A 93-year-old Melbourne doctor says he hopes to have more children with his wife, who is more than half a century younger than him, after the couple welcomed a baby boy last year.
Dr John Levin, a Hampton East GP and healthy ageing expert born in the 1930s, and his second wife, 37-year-old Dr Yangying Lu, welcomed their son, Gabby, in February 2024.
Dr Levin’s first wife, Veronica, with whom he shared three children, died in 2013 after 57 years of marriage.
One of his children later died at the age of 65.
Following his wife’s death, Dr Levin began learning Chinese and eventually fell in love with his teacher, Dr Lu. The pair married in Las Vegas in 2014.
A decade later, Dr Levin told the Herald Sun that becoming a father again was “unbelievable” after a long journey involving donor sperm and IVF.
Despite his age, Dr Levin said he intends to be present throughout his son’s upbringing.
“Of course being there for his 21st is a goal,” he said.
Another milestone the Jewish GP hopes to witness is Gabby’s bar mitzvah.
“It’s such an important moment. I want to guide him through it,” he said.
Although Gabby is still an infant, the couple have already begun exploring the possibility of a second child and have returned to IVF treatment.
“We’re thinking of another one, we’d like to have a little girl,” Dr Levin told Nova 100.
Dr Lu said she had not considered motherhood until the Covid-19 pandemic prompted the couple to reflect on their future.
“We did some soul-searching, asking ourselves where do we want to be, what do we want to see in our lives in 10 years’ time,” she told the Herald.
“I thought to myself, if I lose him (Dr Levin), I want a part of him. I wanted to have a child.
“I was very lucky. We achieved a pregnancy on the first try… It can be so difficult for many women. One of my mothers’ group took 14 cycles to produce her daughter.”
While Dr Levin appeared certain about trying for another baby, Dr Lu noted, “We’re still talking!”
She also rejected suggestions that her marriage was financially motivated, saying Dr Levin was bankrupt when they met.
Dr Lu said their relationship was based on love and mutual respect, and she dismissed any “gold-digger” claims as unfounded.
The mother also addressed misconceptions about their son.
“People think at first that he is Johnny’s grandson, or sometimes great-grandson,” she said.
“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.”
Dr Lu, who is converting to Judaism, said she is prepared to raise Gabby on her own if necessary.
“With modern families these days you see different types of families and they make it work,” she said.
“If other people can make it work, so can I.”
She added that Gabby’s maternal grandmother is helping with childcare, and praised the support they’ve received from Dr Levin’s extended family, including his adult children Ashley, 62, and Samantha, 60.
Dr Levin’s eldest son, Greg, died in 2024 from motor neurone disease at the age of 65. He also has ten grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
A long-time advocate for healthy ageing, Dr Levin has spent nearly two decades advising patients on lifestyle habits before they reach their 60s.
In his own life, he said he has injected human growth hormone for 30 years and follows a strict routine, including gym workouts, vegetarian meals after noon, and complete abstinence from alcohol and smoking.
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