We Have a 53-Year Age Gap and We Met in the Least Romantic Place, but Our Love Thrives

Gary Hardwick is a man who was just 17 years old when he tied a knot with his friend’s mom. This happened just weeks after they both met at her son’s funeral. With their 53-year age gap, the duo has been through many challenges and life struggles, but their love has remained as strong as steel. Recently, Gary has paid a super-touching tribute to his beloved wife on her 80th birthday, and we can’t hold back tears of joy for this happy family.

Gary and Almeda had an unusual start of their relationship.

Almeda and Gary Hardwick are from Tennessee. The couple have a 53-year age gap, and they have been rocking their relationship since they first met in 2015. At that time, Almeda was 71 and Gary was 17. Before the woman even said a word to Gary properly, she was already thinking that he was The One.

In his turn, Gary, who appears to be younger than one of his wife’s grandsons, thought of himself as more mature than his age. He revealed that he previously had a relationship with a 77-year-old woman, and it was quite unhappy, and then he met Almeda.

Their first meeting was far from a typical romantic one.

Almeda and Gary became man and wife in 2016. The happy couple had been seeing each other for just two weeks when Gary got down on one knee and proposed to Almeda. At that time, Almeda survived a big loss in her life, as her husband of 43 years, Donald, died from complications of diabetes. The woman hardly coped with being widowed, and then she experienced another tragedy, when her eldest son Robert, 45, died after a seizure.

It was at Robert’s funeral where Almeda met Gary. Both of them instantly felt an attraction to each other and Almeda, in particular, was drawn to Gary’s “lovely smile”. For the woman, it was like a bright light through the grief.

They faced an unexpected reaction from their dearest people.

The newly formed couple were so happy and full of joy in their love bubble. They were always complimenting and kissing from the very start of their relationship. And they expected some hardships from the social reaction, but not from their families.

And their loved ones totally met their expectations with their reactions to Gary and Almeda’s strong feelings. When they saw how happy the couple made each other, their family members showered them with approval. Most of their family and friends, including Gary’s then 48-year-old mom and 71-year-old grandma, were very happy for them.

The couple don’t even notice their age gap and don’t mind the critics.

But not all people were so happy and supportive of their love, as the majority of their families. The Hardwicks admitted that many people actually disapprove of their relationship, including Almeda’s son, who hasn’t spoken to her since the day she met Gary.

Two of Almeda’s six grandchildren, Aaron and Indiana, also found it extremely hard to believe in their relationship. Aaron only called Gary grandfather once. He sees him more as a friend than a grandfather. Indiana found their relationship a little bit weird. But she adjusted to it, as she understood that we live in the 21st century and those things really shouldn’t matter.

When they went public, many people accused Gary of being with Almeda for money or called their relationship unhealthy. But the lovebirds really didn’t mind.

Gary and Almeda celebrated her 80th birthday together.

Gary is now 26 and Almeda has recently turned 80. The happy spouses celebrated this special day together. Gary made the sweetest tribute to his beloved, referring to Almeda as his “baby doll” and calling her the most amazing wife in the whole world.

He wrote that Almeda was not only a wonderful and true woman, but admitted that his wife has a heart of gold. Gary wrote that he is the luckiest husband and thanked his beloved for the lucky chance to wake up beside her every morning. The happy husband promised to work hard to until his last breath to give Almeda all the love and happiness that she deserves. He called his beloved the true love of his lifetime and called Almeda his queen.

Gary also said he even prepared a romantic dinner for Almeda, with lots of other surprises.

And here’s yet another inspiring story about a couple with a huge age gap, but they’re happily in love and even plan to have a baby together.