'The Golden Bachelor' star Gerry Turner reveals inspiring meaning behind his eye-grabbing lion tattoo

Gerry Turner gets candid with Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos on 'Live' about 'The Golden Bachelor' and a number of other topics
UPDATED NOV 8, 2023
Gerry Turner has shared the story behind his lion's head tattoo on his shoulder during a new interview (Instagram/@goldenbachabc/ ABC)
Gerry Turner has shared the story behind his lion's head tattoo on his shoulder during a new interview (Instagram/@goldenbachabc/ ABC)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'The Golden Bachelor' star Gerry Turner is finally speaking up about his massive lion's head tattoo on his shoulder. 

While making an appearance on 'Live With Mark and Kelly', the reality TV star's giant lion tattoo was one of the topics of discussion.

"We heard about this tattoo, Gerry," Mark asked. Soon after, Kelly corrected her husband and said, "No, the tattoo was revealed."

Gerry Turner was asked about the large lion tattoo on his shoulder and he revealed the story behind it (ABC)
Gerry Turner was asked about the large lion tattoo on his shoulder and he revealed the story behind it (ABC)

The couple asked Gerry, "What's the symbolism behind it?" 

The 72-year-old said, "It's a lion's head on my right shoulder. There was a point in time where I was thinking about taking on more responsibility in business and so forth."

He added, “There’s this saying about every

morning in Africa, a lion wakes up [and] it must run faster than the slowest gazelle or a gazelle wakes up and it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be eaten."

Turner continued, "It doesn’t matter if you’re a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up, you better be running. And so that was something that I really believed in at the time, and when I saw that poster I thought, ‘That’s the perfect tattoo.'”

Gerry Turner's lion tattoo has an inspiring meaning behind it (Instagram/@goldenbachabc)
Gerry Turner's lion tattoo has an inspiring meaning behind it (Instagram/@goldenbachabc)

Gerry Turner is set to find love in 'The Golden Bachelor'

Gerry Turner would love to have a partner with high energy (Instagram/@goldengerryturner)
Gerry Turner would love to have a partner with high energy (Instagram/@goldengerryturner)

Gerry Turner is looking for the woman of his dreams in 'The Golden Bachelor.'

During an interview with 'Good Morning America', Turner said, “I'd love it if I found a partner who is high energy. Someone who maybe plays pickleball; someone who maybe plays golf."

Then, he also talked about the idea of getting married and went on to say, "I wouldn't discount it."

The Indiana native has a few turn-offs as well. He would never date a smoker and geographical distance is another red flag for him.

Was Gerry Turner married?

Gerry Turner loves spending time with his pets. (Instagram/@goldengerryturner)
Gerry Turner was married for 43 years (Instagram/@goldengerryturner)

Gerry walked down the aisle with his high school sweetheart, Toni, in 1974. The two of them lived a happy life until Toni suddenly fell ill and tragically died in 2017. 

In the first episode of 'The Golden Bachelor', he talked about his wife's death and said, "We went to the emergency room and she had a bacterial infection that infected her kidneys and infected her liver. I took my wife to the emergency room on July 7th. She passed away on July 15th."

Turner and Toni were married for 43 years.

Does Gerry Turner have any children?

'The Golden Bachelor' star Gerry Turner has 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters (Instagram/@goldenbachabc)
'The Golden Bachelor' star Gerry Turner has 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters (Instagram/@goldenbachabc)

Gerry welcomed two daughters, Angie and Jenny, with his late wife Toni. Along with this, he also has two granddaughters: Charlee and Payton.

His daughters encouraged him to be on the show 'The Golden Bachelor.'

Gerry Turner looks forward to connecting on a 'deeper level' during fantasy suites

Gerry Turner looks forward to connecting on a 'deeper level' during fantasy suites (Instagram/@goldengerryturner)
Gerry Turner looks forward to connecting on a 'deeper level' during fantasy suites (Instagram/@goldengerryturner)

While chit-chatting with Tamron Hall, Gerry revealed his plans for fantasy suites. 

He said, "I found the Fantasy Suites to be the perfect moment to connect intellectually and emotionally with these women, where I couldn't have conversations basically in front of our grandchildren. Because when you're on camera and mic'd, everything is in front of your grandkids."

Turner told ET, "I just think that a Fantasy Suite for someone of my age may look quite different. The activities could be quite different than for someone in their 20s and 30s."

RELATED TOPICS THE BACHELOR (2002) MARK CONSUELOS KELLY RIPA

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