Aaliya Lara, 25, is in love with a man nearly twice her age. The woman has revealed that she is often mistaken for her husband’s daughter. Since the couple got married in Las Vegas, Aaliya and her husband have experienced a few rather awkward encounters. Today, they’re sharing their complicated love story with us.
Aaliya Lara, 25 and her husband, Steve Lara, 48, have been together for almost two years, and tied the knot last August. Aaliya reveals that with this union she’s got “a deep sense of peace,” but the 23-year gap between her and her husband has resulted in a huge social unacceptance.
Aaliya is often mistaken for being her husband’s daughter. Her husband, indeed, has a daughter who’s just a year older than Aaliya.
The spouses have gone viral on TikTok, with a video that collected 8.4 million views. Haters and naysayers criticize their relationship and slam it as “sick”. But the happy couple hopes to convince people in the purity of their feelings and prove that love will always be love — regardless of what’s written in a passport.
Aaliyah revealed that the attitude from people around, even from total strangers, was negative and embarrassing at times. She says, “Many times, people have told him that his daughters — referring to me and my five-year-old — are beautiful, and I quickly let them know I’m his wife.”
The woman adds, “At restaurants, they will ask if I need a child’s menu. I don’t consider these comments negative, but they are very embarrassing.”
But things got even worse when the couple decided to share their story on TikTok. Aaliya says, “Since I’ve posted our relationship online though, the negative comments have been plentiful.”
“We get comments like ‘This is sick,’ ‘He’s a predator,’ ‘He will leave you for someone younger when you get older,’ and many more that I try to block as soon as they pop up,” says the woman.
“I think the most negative, hateful comment I’ve received was, along the lines of “Bruce Willis got dementia and his young wife left him, she’s going to do the same thing,” she added.
Aaliya reveals, “I’ve taken into consideration everything that comes with dating a man older than me. It may sound naïve, but I am prepared to deal with whatever is thrown at us and intend to take care of him until his last breath.”
She adds, “No matter how difficult it may get because that’s the kind of connection we’ve built in our friendship way before getting married.”
Despite the negativity the couple have received, Aaliya believes the positive always overcomes the bad — including support from their followers.
And here’s a story from a celebrity world that proves age gap is not an obstacle for being happy, no matter what people say.
People outside of your immediate circle need to check their own biases before saying anything negative to this couple. I feel for them as I am in a very similar situation (M60/F32). We've developed a connection beyond just friends, however, her fear of what others may think or say has created excessive anxiety, and interfered with the continued growth of our relationship. I hope this couple can ignore the naysayers and enjoy a life of happiness and satisfaction.
