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Barry 'Bear' Myrden is hoping that lightning will strike twice for him on the Golden Bachelor.
Ahead of meeting the 20 ladies hoping to steal his heart in the anticipated series premiere on Monday, Bear shared an emotional tribute to his late wife, Audrey.
At the beginning of Monday's episode, Bear was introduced to viewers as a father of three boys – Charlie, 21, Jack, 20, and Declan, 17 - who had emigrated from Canada to Australia with Audrey two decades ago.
'It wasn't always a smooth journey, though,' Bear said as a stirring montage of photos and home videos featuring Audrey played. 'There was a time when I didn't sail solo.'
He continued: 'I met Audrey, the love of my life in 1988 in Calgary, Canada. From the moment I saw her, I knew she was the one, and we just hit it off from there.
'We got married, she gave me three beautiful boys, and all was right in the world.'
Barry 'Bear' Myrden is hoping that lightning will strike twice for him on the Golden Bachelor
Bear then revealed that tragically, his wife was diagnosed with a 'brain tumour which turned the family's world upside down.'
'One day she came home with a headache. We thought it was just a severe migraine. She went to the doctors and the next thing I knew she was being rushed into emergency surgery - it was a brain tumour,' he explained.
'It was just unfathomable. She had four major surgeries. The fourth surgery, she never came home.'
He then heartbreakingly explained how he told his three boys that they had lost their beloved mother.
'The boys were asking me where Mummy was, and I just said: 'Mummy's gone to sleep and Mummy's not coming back,' he said.
Bear also admitted that while he was more than open to finding love on the Channel Nine series, the ladies vying for his heart had a lot to live up to.
'Audrey was more than one in a million; she was one in six billion,' he said.
'It's been 14 years since her passing. I know deep down no one can replace her, but with the boys' love and support, I know I can possibly find love again.'
Ahead of meeting the 20 ladies hoping to steal his heart in the anticipated series premiere on Monday, Bear shared an emotional tribute to his late wife, Audrey
He heartbreakingly explained how he told his three boys that they had lost their beloved mother
Bear also displayed a level of vulnerability while chatting to host Samantha Armytage before the first introductions.
'I'm feeling excited, but scared and nervous,' he said, and Samantha asked the reality star what he was scared about.
'Just putting myself out there and being vulnerable,' he said.
Samantha also asked Bear what was lacking in his life and what he was hoping to get out of his reality TV experience.
'I'm lacking in my life, just companionship,' he said.
'I had the love of my life and I lost her and I think I'm ready to move on and find a lasting relationship.'
