At 92, Australian doctor welcomes baby boy with 37-year-old wife

Despite his advanced age, Dr John Levin said he hoped to witness his son reach major life moments, including his bar mitzvah and 21st birthday.

An Australian physician has drawn attention after welcoming a child at the age of 92. Dr John Levin, now 93, and his 37-year-old wife, Dr Yanying Lu, became parents to a son named Gabby in February 2024, according to a report by news.com.au. The child was born only five months before Levin’s eldest son, Greg, aged 65, passed away from motor neurone disease.

Levin, a general practitioner with expertise in anti-ageing medicine, met Lu following the death of his first wife, with whom he had been married for 57 years. Seeking companionship, he decided to study a new language and enrolled in Mandarin lessons — where Lu was his teacher.

Recalling their first meetings, Dr Lu told news.com.au, “He was a terrible student. After the third lesson, I told him to stop. I didn’t want to rip him off!”

Although the lessons ended, the two remained in touch. Their friendship eventually deepened, and after several meetings, Levin invited her to dinner. The couple’s relationship progressed, and they were married in Las Vegas in 2014.

The pair said that they had not spoken seriously about having children until the COVID-19 lockdowns. Lu explained that the period led her to reflect on her life and priorities. “I did some soul-searching,” she said. “I asked myself where I wanted my life to be. I realised that if I lost my husband, I wanted to have a part of him in the form of a child.”

Their son Gabby was conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) using donor sperm. Lu became pregnant on the first attempt. Levin said that holding his son for the first time was “unbelievable.”

Lu described her husband as a “very old-fashioned” father who “didn’t change nappies,” adding that their situation often surprises people. “My son’s existence gives people headaches,” she said. “Many assume John is his grandfather. When we explain, they can’t contain their surprise. But for us, it’s about the choices that make us happy. We can’t control how other people feel.”

Despite his advanced age, Dr John Levin said he hoped to witness his son reach major life moments, including his bar mitzvah and 21st birthday.