A woman who married a man 19 years older than her has revealed what it’s really like to be in an age gap relationship, including how she broke the news to her parents.
Emily Stomatuk, 28, married husband Michael Justin, 47, in November 2023 after meeting him when she was 23 and he was 42.
The couple, who live in Los Angeles, are often questioned about their 19-year age difference. revealing in a recent one TikTok video of how they told their loved ones.
“My parents had some concerns,” admits Emily, who works as an ICU travel nurse.
Emily Stomatuk, 28, married husband Michael Justin, 47, in November 2023 after meeting him when she was 23 and he was 42
‘My parents were worried,’ admitted Emily, who works as an ICU travel nurse, about the reaction to their age difference
The couple are often questioned over their 19-year age difference, with a TikTok video revealing how their loved ones took the news
Although she admitted she had to “train some of the f**k boy out of him,” Emily said she was initially just friends with Michael when they first met before things got more serious — and her parents did express some to assure.
She recalled that her father found out she was dating Michael and they had an argument.
“He said, ‘I raised you better than this,’” she said in a recent video. ‘It was [a] dagger in the heart.’
The couple started getting more serious around the time of the pandemic, and Emily decided it was time for her boyfriend to meet her parents.
“Honestly, after the day they met him, there hasn’t been a problem since,” she said. “They saw how happy we were together.”
Emily added that Michael “really took care of her” at the time because she was still in nursing school and her parents could see how dedicated he was.
‘[I have] a great relationship with her dad, a great relationship with her mom,” Michael agreed, adding that Emily’s dad said Michael is “like a son” to him.
TikTok users shared their thoughts on the happy couple and their age difference – many in support of their union.
Emily added that Michael “really took care of her” at the time because she was still in nursing school and her parents could see how dedicated he was
Emily said that after her parents met Michael and saw how happy they were together, there was no problem
TikTok users shared their thoughts on the happy couple and their age difference – many in support of the couple
‘My father and mother are 22 years apart. And my fiancé and I are fourteen. As long as there is respect and love, it’s all good,” another agreed.
‘My parents are 19 years apart! Nothing but love and it’s completely normal for me,” chimed in another.
‘I just find it so funny that people give their opinions about your relationship as if they are the people in the relationship! All that matters is that you’re happy!!’ another agreed.
‘I married my late husband, who was 19 years older than me, at the age of 20. We were married for 31 years before he died of cancer. Age made no difference!’
In 2023, experts revealed the ‘ideal age gap’ for people who want their relationships to last – and that’s bad news for couples born five years apart.
A resurfaced study from Emory University in Atlanta found that couples with a five-year age difference are 18 percent more likely to break up than partners closer in age.
The chance of divorce then shot up to 95 percent for couples with a twenty-year age difference.
In 2014, researchers at the institution analyzed 3,000 people as part of their study.
Researchers found that the ‘ideal’ age difference between couples was one year or less.
The study concluded that the risk of divorce dropped to just three percent for couples born within twelve months or less of each other.