A woman in a relationship, with a man who is the same age as her mum, has been branded a ‘gold digger‘ – but says men her age are too insecure.
Brooke McNelis, 33, is engaged to marry Patrick Daly, 54, and has never been happier.
The couple, who have been together for five years and share a 22-year age gap, met through a member of Patrick’s family.
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His step-niece – he was the brother of her step-mum – was friends with Brooke when they were at college.
Brooke’s family have all been very supportive of her relationship with Patrick, who works as a chief financial officer.
She had never considered dating a man with such an age gap, but her mum would joke and tell her she needed an older man.
“Funnily enough, my mum always said I needed an older man,” Brooke, who works in medical sales and is based in Encinitas, California, US, told What’s The Jam.
“When I brought Pat home she said ‘I didn’t mean the same age as me!’
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“When I dated men my age, they were always very insecure.
“I needed an older man that let me be my complete self.
“My family was always very supportive.
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“But at first, I’m sure everyone was sceptical of it working out.
“Now, his daughter and I have a great relationship.
“Kids are a maybe as he already has a daughter who is 18.”
Since meeting Patrick, Brooke has realised she needed someone who would let her be her ‘complete self’.
But online, she has faced cruel comments, with trolls dubbing her a ‘gold digger’ – but she doesn’t let it bother her.
Brooke said: “A lot of the online comments are saying I’m a gold digger, in it for the money – the list goes on.
“But I have a full-blown career and know the truth so the outside noise doesn’t bother me.
“We get a lot of looks or comments while out to dinner, but I laugh them off.
“One woman came up to Pat and me, and asked how he holds a conversation with someone so young like me.”
In one video they shared on TikTok, the couple addressed the assumption that he was her father, joking along with a comment they received.
One user wrote: “22 years,???? nooooo girl.”
Another said: “They’re jealous of you and daddyyy.”
“Cause you look old,” a third commented.
One posted: “My HOT husband and I are 22yrs apart. When we first started dating, I always got “daughter” comments. Now 10 yrs and 3 kids later.. he gets grandpa LOLOL.”
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