A remarkable and unconventional love story unfolded when a teenager decided to marry a 71-year-old woman, only a few weeks after their first encounter at her son's funeral.
Now, as they approach their eighth wedding anniversary, the couple continues to defy societal expectations and embrace their unique bond.
In a touching tribute, the husband expresses his deep love and gratitude towards his older wife, highlighting the enduring strength of their relationship.
Two weeks after they started dating, Gary Hardwick, then 18 years old, proposed to Tennessee-born Almeda Errell, then 71, a Walmart employee.
Gary, who is currently 26 years old, is seen singing a song for his adored 80-year-old wife Almeda in a recent video uploaded to his TikTok account.
"Met the love of my life when I was 18 and she was 71" was one of the captions that opened the 19-second video, which described how they met.
"Almost eight years later and we fall more in love each day," the young man added.
Gary's love and adoration for Almeda shows no signs of diminishing, as he affectionately refers to her as his "babydoll" and "queen" in a touching birthday tribute celebrating her 80th birthday.
Their relationship continues to thrive, and Gary's heartfelt words serve as a testament to their enduring passion and deep connection.
The full Instagram post said: "Happy birthday to the most amazing wife in the world. Today is not only your day, but most importantly, today is about celebrating the birth of such a wonderful & true woman with such a heart of gold.
" I'm the luckiest husband for every day that I get to wake up beside you. You make me the happiest man each and every day and I want to always make you the happiest woman.
"You deserve the world and until my last breath I'll work hard to give you that. All of my happiest moments are moments I share with you. I hope you have the best birthday ever today and I hope you enjoy all of your surprises my love.
"You're truly the love of my lifetime and I love you with every beat of my heart. Here's to celebrating my queen. Happy Birthday Babydoll."
Gary, in his mid-twenties, cooked a wine-infused salmon for Almeda and treated her to wine. They are known for their controversial joint OnlyFans account.
He's candid discussions about their sex life have also made headlines, adding to the attention surrounding their unconventional relationship.
He said: "The first time we made love was on our wedding night. It was an amazing experience. There was such a deep connection there. She's a wonderful lover."
The couple has faced family estrangement due to their unconventional relationship, with Almeda's son and grandchildren struggling to accept their age-defying love.
Aaron, said: "I only called him grandfather once and it was when I was drunk. In my head, I see him as a friend more than a grandfather. But you know, our grandmother is happy."
Indiana, 17, added: "How can you not be supportive about that? For me personally, whenever they first got together it was a little bit weird. But I mean, we live in the 21st century and those things really shouldn't matter."
