A man who married his wife when he was 17 and she was 71 explained how important it is to cut out “toxic” people who don’t support you out.
Gary, now 23, posts updates about his life with Almeda, 75, on his TikTok account.
Gary recently had a comment from a fan explaining that they were also in a relationship with a large age gap and that they had to ditch those who were “against their happiness”.
In response, Gary said: “First off congratulations to you and your husband here, I’m very happy to hear about you guys and that you guys followed your hearts and chose to be in love no matter what anyone else might think about that.
“And congrats to you as well for being courageous and standing up for you and your love and standing up for who you are as a person and who you chose to love regardless if anybody accepts it or not.
“Sometimes it is really hard when it’s your family that doesn’t support you, doesn’t love you for who you love, isn’t happy for you but at times we do have to cut off people in our lives who are toxic regardless of if its family or not.
“Because at the end of the day family is not about blood it’s about the people who support you and love you for you.
“Almeda and I both have been there and we both understand where you’re coming from.
“Never let anyone steal your happiness regardless of if it’s family or friends or who it might be because the real ones will love you for who you are and if not they don’t deserve to be a part of your life.
“When you cut the toxic out of your life you will be much more happy.”
Almeda and Gary Hardwick married in 2015, two weeks after meeting at her son Robert’s funeral.
At the time Gary was 17 and had recently split up with a 77-year-old and Almeda was 71, although they are now 23 and 76.
Paying tribute to his elderly wife on their anniversary, Gary, from Tennessee, posted on Instagram.
He said: “Happy anniversary to the most amazing woman in the world!
“Six years ago today I made the best decision of my life, I said ‘I do’ to the love of my life, my one true soulmate.
“You make me the happiest man each and everyday and I’m so proud and grateful to have you right beside me through all of life’s journey.
“No matter what obstacles we’ve faced in the past six years, we’ve always overcame them together because that’s what true love does, true love means standing beside each other when the rest of the world is against. It’s you & I forever beautiful.
“We have created so many amazing memories together and we have so many more to create ahead of us!
“Happy anniversary to the woman that made my dreams come true six years ago. You’re my life.
“I love you with every beat of my heart Mrs. Hardwick. Til my last breath and beyond! Your husband always & forever.”
The couple, who had sex for the first time on their wedding night, previously described each other as “wonderful lovers”.
“It was wonderful, beyond my wildest dreams,” revealed Gary previously in a candid interview with Fabulous Digital.
“She really is my dream woman and the physical side of our relationship couldn’t be better.”
Almeda and Gary married in a ceremony which he arranged for just $200 in six days.
After marrying the pair moved into Almeda’s house with one of her grandsons who is three years older than her new husband.
“I wasn’t looking for a young man, but Gary just came along,” said Almeda. “I just knew straight away that he was the one.”
Her happiness at their meeting was in stark contrast to the lonely despair the mother-of-four had endured after being widowed and then losing her eldest son Robert, 45, after a seizure.
“I’d been married to my first husband Donald for 43 years, and so when he died in 2013 after seven months in hospital from complications with diabetes, I found myself on my own,” said Almeda.
“I’d turn up for work at Walmart in tears and my colleagues would ask me what was wrong. Deep down, I was searching for a soulmate.”