Although many Bachelor Nation fans were disappointed with Mark Anderson’s elimination, it was time for him to leave The golden bachelorette. The bottom line is that 61-year-old Joan Vassos sent 57-year-old Mark home because she saw the red flags. Hopes were high for the retired Army veteran and single father of five, who was expected to easily swoop in and steal Joan’s heart. Unlike the other contestants on Joan’s season, Mark was already famous. He made his television debut when his daughter, Kelsey Anderson, brought her boyfriend, Joey Graziadei, home during The Bachelor season 28.
Although Mark’s screen time on The Bachelor It was brief, he left a huge impression on fans, who instantly fell in love with Mark’s warmth and quiet strength. When ABC announced that Mark would be a contestant on The golden bachelorette In the first season, expectations were high for the retired widower who was expected to crush the competition. Unfortunately for Mark, That’s not how things ended. Although Joan seemed excited after meeting Mark, whatever chemistry there was between them quickly disappeared. Joan had recently sent Mark home, and it couldn’t have happened so soon.
Mark and Joan’s first one-on-one date didn’t go well
Awkward silence
Although Joan and Mark initially got along well at the beginning of The golden bachelorette 1st season, there was several other men that Joan liked much moresuch as 66-year-old Guy Gansert and 60-year-old Chock Chapple. Not only did Mark not receive Joan’s first impression, which went to 62-year-old Keith Gordon, he also didn’t receive any of her first solo dates. Just when it seemed like Mark would never get a highly coveted face-to-face date with Joan, he finally gets his chance.
Joan picked Mark up for their date in a red convertible and drove along the coast, where they boarded a luxury yacht and set off on a romantic trip. The trip hit rough waters when Joan and Mark ran out of things to say. They sat in long, awkward silences, just looking at the sea, with nothing to say to each other. The next day, in a clip posted to YouTube by Bachelor Nation, Joan told Mark that something was missing between them and sent him home before the next rose ceremony.
Joan knew Mark wasn’t ready for marriage
She saw the red flags
Mark had the best of intentions when he joined the cast of The golden bachelorette season 1. He watched the process work out for his daughter when Kelsey and Joey got engaged at the end of The Bachelorthen he felt confident that the process could work for him. Despite his high hopes and good intentions, reality set in as time went on and it became clear that Mark was not ready to move on from the untimely death of his late wife, Denise Anderson.
Like Mark, Denise was an Army veteran and the two met while serving their country overseas.
Mark said that when he met Denise, she had hair down to her calves and he fell madly in love with her. They were married for 18 happy years and had five children togetherincluding Kelsey. In 2018, Denise was diagnosed with cancer and passed away two months later. A devastated Mark had to be strong for his five children, and he hasn’t gotten over the loss.
Mark shouldn’t have been on the Golden Bachelorette
He wasn’t ready
Mark’s awkward solo encounter with Joan during The golden bachelorette The first season wasn’t all salt water, seagulls and silence. The only time they talked was when Mark started talking about the loss of his late wife. He told Joan that he and Denise had a great life together, experiencing as much of the world as possible before time ran out. Mark’s moving words prompted Joan to open up about her own loss and the meeting turned into a grief support group.
Trauma bonding occurs when people are brought together by shared pain, and that’s what happened between Joan and Mark.
Like Mark, Joan found love once. Joan was married to her late husband, John Vassos, for 32 years before he died in 2021. While it was great that Mark and Joan understood each other on a deeper level based on their shared loss, it wasn’t a healthy start to a relationship. Joan May Not Be Completely Ready to Leave Her Late Husbandbut she is further along than Mark. It’s a shame that Mark took the place of a man who could have been perfect for Joan, but at least she sent him home before it went any further.
Could Mark be ready to be the Golden Bachelor?
It’s not his time…yet
The golden bachelorette season one wasn’t the first time Joan tried to find love on national television. She made her television debut during The Golden Bachelor season 1, when she competed against 21 other women for 72-year-old Gerry Turner’s roses. Due to a family emergency Joan had to leave Gerry’s season early and was later cast as THE Bachelor the spin-off’s first female protagonist. The Golden Bachelor The first season was a huge successand many Bachelor Nation fans have been clamoring for Mark to replace Gerry as the show’s lead The Golden Bachelor season 1.
Although Mark could make him a good Bachelor lead, if he’s not ready to date Joan, he’s certainly not ready to date dozens of women.
On the other hand, when Joan eliminated Mark from The golden bachelorette In season one, he said he was grateful for the experience because it made a big impression on his life. Hopefully being on the show showed Mark that there was a whole world of possibilities out there. Hopefully, Mark will realize that although he can never leave his beloved late wife, it’s never too late for a second chance at true love.
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Competitor |
Marcos Anderson |
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Age |
58 years |
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Occupation |
Retired Army Veteran |
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Location |
Leesville, Louisiana |
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Status |
Widow |
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Children |
5 |
Source: Bachelor Nation/YouTube