An 18-Year-Old Young Man Falls in Love with a 71-Year-Old Grandmother... The Story of a Foreign Couple Overcoming Their Age Gap

The story of Almeda Erel (77) and Gary Hardwick (24), a couple who overcame an age difference of 53 years and are now in their sixth year of marriage, is gaining attention.
[Photo by Instagram capture]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] "I fell in love with her when I was 18 and she was 71, and even after six years, I still love her every day."

The story of a couple who overcame a 53-year age gap has become a hot topic.

The protagonists of the story are Almeda Erel (77) and Gary Hardwick (24), who live in Tennessee, USA. On the 18th (local time), British media reported their story in detail.

According to the report, Gary, who was 18 in 2015, went to a funeral with his aunt Lisa and met Almeda there. At that time, Almeda was mourning the death of her eldest son, Robert.

Despite the large age difference, the two quickly fell in love and got engaged two weeks later. The couple received blessings from family and friends, including Gary’s mother Tammy (48) and grandmother Carolyn (71).

Almeda was known to have been married for 43 years to her first husband, who passed away in 2013 due to complications from diabetes. She said, "I wasn’t looking for someone younger, but Gary approached me," adding, "The moment I met Gary, I knew he was the one, and when we kissed on a bench, I felt like a teenager again."

When asked, "What would you do if your wife dies?" Gary responded, "It’s a question we get often, but it’s a bit strange," and said, "Just because someone is older doesn’t mean they will die first." He also added, "I might go before Almeda, but no one is promised today or tomorrow, so it’s not something to dwell on deeply."

Now, six years after their marriage, the couple actively shares updates and communicates through social media (SNS). Their TikTok account reportedly has over 65,000 followers, and a video featuring photos from the early days of their relationship recently surpassed one million views.