Joan Vassos‘ season of The Golden Bachelorette kicked off on Wednesday night in a special way.

The 61-year-old school administrator, mother and grandmother, who is the first ever Golden Bachelorette, met her suitors vying for her heart and bonded with them over shared interests, experiences and a love for pickleball.

Prior to meeting the men, Vassos opened up about her first love, her late husband John Vassos, who died from pancreatic cancer. Vassos said she first met him in 1983 when she was 20 and called him a “special guy” who “made me feel special and safe every single day of my life.”

“No one’s gonna replace John,” she said. “He lives in a place in my heart and in my mind that is just his. But I have a big heart and there is room for somebody else.”

“I don’t know if you could have two great loves in one lifetime, but I’m hoping,” Vassos added.

At the mansion, Vassos was introduced to the men as they each stepped out of the limos. The first gentleman she was introduced to was Pascal, 69, a salon owner from Chicago, Illinois, whose French accent she found charming.

Others who impressed Vassos during their first meeting included Chock, 60, an insurance executive from Wichita, Kansas, who arrived with a mason jar of his chicken noodle soup, Jack, 68, a caterer from Chicago, Illinois, who sang Frank Sinatra‘s “My Way” for Vassos, and David, 68, a rancher from Austin, Texas, who arrived like prince charming on a horse.

After getting to know the men more inside of the mansion during sweet one-on-one moments and a chaotic impromptu pickleball tournament with some of the men, Vassos found a connection with Keith, 62, a girl dad from San Jose, California, who arrived at the mansion in a station wagon. She gave him the first impression rose.

During the rose ceremony, Vassos stepped away when she felt overwhelmed and told host Jesse Palmer that it’s “not easy” sending some of the men home. But at the end of the night, Vassos said goodbye to five men.

See whose journey on the show continues below:

Dan, 64, a private investor from Naples, Florida
Jonathan, 61, a shipping consultant from Oakland, Iowa
Mark, 67, an army veteran from Leesville, Louisiana
Guy, 66, an ER doctor from Reno, Nevada
Charles K., 62, a portfolio manager from Rancho Palos Verdes, California
Gil, 60, an educator from Mission Viejo, California
Gary, 65, a retired finance executive from Palm Desert, California
Pascal, 69, a salon owner from Chicago, Illinois
Chock, 60, an insurance executive from Wichita, Kansas
Kim, 69, a retired navy captain from Seattle, Washington
Christopher, 64, a contractor from West Babylon, New York
Gregg, 64, a retired university VP from Longboat Key, Florida
Charles L., 66, a retired financial analyst from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jordan, 61, a sales manager from Chicago, Illinois
Bob, 66, a chiropractor from Marina Del Rey, California
Michael, 65, a retired banking CEO from Denver, North Carolina
Jack, 68, a caterer from Chicago, Illinois

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