The retired teacher became the first woman to classify her feelings as 'love' this season.
Real feelings are starting to develop on The Golden Bachelor. On Thursday night's episode of the Bachelor Nation show, Gerry Turner was reduced to tears when Ellen told him she was falling in love, as it was the first time he'd heard that since his wife, Toni's, death in 2017.
Before the sweet confession, though, Gerry had a pickleball group date to focus on. Ellen, a pickleball co-captain, was on that date along with Sandra, Susan, Nancy, April, Theresa, Kathy and Faith. First-ever Bachelorette Trista Sutter was also there, as was upcoming Bachelor star Joey Graziadei.
The tournament went off without a hitch -- save for April faking an injury to get more time with Gerry -- and Ellen and Kathy came out victorious.
The drama between Theresa and Kathy was still brewing, though. Theresa pulled the retired educational consultant to end their feud once and for all, but even after Theresa insisted that her words weren't "malicious," Kathy advised her to "zip it" in the future.
Gerry was less than pleased when Theresa alerted him about the situation, and he told Kathy as much, which reignited her anger at Theresa once again.
In the end, it was Sandra who earned the group date rose, largely because she missed her daughter's wedding to be on the date.
Gerry had a one-on-one with Leslie next, and the duo enjoyed an ATV ride before taking a dip in a hot tub.
"I feel safe with him and cared for. It makes me feel special. This is different," Leslie told the cameras. "... I feel like he is the man I've been searching for for a long, long time."
She told Gerry as much too, before revealing that she's a twice-divorced single mom who's been alone for 22 years.
"The feeling I have with her is just really warm, affectionate, closeness," Gerry, who gave Leslie a rose, said in a confessional. "... If things continue to progress like they have today I would absolutely see Leslie as someone I could leave here with at the end of the journey."
At the cocktail party, Gerry gifted Susan a rose quartz and told her that she reminds him of Toni, before heading into his unforgettable conversation with Ellen.
"The more I get to know who Gerry is, the more nervous I get," Ellen told Gerry. "You brought out a spark in me that I didn't realize how much I needed. I can't even remember the last time I felt this way, giggling, laughing, kissing. I'm so happy, yet apprehensive, but I feel the need and the want to take a leap of faith and tell you... I'm falling in love with you, Gerry, and it's really hard."
"It's hard I know. I feel your emotion. I'm in the same place," Gerry replied, before telling the cameras, "The last time that happened was with my wife of 43 years. When I lost Toni and I thought the world ended, I never thought I'd see it again, and yet I am."
Ellen was thrilled after admitting her feelings, telling the cameras, "I am feeling like I just met the love of my life for the first time."
It wasn't a good night for everyone, though. Sandra was sick in bed and missing the festivities, while Nancy was dealing with a pickleball-related stress fracture. Nancy's night took a turn for the worse during her conversation with Gerry, as she told him, "You're a lot more passionate with other people. I think you in a way narrowed it down, but maybe I'm not in that group."
"I'm really not going to dispute that," Gerry admitted, with Nancy answering, "I understand and I wish you the best. I hope you find what you're looking for."
With that, Nancy left the mansion.
At the rose ceremony, Gerry decided to part ways with Kathy and April, one of many tough decisions to come.
"It's kind of scary to realize we're halfway through this journey and we're literally a week away from Hometowns. The next time I give out roses, it means I'm going to meet their family. That's actually a bit scary right now," Gerry told the cameras. "I never imagined that I would get to the intensity of feelings that I have and yet realize that there can be only one at the end of the journey. I want to find the woman that I can't live without."
The Golden Bachelor airs Thursdays on ABC. Follow along Gerry Turner's journey for love with ET's coverage of the show.
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