Nurse Gerri Flowers Steals ‘The Golden Bachelor's’ Heart

Image source: Bachelor Nation

This week’s premiere of The Golden Bachelor wasn’t just about silver foxes finding love – it was also a golden night for nursing! 64-year-old nurse Gerri Flowers made headlines (and warmed nursing hearts everywhere) by snagging the coveted “first impression rose” from Mel Owens, instantly becoming Bachelor Nation’s new favorite RN.

What Is The Golden Bachelor?

If you’re new to this reality TV sensation, The Golden Bachelor is a senior-version spin-off of The Bachelor, designed for older singles (in their 60s and above) to find love later in life. Season 2 features former NFL linebacker Mel Owens meeting 23 women, showing America that romance really does have no expiration date.

Meet Gerri Flowers, The RN Who Won Night One

Gerri Flowers, 64, is from Rockville, Maryland, and made quite the entrance. Leaning into her nurse identity, she wore a nurse’s hat and stethoscope, greeting Mel warmly with: “I’ve been a nurse for 35 years, but I own a home care agency now…You know what, Mel? I can care for all your needs.”

She is described in her ABC publicity materials as a health care professional with over 35 years in health care, including work as an ICU nurse. She’s a mom of three, a grandmother, and her “sidekick is her teacup Yorkie named Godiva.”

Her LinkedIn bio shows she earned an Associate's degree from Montgomery College-Takoma Park, and has worked as a staff nurse, charge nurse, DON, clinical director and assisted living administrator throughout her career before becoming the CEO of Comfort Home Care Maryland.

Gerri was widowed at age 47 when her husband died from an aortic aneurysm in 2007, and she raised three children as a single mother. Later in the show, she shared with Mel a heartfelt letter from her daughter and opened up about her own journey of grief, parenting, and reinvention. That vulnerability, coupled with warmth and confidence, struck a chord with Mel.

Image source: Bachelor Nation

The First Impression Rose Moment

During the rose ceremony, Mel walked to Gerri with his special rose and said: “You shared that story with me about your family and that you haven’t really done a lot for yourself in 10 years, and same for me. It’s been a while. Your letter from your daughter impressed upon me a lot, and so will you accept this first impression rose?”

Gerri accepted, saying, “I never felt like this. It’s like winning the Super Bowl.” 

In a post-premiere interview, Gerri said, “Someone pinch me please. Because this is not happening to me. This is just not happening. It's amazing.” 

So yes: nurses, we have a Rose Winner in our ranks.

 

Other Nurses In The Bachelor Universe

Believe it or not, Gerri’s just the latest in a proud tradition of nurses looking for love on The Bachelor. Past contestants include:

• Gabby Windey: Probably the most infamous nurse in Bachelor lore, Gabby is an ICU nurse who competed on The Bachelor Season 26 and then co-led The Bachelorette Season 19. She has often shared her nursing stories, especially from the COVID era, and is beloved in Bachelor Nation.
• Kat Izzo: From Florida, Kat is a nurse who has appeared on Bachelor in Paradise.
• Whitney Bischoff, a fertility nurse from Chicago, not only won Chris Soules’ heart but also the entire season, making her one of the most successful nurse contestants in franchise history.
• Nikki Ferrell, a pediatric nurse from Missouri, famously “won” Juan Pablo’s controversial season and was remembered for both her career dedication and her rocky relationship.
• Briana, Brittany, Danielle, Josephine (Season 21) – Nick Viall’s season was packed with nurses: Danielle Maltby, a neonatal nurse, became a fan favorite for her warmth and resilience after opening up about past loss, while Briana, Brittany, and Josephine rounded out the season’s “nurse squad.”

These nurses have brought everything from med-surg grit to ICU-level intensity—and now Gerri’s joined the club.

Nurses Take the Rose – And the Spotlight

Will Gerri’s caregiving skills and quick wit help her go all the way? Only time (and a few rose ceremonies) will tell, but she’s already inspired nurses everywhere with her confidence and authenticity on night one. No matter who wins Mel Owens’s heart, nurses everywhere can be proud of how Gerri Flowers showed exactly why our profession deserves the first impression rose every time.

 

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