A Turkish teenager dating a British grandmother said ‘age doesn’t matter’ because he sees a long ‘future’ with her.
Sefkan Güzel, 19, is in love with his Scottish girlfriend Rachel McIntrye, 35, after the couple met during her two-month holiday in his native Marmaris, Turkey.
While some may deny their love affair – and 16-year age difference – the hotel waiter said his relationship is far from just a holiday romance.
Sefan told MailOnline: ‘I don’t care what my age is, I love her so much and she’s so beautiful, and that’s all I care about.
‘I didn’t know she was older until she told me her age. I was shocked.
‘We love each other very much and I see a future together. It’s very hard not seeing her every day and not having her with me every day, but we always talk.
“All my friends and family like her so much and everyone is happy for me.”
Sefkan Güzel, 19, has exclusively told MailOnline that his relationship with Rachel McIntyre, 35, from Edinburgh, is ‘solid’ (the couple pictured together)
Rachel met him during a two-month holiday in Marmaris, Turkey, in June
Rachel said she noticed him ‘immediately’ because of his good looks, but ‘backed off’ when she found out how old he was
Rachel’s 19-year-old Bethany has her own daughter and was initially ‘panicked’ by her mother’s new romance
Sefkan, who is Kurdish, met Rachel while working as a waiter at the hotel where they were staying.
Rachel said she noticed him ‘immediately’ because of his good looks, but ‘backed off’ when she found out how old he was.
Rachel also said she was hesitant because a Turkish waiter she dated in September 2023 was “obviously looking for a visa.”
She was also unsure about Seskan’s age, as at 19 he is in the same school year as her daughter.
However, the young Lothario’s ‘persistent’ flirting eventually won her over and the two gradually fell in love.
The mother-of-one from Edinburgh described her toyboy as ‘kind, smart, gentle, funny and a great lover’.
But not everyone was immediately overthrown,
Rachel’s teenage daughter Bethany is the same age as her boyfriend and had serious reservations about her mother’s new love.
She told MailOnline: ‘Bethany was a bit panicked at first by the whole situation and said it couldn’t happen.
‘But after a very short time she came around and she just wants me to be happy – and besides, she gets along well with Sefkan.’
Sefan said he loves his new family, even though his role as “step-grandfather” takes some getting used to.
He said: ‘It’s really funny that at my age I’m a stepdad and stepdad, I didn’t think that would happen but it’s good and I love Bethany and the baby too. We are all very well and happy.’
After Rachel returned to Britain in August, the couple strengthened their relationship with regular video calls.
In September, Rachel returned to Turkey with her daughter Erika, 11, who she took out of school – who ‘doesn’t get fined’ in Scotland – to go on holiday.
The couple spent their time together going on long bike rides and walks, which helped to strengthen their relationship, but Rachel has already informed him that she does not want any more children.
Sefkan said it was her youthful appearance that attracted him to her. He added: “I kept looking at her, this beautiful woman, I liked her as soon as I saw her and now we are so strong together. When we are together we always have fun and I like that. It makes us stronger.
Rachel said she was hesitant to pursue a relationship with Sefkan as things with a Turkish waiter she dated in September 2023 ended on a sour note.
She went on to say, “But Sefkan is different: he is kind, smart, gentle, funny and a great lover.
‘He never asks me for money and usually pays when we go out. It’s a controversial situation, but it has made me happier than I ever could have imagined.’
Rachel said she ‘retired’ when she found out how old Seskan is, as her daughter Beth is the same age
Rachel claims that she and Bethany look so alike that they are often mistaken for twins
Rachel welcomed her first grandchild (pictured together) at the end of July 2023.
Rachel and Seskan are also planning a trip to Thailand together in December
‘Bethany is currently in Turkey to see her boyfriend there, and she is staying at Sefkan’s hotel.
‘I’ve never been with someone so young, my previous partners have been with me for ages or a little older. But age is just a number and as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.
Rachel also revealed to us that since she went public with her toyboy, she has received a message from a local 19-year-old man asking to be her boyfriend.
However, she says that she is not interested in anyone else and that Sefkan is the one for her.
Rachel said she is going to Sefkan next month, and their dream is to move abroad together, but not to Scotland.