The first cut is the deepest.
That was especially true for Gerry Turner on The Golden Bachelor's series premiere, as the franchise's first-ever senior citizen lead got emotional over having to send home the first group of women at the end of the night one, something he revealed he had been "dreading for months." In fact, he even cried after saying goodbye to the six eliminated contestants, including Patty James, the mother of former Bachelor lead Matt James.
Patty, a retired real estate professional from Durham, N.C., referenced Matt and his girlfriend (and final rose recipient) Rachael Kirkconnell when she first greeted Gerry after stepping out of the limo.
"I think this could work," the 70-year-old said, "because my son was the Bachelor and he found love."
Sadly, while the process worked for Matt and Rachael, Patty didn't have the same luck, with Gerry choosing to send her home.
The other women who were eliminated on night one?
Anna, 61, a retired nutritionist from Summit, N.J.; Maria, 60, a health and wellness director from Teaneck, N.J.; Renee, 67, a former Chicago Honey Bear Cheerleader from Middleton, Wisc.; Sylvia, 64 a public affairs consultant from Los Angeles, Calif., and Pamela, 75, a retired salon owner from Aurora, Ill. (Find out who received Gerry's first impression rose here.)
While Patty's time on The Golden Bachelor was shortlived, Matt was still excited to see his mom pursue a romantic relationship on TV.
Shortly after ABC unveiled the group of women in August, the Bachelor Nation star shared a shoutout to Patty on Instagram Stories, writing alongside a photo of her, "I ccc uuu mama," with a fiery heart emoji. And he wasn't the only one cheering her on, as Rachael also confirmed in an Instagram Story post that Patty is "ready to find love," adding, "@pjames61 so proud of you for putting your heart out there."
Check out the women still vying for Gerry's final rose:
Age: 61
Occupation: Retired Nutritionist
Location: Summit, New Jersey
Age: 65
Occupation: Therapist
Location: Port St. Lucie, Florida
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired Purchasing Manager
Location: Sierra Madre, California
Age: 60
Occupation: Retired Realtor
Location: Downey, California
Age: 71
Occupation: Retired Teacher
Location: Delray Beach, Florida
Age: 60
Occupation: High School Teacher
Location: Benton City, Washington
Age: 65
Occupation: Retired Project Manager
Location: Estill Springs, Tennessee
Age: 60
Occupation: Private School Administrator
Location: Rockland, Maryland
Age: 70
Occupation: Retired Educational Consultant
Location: Austin, Texas
Age: 64
Occupation: Fitness Instructor
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Age: 60
Occupation: Health and Wellness Director
Location:Teaneck, New Jersey
Age: 60
Occupation:Educator
Location: Los Angeles, California
Age: 60
Occupation: Retired Interior Designer
Location: Alexandria, Virginia
Age: 60
Occupation: Pro-Aging Coach and Midlife Speaker
Location: New York City, New York
Age: 75
Occupation: Retired Salon Owner
Location: Aurora, Illinois
Age: 70
Occupation: Retired Real Estate Professional
Location: Durham, North Carolina
Age: 69
Occupation: Dental Hygienist
Location: East Haven, Connecticut
Age: 67
Occupation: Former Chicago Honey Bear Cheerleader
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Age: 75
Occupation: Retired Executive Assistant
Location: Doraville, Georgia
Age: 66
Occupation: Wedding Officiant
Location: Aston, Pennsylvania
Age: 64
Occupation: Public Affairs Consultant
Location: Los Angeles, California
Age: 69
Occupation: Financial Services Professional
Location: Shrewsbury, New Jersey
The Golden Bachelor airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.