Last year, star doctor John Levin became the happy father of little Gabby at the age of… 92. A late fatherhood which sparked strong reactions on the web. What does this desire to give birth late in life reveal? Pascal Anger, psychologist, gives us his point of view.
“If I lose John, I want a part of him.”
While John Levin is already a happy grandfather and great-grandfather, this XXL family has not stopped him from ardently desiring the arrival of a new child.
The Australian doctor specializing in anti-aging actually fell in love with his Mandarin teacher – 56 years his junior – and they decided to have a baby. A lovely project, however fraught with pitfalls: little Gaby was born ten years after their union, thanks to in vitro fertilization with a donor.
“I told myself: if I lose John, I want a part of him. I wanted a child”confided his wife, Yangying Lu, who nevertheless says she is aware of how others view this “dad like no other”.
“People think Gabby is Joh’s grandson, or sometimes great-grandson.n”, recognizes the mother.When we explain it to them, they can’t hide their surprise. But for us, what matters are the choices that make us happy.”she puts things into perspective.
Since Gaby’s arrival, the couple has ignored the comments and enjoyed their happiness as a threesome… to the point of already considering expanding the family. “We are planning to have another, we would like to have a little girl”reveals the doctor.
A way for John Levin to defy the passing of time? “Without a doubt“, estimates Pascal Anger, psychologist.
A renewal of youth
By the arrival of this baby, John Levin shows that it is possible symbolically, “to delay death, to play with time, even to postpone the impossible”, underlines the psychologist.
Indeed, at this age, needless to say, we are no longer in Olympic physical shape.
“There are sometimes also, as in his case, children from a first union, and a desire not to be satisfied with them,”
assures the practitioner. “The idea of having more time to care for this new child is also often mentioned.
he specifies.
As a retiree, the pace is often a bit lighter; you can enjoy your newborn differently.
But this free time doesn’t stop the clock from ticking: “For this father, the prospect of disappearing without having truly shared moments with his child is real. At best, he can hope to reach 100 years old, but his son will then only be around ten years old. He will therefore miss a key age – adolescence – which nevertheless allows him to orient his child.
And for the child? What consequences?
If the arrival of a child at an age close to a hundred allows for a full life – while being emotionally fulfilled – the consequences of such a choice can be difficult for the child.
“At school, his little friends can constantly remind him that he has “a very old father” or that the latter “is no longer here”, underlines Pascal Anger.
An awareness that can quickly become a source of anxiety for the child: yes, this adored father figure can disappear…”and death can come sooner than one would imagine.”he concludes.