A happily married couple who are mistaken for grandpa and “adopted” daughter due to their 42-year age gap have spilled details about their relationship.
American retiree Dave, 70, married Jackie, 28, in 2018 – two years after they randomly met through a dating website.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Couple’s 42-year age gap.
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Despite being together for six years, the couple have faced backlash over their relationship – with many accusing Jackie of being a “gold digger” who married the elderly man to get a green card.
However, the pair are determined to prove to the world that love has no age limit.
“If two people love each other, if they want to go through life together, age is just a number,” Dave told US series Love Don’t Judge.
“Something great happened to Jackie and I, we found each other – despite long odds against that happening.”
Jackie insisted: “We are in love.”
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American retiree Dave, 70, married Jackie, 28, in 2018 – two years after they randomly met through a dating website. Credit: Dave and JackieWith more than four decades between them, the pair fell in love after they met on a dating website in October 2016. Credit: dave_jackie2818/TikTok
With more than four decades between them, the pair fell for each other after they met on a dating website in October 2016.
“One day I saw your profile, I practically jumped out of my chair, I was so impressed by what I saw,” Dave said to Jackie.
“Age wasn’t a big factor in my search. It just happened to be that in Jackie’s case, she happened to be much younger than me but again her profile was so appealing that I just had to go for it.”
Jackie was just 21 years old when she went on her first date with 63-year-old Dave at a Starbucks in the Philippines, her home country.
“It was fun,” she said, confessing she had no idea what he looked like because she never looked at his dating profile before they met in person.
“Maybe that worked to my advantage that you didn’t know what I looked like,” Dave said, laughing.
“But it all worked out in the end.”
Jackie was just 21 years old when she went on her first date with 63-year-old Dave at a Starbucks in the Philippines, her home country. Credit: Jackie and Dave
After going out on three dates, Jackie thought Dave was a “gentleman”.
“He’s really nice,” she said.
Dave returned to the US – but he made his way back to the Philippines in January 2017.
“It was during that second trip to the Philippines where I proposed to you and thankfully you said ‘Yes’,” Dave recalled.
By October 2017, Jackie travelled to the US to be with Dave after she was granted her visa.
The pair tied the knot in February 2018.
“Our wedding day was fun, it was the best day of my life,” Jackie said.
Her parents couldn’t make her wedding – but she said they have been “very supportive” of her marriage to Dave.
“I don’t regret marrying Dave because he’s a really nice man,” she said.
“He loves me, he respects me so he’s the best. I don’t have any problem at all with the age gap.”
The married couple have been forced to defend their relationship. Credit: dave_jackie2818/TikTok
Despite the harsh criticism they’ve received for their 42-year age gap, the pair insisted their love is genuine.
“We’ve been told our relationship is ‘so wrong on many levels’… he’s my ‘sugar daddy’, they’re using each other for their own personal gain… I am a ‘gold digger‘ or a ‘green card digger’,” Jackie said of the nasty remarks they’ve received.
“But I’m not that really affected because it’s not true, I know myself and you know that I’m not a gold digger.”
Jackie works at a local drugstore to support her family back home in the Philippines.
“I pay most of the bills but Jackie has a job to support her family,” Dave said.
Dave said he couldn’t imagine his life without Jackie.
“I’m so happy to have you as my wife,” he gushed.
“I’m so happy to be your husband. My life has improved dramatically since we met each other.
“I just couldn’t be happier.”
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