Ellen From The Golden Bachelor Got A Telling Birthday Gift From Gerry

The debut season of The Golden Bachelor kicked off with a series of memorable limo arrivals, with contestants doing their best impress the Golden Bachelor himself, Gerry Turner. Some women tried a charm offensive, others veered into NSFW territory (and it was delightful). But Ellen Goltzer’s entrance stood out for a very different reason: She made sure to give a shout-out her friend, Roberta Zaktzer.

“Roberta, we made it!” Ellen cried. She then explained to Gerry that her friend (and fellow Bachelor Nation stan) who encouraged her to look for love on The Golden Bachelor, had cancer. Sadly, as a post-credits dedication revealed, Roberta passed away before the episode aired.

The exchange seemed to touch Gerry, who remarked that Ellen was a “lovely woman” as she strolled into the mansion. In the weeks since, their connection has only grown. In Episode 2, for example, Gerry gave Ellen a birthday gift — on his birthday.

“That’s right. Since it’s my birthday, I can do whatever I want,” Gerry said, before handing Ellen a framed photo from their romance novel photo shoot, in which Ellen sported a wedding dress and cozied up to Gerry.

Ellen was moved by the gesture, calling it one of the best gifts she’d ever received. “I haven’t felt special in a very long time,” she said in a confessional. “Any man that can make me feel special at this stage in my life is possibly the man that I want to love. And I hope he feels the same.”

Time will tell if Gerry returns Ellen’s feelings. But in the meantime, here’s everything to know about Ellen.

What’s Ellen’s Family Like?

In the cast introduction video, Ellen shared that she was previously married for 25 years. She also has two sons who, Ellen said in a recent Instagram post, are supportive of her journey.

“When my two incredible sons told me they wanted me to be happy and find love again,” she wrote in a caption, “I took their advice and said, ‘Why not?’”

What’s Ellen’s Job?

Though Ellen lives in Florida, until five years ago, she lived and worked as a teacher in New York, per the school district website.

Nowadays, Ellen devotes herself to more leisurely pursuits, such as pickleball. Like many of her fellow contestants, she’s proclaimed her love for the sport, which Gerry also enjoys. But Ellen doesn’t just play — she’s the co-captain of her team, per her Golden Bachelor bio. She also enjoys golf, dancing, bocce ball, and card games.

What Does Ellen Share On Instagram?

Ellen only joined Instagram recently, just prior to the show’s cast announcement, but she’s already filled her feed with snaps from her fun-filled life. (Think updates about her pickleball team, which recently won their division championship, and meals shared with friends.)

The contestant also has a playful sense of humor regarding her Golden Bachelor journey, as seen in a recent post about golfing with her friend, Dave. “Indiana has great courses too, I’m assuming,” Ellen wrote, in an apparent wink at Gerry’s home state. Hey, maybe she’s harnessing the power of manifesting.