A married couple with a 44-year age-gap have hit out at critics who say they’re only together because of money.
Joop Evers, 69, says his marriage to 25-year-old Rona has nothing to do with money or her hoping to get a ‘green card’ and is based purely on 'true love'.
In fact, Joop, who is originally from the Netherlands, now lives in Rona’s hometown of Bacolod in Philippines, where he says people are more accepting of age-gap relationships - but admits that they still 'get stares' when out and about together.
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He said: “Age is just a number and I know that people think this is for a green card or for money, but Rona has never asked for money unless it is to help other people who are in desperate need.
“This is a real love story, not an attempt to get money or a green card. It’s true love, I know people won’t believe it but there’s so much love and understanding between us.
“She doesn’t want a green card, you read a lot of people want them to go to the US but I’m from the Netherlands, we don’t have them there.
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“We don’t care what people think or say, it’s our life and we are really happy together. It’s no problem for me or Rona, she is happy to have an experienced partner that is in balance and loves her the way she is.”
He added: “In the Philippines age gaps are highly accepted, but I don’t have contact with my family and a lot of friends anymore because they don’t accept my relationship.
"When I told them about my relationship, they just refused to accept my wife because of how young she was.
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"I'm a divorced man with two children already so it was a big change, but this is my life and they chose not to accept it."
Joop reveals that while the couple do get occasional ‘stares’ from members of the public, he thinks it mostly stems from jealousy.
“If we go to shopping malls, we get a lot of stares because she is so young, but she dresses differently to other Filipinos too, I think it all just comes from jealousy,” he said.
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“Everything that has been said to us comes from jealousy, but we’re happy. It’s a better life for her but it’s also a better life for me.”
Meanwhile, his in-laws are more supportive of their nuptials.
Rona said: "My family have been so supportive of our relationship. Obviously, an age gap is a lot more normal in the Philippines, so they have always supported us no matter what.
"I don't care what people say about us, I love him very much. We are good people; we love and care for people and just want that love back."
Topics: Sex and Relationships
Claire Reid