it might have been possible, no matter how remotely, for her to have lived longer or still be alive today, is even more painful."

Gerry Turner previously talked about his love story with Toni in an interview

In 2023, Gerry Turner spoke to PEOPLE about his love story with Toni. The TV star noted that they were high school sweethearts, wed in 1972, and welcomed two daughters, Jenny and Angie. She died just weeks after they bought a lake house together in Indiana in July 2017. He was quoted as saying:

"She'd worked her whole life, getting to that spot where she deserved her time in retirement and her time of fun, and she got cheated out of it. That was the thing that always bothered me. On the anniversary of her passing, Jenny, Angie, and I always exchange thoughts like, 'If she were here, this would be what she would be doing today', or 'This is what she would be interested in.'"

More about Gerry Turner

Gerry Turner later found romance again with Theresa Nist while filming The Golden Bachelor in August 2023, before they called it off in April 2024 after filing for divorce. The pair revealed their decision to split during an interview on Good Morning America on April 12, 2024. Gerry has since gotten engaged to his new partner, Lana Sutton, whom he started dating in the spring of 2025.

What are your thoughts on Gerry Tuner's revelations?

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