Teen bride-to-be defies parents’ wishes and says she’ll marry online lover – despite him being 34 years OLDER
The 19-year-old student has to tell members of the public that her fiancé is not her dad
A STUDENT has defied the wishes of her parents by getting engaged to a man who is 34 years her senior.
Michaela Matson, 19, has fallen madly in love with truck driver fiancé William Maldera, 53, after meeting on an 'emotion venting' app last year.
The teenager, from Omaha in Nebraska, USA, was immediately drawn to her partner's "handsome" profile photo online.
Michaela remembered: "The first time I saw William's photo, I was thinking 'Wow, he's handsome' and was attracted to him straight away.
"I liked his nose, it's cute and crooked - because his mom broke it as a child - then he has the most gorgeous light brown eyes that are completely breath-taking."
After months of speaking, they professed their love for one another and decided to meet up.
Michaela recalled: "I didn't know who he was at first, but he caught my eye and after we started talking more and more, gradually I realised I was falling for this man.
"We were video calling on Facebook almost daily, if not three to four times a week, dependent on his work and my school schedule.
"He made the first big move by saying 'I love you' and I said it back a month later, he hit all the right areas with me apart from me living in America and him in Canada.
"My plan was to go and visit him without telling my mom other than leaving a note, but my man wanted me to tell her before I left."
Michaela's parents were worried about her meeting up with William (pictured)
After breaking the news, Michaela's parents were so upset that they threatened to disown her.
The student said: "Then both my mom and William wanted me to tell my dad, I had a bad feeling about telling him and I have never seen him so upset in my life.
"He threatened to disown me if I decided to keep dating William
"Then I was sent to see a psychologist, who agreed with what my parents wanted that I had to 'end it' with William.
"Whenever I was texting him, my dad asked if I was talking to 'the piece of ****'."
Despite her parents' best efforts to keep hold of their daughter's passport, Michaela was able to get the documentation and money she needed to make the move.
The teen explained: "Because I had given my mom my passport after telling my parents about, what should have been, my vacation with William, I had to apply for a new one and set aside money for myself to move in with him.
"But as soon as I saw him at the airport I dropped my luggage and ran, I was so excited and overwhelmed to finally meet face to face.
A few months after first meeting, the pair got engaged.
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Michaela knows it's going to take a lot to convince her family that she's making the right decision.
She said: "I left the wrong way, but my parents are slowly accepting is and told me 'It's my life', and neither want to lose me."
This may be a tricky task, as strangers in the street even question their relationship.
Thankfully, Michaela is fully aware that her relationship is unconventional and they're happy to laugh it off.
She revealed: "We don't expect people to know we are engaged, and not father and daughter because age gap relationships aren't typical, we try not to let it bother us.
"I've been called his daughter quite a few times, but he proudly tells them she's my fiancé, other times we laugh it off while they apologise.
"Normally if I notice anyone giving us a nasty glare I don't care, I just find it funny how others can judge us so quickly despite not knowing who we are.
"It's hard for some people to understand age-gap relationships, but William and I are really happy, we can't wait to be married."