WHEN Colleen Hammami told her best friend she was engaged to a Tunisian man 21 years her junior, it wasn’t a congratulations she received.
Instead she issued Colleen with a word of warning, accusing her fiance of being a love rat and scammer.
And just two days before the wedding, her best friend urged Colleen to call off the nuptials.
But the bride dismissed her friend’s worries and went ahead with the ceremony.
Now, five years on, Colleen, 58, and husband Haithem, 37, are still together and Colleen is evening planning on becoming a mum again at 60.
Colleen, from Ontario, Canada says: “So many people were against our union from the beginning which we found so upsetting.
“Haithem is my soulmate and we love each other. What’s so terrible about that?”
In 2017, Colleen was in the process of separating from her husband of 24 years, when she received a friend request on Facebook from Haithem.
The admin worker says: “I thought he was good looking, but he looked very young, early 30s maybe.
“At first, I thought he was a gigolo.”
The pair got chatting and she discovered he was 32 and from Tunisia, but when she told him she was 53, he wasn’t fazed.
She says: “I thought he was attractive but wondered why he was talking with me.
“When I found out his age, I was shocked and figured we’d just be online friends.
“Nothing romantic crossed my mind.”
A few months later, though, after talking every day, they both admitted they had feelings for one another.
Since then, Colleen was desperate to meet Haithem in person.
Yet, when she told her eldest son, who’s 27, he was equally worried and warned his mum that Haitham might be a catfish.
But eventually, after speaking with him over the phone, he realised he was genuine.
But that did nothing to reassure her youngest son, now 25, wasn’t happy with their union.
She says: “He didn’t like the age gap and was sceptical.
“I hoped he’d come around in time.”
Soon after, Colleen then told one of her closest friends.
She explains: “My best friend from high school told me I was being scammed and thought I was being stupid.
“She even asked if I’d heard of the website Tunisian Love Rats.
“I was no fool, of course I’d heard of love rats and scams involving men from other countries.
“But Haithem wasn’t like that. He’d never asked me for money.”
After that, the friends barely spoke.
A year later, in October 2018, Colleen visited Haithem in Tunisia, there, she met all his family and spent a month sight -seeing around the capital, Tunis.
While there, they both professed their love for each other.
Back at home, Colleen finalised her divorce from her ex and the pair discussed marriage.
And eventually, both her sons gave their blessing.
In November 2019, the couple married in Tunisia but without any of Colleen’s family or friends present.
But two days before Colleen’s wedding, after having her wedding dress fitted, her best friend rang to warn her off him again.
Colleen says: “I told her I didn’t need her judgement. In that moment, our friendship was over.”
A week later, Colleen flew home and submitted an application for a visitor visa for Haithem, costing £150.
But he was denied entry, based on the age gap.
Colleen says: “We were devastated. It seemed like the world was against us.
“If it was an older man with a younger woman, no one would bat an eyelid.”
Afterwards, they applied for a spousal visa, which they were only recently granted.
Haithem is due to move to Canada to live with Colleen later this month and the pair are excitedly planning their future together.
We’ve discussed adopting a child from his country one day
Colleen Haithem
Colleen says: “We’ve spoken about children and Haithem says I’m enough.
“But we’ve discussed maybe adopting a child from his country one day.”
She adds: “I know people still question Haithem’s motives and sadly this has meant I’ve lost friends along the way.
“But when it comes to the bond we share, it’s more important than anything.
“I love him, and that’s all that matters.”
