Australian mum of five and grandma of 12, has defied expectations and given birth to twin girls named Khorus and Knowyn, after a whirlwind romance and IVF journey with her 39-year-old Nigerian husband.
56-year-old Angela Peter’s journey to motherhood again began in 2019 after divorcing her husband of over two decades.
“Raising my kids was the joy of my life, but over the years, I realised I wasn’t happy in my marriage,” she said. In March 2020, she joined a dating site where she connected with Emeka, a Nigerian man. But it was Emeka’s younger brother, Bright who is a cook based in South Africa that caught her attention.
“When I saw his photo, it was like a thunderbolt. I knew this was the man I was meant to be with.”
Despite a 17-year age gap, their connection grew and in February 2021, Angela flew to Nigeria to meet Bright in person. “Hugging him for the first time, I felt like I’d known him my whole life.” Bright proposed the next day, and they married in a civil ceremony nine days later.
Despite being premenopausal, Angels wanted kids with Bright and in 2023, on another trip to Nigeria, they discovered an IVF clinic willing to treat older women. With donor eggs and Bright’s sperm, Angela was able to carry the pregnancy herself. “In December, we were overwhelmed with joy when we took a pregnancy test and it was positive,” she said.
Their twin girls were born in August 2024, weighing 5lbs each. Angela describes the experience as her easiest pregnancy yet. “I was changing nappies and doing the night feeds without blinking.”
Her daughter Deina, 28, admitted she was initially sceptical: “I had fears Bright was a scammer… then I got the shocking news they’d got married and wanted me to be their surrogate! But Mum flew through the pregnancy and put my mind at rest. She’s so incredible with the girls. It’s a wonder to see.”
Angela now hopes her story inspires others: “To those who dream of motherhood later in life, don’t lose hope. My journey took me across continents, but it’s led me to this beautiful moment. Now, both my hands and my heart are full.”