KOTA BARU: Mohamed Saman and Nur Arelya Azahar did not stop the 38 years age difference between them from tying the knot on Nov 13, 2020.
Nur Arelya recently posted a video of the two of them on TikTok, garnering many positive reactions from netizens who were amazed at how close and loving the two of them towards each other.
According to Nur Arelya, 24, it had never crossed her mind to get married at such a young age because she was busy and focused on work.
However, Nur Arelya said she accepted it as fate and was not shocked that she married an older man.
Looking back at when they first met, Nur Arelya said she met her husband, who was then 62 years, four years ago while working as a restaurant assistant.
"He always came to eat at the restaurant, and we got to know each other from there.
"At first, he was just a customer, but over time he stepped up and mustered up the courage to tell me that he wanted to get to know me better.
"Back in early 2020, he expressed his feelings for me and asked me to marry him. In the beginning, I did not entertain him. I, however, softened up and accepted him after seeing how determined he was to win my heart," she told Harian Metro.
Nur Arelya said she had three years of experience caring for her father, Azahar Mohamad Noor, who died in March 2020 due to swelling in the back.
Therefore, Nur Arelya had no problems caring for and seeing to Mohamed Saman's needs, who is a diabetic.
"I do not have a clean bill of health despite being young as I suffer from Bipolar Disorder, and I cannot be left alone, especially in the dark.
"My dear husband always supports me, so it is heartwarming and assuring that he will be there for me," she said.
Regarding her sharing content of the two of them on TikTok, Nur Arelya said she was touched by how so many had wished them well and prayed for their well-being and happiness together, even though they were total strangers.
"However, social media is a double-edged sword as there are also those who criticise us, with some saying that I married Mohamed for his pension money, apart from questioning my ability to care for him.
"I am not bothered by such comments because my intention in sharing the video on TikTok is to create memories of the two of us as husband and wife, that's all, nothing more than that," she said.
Meanwhile, Mohamed, a retired civil servant who used to work at the land office here, said it never crossed his mind to find another wife after the death of his first wife in 2018.
"It's just that I was living alone at home. It got lonely.
"So I am very grateful and count my blessings to have met Nur Arelya and accepted me as her husband even though I am much older. I am confident that she will take very good care of me for the remainder of my life," he said.