Are John and Theresa from 'Age of Attraction' still together? All we know as huge age difference sparks doubt
Netflix's new dating series 'Age of Attraction' questions if age really matters when it comes to matters of the heart. In the series, 40 singles, 20 men and 20 women, from the ages of 20 to 60, meet and mingle at a remote resort in search of a perfect life partner. By the end of the dating experiment, four age-defying couples fell in love and decided to plan their futures together in the real world. One such couple is John Merrill and Theresa DeMaria, who share an astounding 27-year age gap. DeMaria is a 54-year-old yoga teacher, stylist, and model from Evanston, Illinois, while Merrill is a 27-year-old native of Miami, Florida, who works in software sales. They were the first couple to commit to each other and reveal their ages in the Promise Room and are still going strong after the season finale, which aired on March 25.
Merrill and DeMaria felt an instant connection when they met at the singles' resort and decided to move to the next stage of the dating. However, after the couple revealed their true ages in the Promise Room, DeMaria was left stunned. The mother-of-three expected Merrill to be 38 or older, and not almost half her age. "I had a child before [John] was even born," she said while processing their huge age gap. The two decided to stay together and explore their relationship, but DeMaria could not stop stressing over their age difference, despite Merrill's assurances. When her children visited the sets, DeMaria decided not to disclose Merrill’s age beforehand as she wanted her kids to get to know him without being influenced by his age.
In the season finale of the Netflix series, the couple had to decide to either stay together or split up during the Commitment Ceremony. Merrill seemed sure of wanting a future with DeMaria. "I need you to believe age is just a number, but also believe in me. That every day I’m going to show up and work on this together," he told DeMaria ahead of the ceremony. However, she did not seem ready to take the "huge risk," with her hesitation rising from her children's concerns over their age gap. What changed her mind was reading a letter her kids wrote to Merrill, in which they gave their full support for the relationship. "It makes me feel a lot more confident and happy to know they wrote that to you. I had no idea what it said. I don't want to walk away. In fact, I want to walk toward something with you," DeMaria says at the ceremony.
However, their story is not over yet, as Merrill and DeMaria will reveal if their relationship has stood the test of time in the outside world in the reunion special. Moreover, other couples will spill all the behind-the-scenes drama and share some heartfelt confessions when they come together for the special with hosts Nick Viall and Natalie Joy Viall. It is slated to drop at 4 p.m. PT / 7 p.m. ET on April 1 on Netflix. So, stay tuned!
