Latest news with #Iyah
The Sun
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I met my husband when I was 19 and he was 41 – people thought it was a bad idea, but six years on we've got a kid
LOVE often blooms in unexpected ways, sometimes defying what society considers the norm. For one couple, Iyah and Rafah, their story has been a vibrant testament to finding happiness on their own terms, despite early doubts from others. 2 Iyah recently shared an update with her 840.4K TikTok followers, celebrating six years of marriage and the joy of building a family, a journey many initially questioned. Sharing a happy video of them dancing together, they wrote: 'Us six years later because my husband didn't give up pursuing me even when everyone said 'you're 41. 'Dating a 19-year-old is a bad idea.' Their relationship first captured attention due to their significant age difference. When they met, Iyah was just 19 years old, while Rafah was 41. On their TikTok page, @ rafal_and_iyah, Iyah had previously described meeting Rafah as "a dream come true." She's also openly spoken about the deeper connection that drew them together, moving past the age gap. As she explained, at 19, she already knew she wanted to get married and become a young mum. Rafah, then 41, had "wanted a family for so long," making their aspirations perfectly aligned. Iyah revealed that both of them initially worried about the age difference and how their families might react. Press sec Karoline Leavitt calls 32-yr age gap with husband 'atypical' & admits life turned into 'circus' after they met However, they ultimately decided that external opinions didn't matter, choosing instead to follow their hearts and start a family together. Now, six years into their marriage with children, they're clearly celebrating having trusted their own path despite the initial "bad idea" warnings. Their latest video gained 604k views and 319 comments after three days of being shared and many people's opinions have been divided. One person wrote: 'She was 41 and he was 19. and he was pursuing her, that's how I understood it. 2 'Now they're supposedly 47 and 25, if you can believe the story.' While a second added: 'You two look beautiful together. And I'm glad he never stopped fighting for you too!' And a third commented: 'I'm 60 and my husband is 82. We've been together since 1989. Don't judge. 'My parents reached 55 yrs before my dad's passing, he reached 67 before his mother experienced a stroke that forced her into a care home. 'Nothing can touch us. We're strong.' A-list age gap relationships that have stood the test of time Kris Jenner & Corey Gamble - 25 years The Kardashian matriarch, 69, met her younger man, 44, at a mutual friend's 40th birthday party in Ibiza. They've been together since August 2014. Sam & Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 23 years The director, 57, and actor, 34, reportedly met at a film audition in 2009, and were married by 2012. The pair share two daughters and Sam has two children from a previous marriage. Rosie-Huntington-Whiteley & Jason Statham - 20 years The model, 37, started dating actor Jason, 57, in 2010. They were wed in 2016 and have since welcomed a son and a daughter together. Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas - 25 years Catherine, 55, was introduced to Michael, 80, a film festival in 1996 and engaged three years later. Shortly after their engagement, the couple welcomed a son and married in 2000.
The Sun
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm 19 & married a guy 21 years older than me – I want to be a young mum & we don't care about what our families think
LOVE stories come in all shapes and sizes, and can often challenge traditional notions of romance. For one woman, Iyah, her journey to finding "the one" involved a significant age difference that's now sparking conversations and strong opinions across social media. 2 Iyah recently caught the attention of her 839,000 TikTok followers by sharing the surprising details of how she met her husband, who happens to be 21 years her senior. When their paths first crossed, Iyah was just 19 years old, while her now-husband, Rafah, was 45. In a previous video shared on their TikTok page, ' @rafal_and_iyah ', Iyah openly described connecting with Rafah as nothing short of "a dream come true." And in another video, she delved deeper into what brought them so close together, despite the age gap. She explained that at 19, she was already set on getting married and becoming a young mum. Then, she met Rafah, who, at 41, had "wanted a family for so long." Iyah revealed that both of them were initially worried about the age difference and what their families might think. However, they ultimately decided that they "didn't care" and chose to go ahead and start a family together. The video, shared on 3rd July, has since gone viral with an astonishing 2.3 million views and 926 comments, reflecting a wide range of mixed opinions. One commenter wrote: "So, he couldn't find a woman in her 20's, 30's or 40's? No, he specifically wanted a teenager." Press sec Karoline Leavitt calls 32-yr age gap with husband 'atypical' & admits life turned into 'circus' after they met A second added a word of caution: "I just hope that he understands that you're young. "Even though you're a mom you're still so young and have so much to learn and grow. Also don't forget to have fun, pursue a career! Live!" However, many were quick to hit back at the negative comments and defend the couple. One person wrote: "People honestly need to mind their own business on things that have NO relevance or consequence on their life at all. 2 She was 19 and an adult, she can rent her own flat, vote, manage her own finances but because there's a teen on her age suddenly she's like five and can't ever possibly know what she wants in life and can't make her own decisions?" Someone else praised Rafah, saying: "Look how he married late and still looks good. "Men have to establish themselves before providing. He did that." Speaking in a previous video, Iyah summarised their whirlwind romance: "Don't mean to be a bad influence, but we met when I was 19 and he was 41. "Three weeks later, I moved in, eight months later, he proposed and now we are married with a baby." A-list age gap relationships that have stood the test of time Kris Jenner & Corey Gamble - 25 years The Kardashian matriarch, 69, met her younger man, 44, at a mutual friend's 40th birthday party in Ibiza. They've been together since August 2014. Sam & Aaron Taylor-Johnson - 23 years The director, 57, and actor, 34, reportedly met at a film audition in 2009, and were married by 2012. The pair share two daughters and Sam has two children from a previous marriage. Rosie-Huntington-Whiteley & Jason Statham - 20 years The model, 37, started dating actor Jason, 57, in 2010. They were wed in 2016 and have since welcomed a son and a daughter together. Catherine Zeta-Jones & Michael Douglas - 25 years Catherine, 55, was introduced to Michael, 80, a film festival in 1996 and engaged three years later. Shortly after their engagement, the couple welcomed a son and married in 2000.
