A woman who married a man 19 years her senior has lifted the lid on what it is really like being in an age-gap relationship – including how she broke the news to her parents.

Emily Stomatuk, 28, married husband Michael Justin, 47, in November 2023, after meeting him when she was 23 and he was 42.

The couple, who are based in Los Angeles, are often questioned about their 19-year age gap, revealing in a recent TikTok video how they told their loved ones.

‘My parents had some concerns,’ Emily, who works as an ICU travel nurse, admitted.

Emily Stomatuk, 28, married husband Michael Justin, 47, in November 2023, after meeting him when she was 23 and he was 42

‘My parents had some concerns,’ Emily, who works as an ICU travel nurse, admitted of the reaction to their age gap

The couple are often questioned for their 19-year age gap, revealing in a TikTok video how their loved ones took the news

Although admitting she had to ‘train some of the f**k boy out of him,’ Emily said she was initially just friends with Michael when they first met before things got more serious – and her parents did express some concerns.

She recalled her father finding out she was dating Michael, and an argument they subsequently had.

‘He was like, “I raised you better than this,”‘ she said in a recent video. ‘It was [a] dagger to the heart.’

The couple started getting more serious around the time of the pandemic, and Emily decided it was time for her beau to meet her parents.

‘Honestly, after the day they met him, there has not been one issue since,’ she shared. ‘They saw how happy we were together.’

Emily added Michael ‘really took care’ of her at the time, as she was still at nursing school and her parents could see how committed he was.

‘[I have] a great relationship with her dad, great relationship with her mom,’ Michael chimed in, adding Emily’s father has said Michael is ‘like a son’ to him.

TikTok users shared their thoughts about the happy couple and their age gap – many in support of their union.

Emily added Michael ‘really took care’ of her at the time, as she was still at nursing school and her parents could see how committed he was

Emily said after her parents met Michael and saw how happy they were together there hasn’t been an issue

TikTok users shared their thoughts about the happy couple and their age gap – many in support of the couple

‘My mum and dad are 22 years apart. And me and my fiancé are 14. As long as there’s respect and love, it’s all good,’ agreed another.

‘My parents are 19 years apart! Nothing but love and it’s completely normal to me,’ another chimed in.

‘I just think it’s so funny people are putting their opinions on your relationship like they’re the people in it! All that matters is you are happy!!’ agreed another.

‘I was married at the age of 20 to my late husband who was 19 years older than me. We were married for 31 years before he passed away due to cancer. Age did not make a difference!’

In 2023, experts revealed the ‘ideal age gap’ for people who want their relationships to last – and it’s bad news for couples born five years apart.

A resurfaced study by Emory University in Atlanta found that couples with a five-year age gap are 18 per cent more likely to separate than partners who are closer in age.

The chances of a split then shot up to 95 per cent of couples with a 20-year age gap.

In 2014, researchers at the institution analyzed 3,000 people as part of their study.

Researchers found that the ‘ideal’ age gap between couples was one year or less.

The study concluded that the chances of divorce dropped to just three per cent for couples who were born within 12 months or less of one another.