A teenager who married a 61-year-old dad-of-two says her parents have now welcomed him to the family despite calling the police the first time they met him.
Military police officer Audrey Cheyenne-Smiley Moon, 19, first met husband Kevin, 61, on dating site Badoo, in January last year.
Despite a 42-year age gap between them, she was initially attracted by his bio saying he too was a veteran who had worked for the military police.
Within a few months of chatting online, they were officially a couple and had both said ‘I love you’. In July 2020, they officially met up in person and shared their first kiss.
Audrey told Jam Press: ‘I was both excited and nervous to see him. He still talks about the day he laid his eyes on me with such passion.
‘Kevin made the first move. He took my face in his hands and we had our first kiss when we first met face to face. We can both agree truly that it was love at first sight.’
Neither Audrey nor Kevin, from Modesto, California, had been in a relationship with such a big age gap before, but believe it doesn’t matter as they have lots in common and a deep connection.
Audrey said: ‘What makes our relationship so great and perfect for us is our ever-growing love for each other.’
Before meeting Audrey, Cemex dispatcher Kevin was married for 19 years and has two children, aged 16 and 23.
His kids are supportive of the relationship and pleased to see how happy the pair are.
As Kevin is older than both Audrey’s parents, who are 38 and 43, she initially kept their relationship a secret from her family – but made the decision to tell them in August last year.
Audrey said: ‘My family was extremely hostile about meeting him at first because we told them about us in a bad way.
‘I texted them while I was away with him and we came back to my parent’s house to my entire family and the cops waiting outside.
‘It was scary at first but Kevin was ready to stand for what he believed in and now after getting to know him, my family has really grown to like him.
‘For three days, they yelled at him every time he came to see me and did everything they could to tell him how terrible he is for loving me. He took it and since then has proven to them how much he truly and deeply loves me.’
The couple have managed to avoid negative comments from strangers, although they do say they get ‘looks’ out and about.
They say they’re focusing on themselves, though, and on 1 August this year, the pair eloped and got married in a small chapel in Nevada.
Now, they are planning for their future together, with kids on the horizon and Kevin planning on being a stay-at-home father.
They also want to travel in an RV and get two dogs, but are currently kept apart as Audrey is working abroad in the Middle East. They plan to move in together once Kevin retires next year.
Audrey says their long-distance relationship thrives on constant communication, and she’s just as in love with Kevin as when they met.
She says: ‘I love how passionate and patient he is. He is also a very giving person and very kind. He has such a pure and loving soul.
‘People my age are very inconsiderate and selfish. Kevin is the complete opposite. He is very understanding and only wants to do things for me.
‘They focus on social media and gaining followers. People will do anything nowadays to get a like. Me and Kevin aren’t like that. We are very kind-hearted selfless people and love to help each other and the people around us before we help ourselves.’
The pair are keen to dispel negative stereotypes about age-gap dating, saying: ‘Kevin and I want to show the world that we aren’t the stereotypical sugar daddy or gold digger relationship.
‘We truly love each other because of who we are and what we do for each other.’
Kevin said: ‘When I first saw her profile, I thought she was a cute girl but wasn’t looking for a young girl, just a friend to talk with.
‘I was actually looking around my area and ages 30 to 50. Her profile shouldn’t have popped up. Something told me to look at it and something told me to like it, so I did.
‘I found a new best friend and fell in love with my best friend.’
metr
