Age of Attraction Star Had Falling Out With Kid Over Age-Gap Romance

On the show Age of Attraction, the stars often seemed to believe age was just a number, though not everyone around them agreed.

According to Theresa DeMaria, a cast member from season one, her children were so upset by the age-gap relationships on the show that they stopped speaking to her after filming wrapped.

The mother of three explained that she wasn’t facing that issue as she continued her relationship with her partner, John Merrill, who is 27 years younger than her.

Theresa explained in a recent interview with Glamour that, despite any negativity from the public or casual acquaintances, she didn’t experience anyone completely cutting ties with her. She said, ‘No one actually stopped speaking to me.’

She continued, “Actually, a cast member’s daughter did that, but I’m keeping their name private.”

Theresa didn’t say which cast member’s daughter caused problems, but Andrew Wheeler and Jorge Sanchez were the only other season one stars with daughters.

Andrew, age 38, formed a couple with Libby Vodicka on the show, even though she was 16 years younger. He worried he might be holding her back from enjoying her twenties, but they both chose to stay together during the Commitment Ceremony.

It seems Andrew’s decision to keep his daughters and Libby, 22, from meeting has caused some issues since the show ended. In a preview for the reunion—available on The Viall Files’ YouTube channel on April 1st—co-host Natalie Joy asked Libby if she’d ever met Andrew’s daughters, and Libby replied simply, “I have not.”

Jorge, age 60, didn’t introduce his daughters to his partner, Vanelle Fenmou, during the show because they ended their relationship before that could happen.

Despite a significant age difference—Jorge is 33 years older than Vanelle, who is 27—they had differing opinions on Vanelle choosing to abstain from sexual relations and on an incident where Jorge confronted someone in public. However, Vanelle insisted the disagreement wasn’t related to their age gap.

Theresa was the only returning cast member from the first season who also had a daughter. She emphasized that all three of her children – Richard, Lauren, and Michael DeMaria – fully supported her relationship.

My eldest son, Richard, is very calm and has always been a source of strength for our family. He’s easygoing and doesn’t feel the need to express his opinions constantly. He understands the situation and shares my perspective that my other son, John, seems more mature for his age, and that we all went through this experience together. He’s a very stable person.

She added that her daughter reacted similarly, but Michael was having the hardest time adjusting. Her youngest son wasn’t particularly bothered, although his friends were giving him some grief. Overall, her children were very supportive and just wanted her to be happy and find someone she connected with.

Although John, at 27, wasn’t quite the age we expected, Theresa said she’s glad their relationship is sparking discussions about age differences in relationships.

She believes the vast majority – around 95% – of people support her and her goals, and genuinely want to see her succeed. This is incredibly encouraging to her, and suggests that society isn’t as broken as she feared, and that progress is being made in empowering women.

She said it made her glad to have started that discussion, and she’d welcome continuing it, as she believes it’s crucial—not only for empowering women, but for achieving equality for everyone.

To see what happened with the other couples from Age of Attraction, keep reading…

Even though there was a 20-year age difference, Pfeifer decided to move from Seattle to Dallas to attempt a relationship with the father of two, a decision she described as a sacrifice.

She told him at their commitment ceremony how incredibly lucky she felt to have found him. ‘So many people search their whole lives for something like this,’ she said, ‘and I’d be heartbroken if I left here without you.’

Theresa received a supportive letter from her three grown children, which gave her the confidence to move forward with her relationship despite the age difference (she was 54, he was 27). Feeling validated, they decided to pursue their love.

Honestly, hearing that message really lifted my spirits and gave me a huge confidence boost – I hadn’t even known what it said before! It’s made me realize I definitely don’t want to end things. At the end of the day, it’s not about grand gestures or milestones, it’s the genuine connection we share that truly matters.

Vanessa was enthusiastic about a relationship, even saying she wanted to share her life with Logan, but he was unsure. He worried their 20-year age difference might make things difficult and gently suggested he might not be the right match for her.

He questioned whether their relationship was good for them, using words like ‘toxic’ and ‘healthy.’ On Commitment Day, he asked for the promise ring back, suggesting he needed to re-evaluate things.

Once they removed the rings, Logan was finally prepared to propose, and surprisingly, he got down on one knee.

He described the relationship as an exciting and intense journey, saying he’s completely devoted to her. He told her she deserves all the good things in life, and specifically mentioned wanting her to have a championship ring like those given to basketball legend Kobe Bryant’s teammates.

He proposed with an engagement ring, asking her to spend the rest of her life with him, and she happily accepted. This will be her fifth engagement.

Chris, 15 years younger than Leah, ended the relationship because he felt overwhelmed by her constant desire to be with him.

We’ve discussed our differing views and were upfront about what we each expect in a relationship from the beginning. It seems we both ultimately want a family and to settle down, but perhaps we envision that happening at different times. He added that the age gap created unnecessary stress and, for the first time, made it difficult for him to be himself.

As he put it, “That’s why ultimately, I feel that this partnership is not right.”

So, how did Leah react to the breakup?

I always hoped someone would choose me, but I refused to chase after it. I also realized I can’t change anyone into something they’re not. Coming to this retreat, I was looking for love, but I didn’t find it. Ultimately, I discovered a lot about myself – I’m a strong, smart, and beautiful woman, and whoever I end up with will be lucky to have me.

He worried he was holding Libby back from enjoying her twenties, but she told Andrew, who is sixteen years older than her, that she believed he would only enhance her life.

“It feels like it’s finally my time for a happy ending, like something out of a romantic comedy,” he told her. “I know, that’s really corny. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about where things could go from here. I’m not even sure what the kids call it now—maybe a ‘hard launch’ or a ‘soft launch,’ probably something way cooler—but I’d really like to start dating you, officially.”

Libby agreed, with the pair making plans for her to go to Baltimore to meet his daughters.

Despite a significant age difference—he was 33 years older than her—the couple didn’t stay together. They broke up while still living together due to clashes over Vanelle’s choice to remain celibate and an incident where Jorge argued with someone in public.

However, she noted, “I don’t necessarily think it has anything to do with his age.”

2026-03-27 01:17

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