Age-defying journey challenges what parenthood can look like

A Melbourne doctor who welcomed his first child at 93 may have just broken a world record that's stood for nearly three decades. But Dr John Levin isn't stopping there—he's planning for baby number two.

The current Guinness World Record for oldest legal father belongs to Australian Les Colley, who had his ninth child at 92 years 10 months in 1992.

The Hampton East GP and his wife Dr Yangying Lu, 37, welcomed son Gabby, creating one of Australia's most remarkable age-gap families.

With a 56-year difference between the parents, their story challenges everything we think we know about modern parenthood.

Love knows no boundaries

Dr Levin's journey to late-life fatherhood began with heartbreak and transformation. While the average age of Australian fathers has risen to 33.1 years, Dr Levin was already in his 80s when he decided to learn Mandarin following his first wife Veronica's death after 57 years of marriage.

His Chinese language teacher, Dr Lu, became much more than an instructor. Their whirlwind romance led to a Las Vegas wedding in 2014, and a decade later, they've created a family that defies conventional expectations.

'People think at first that he is Johnny's grandson, or sometimes great-grandson,' Dr Lu explains about public reactions to baby Gabby.

'When we explain they can't contain their surprise. But for us, it's about the choices that make us happy.'

The science of senior fatherhood

What makes Dr Levin's story even more extraordinary is the biological reality he's overcome.

Male fertility begins to decline significantly around age 40, and it can take a man five times longer to conceive at 45 than in their 20s.

Research shows that only 42 percent of men over age 51 meet the World Health Organisation's standard for semen quality, compared to 61 percent of men under age 51.

The statistics become even more challenging with advanced age.

Monash University research found that male fertility drops by 4.1 per cent per year in IVF treatments, regardless of the female partner's age.

This groundbreaking study dispelled the myth that older men with younger partners automatically have better fertility outcomes.

Dr Fabrizio Horta from Monash University explains the biological mechanism: 'The hypothesis is that as men get older their sperm becomes susceptible to DNA damage' caused by oxidative damage from free radicals.

Against all odds—IVF success in the 90s

The couple's fertility journey involved IVF treatment, where success rates typically plummet with advanced paternal age.

Research shows that while nearly half of men under 35 successfully fertilise eggs through IVF, this drops to 42 per cent for ages 36-40, 35 per cent for ages 41-45, 32 per cent for ages 46-50, and just 30 per cent for men over 51.

At 93, Dr Levin was attempting IVF in virtually uncharted territory, making their first-try success even more remarkable.

'I was very lucky. We achieved a pregnancy on the first try,' Dr Lu recalls. 'It can be so difficult for many women. One of my mothers' group took 14 cycles to produce her daughter.'

The secret to staying strong

Dr Levin's extraordinary fertility success may be linked to his decades-long commitment to anti-aging practices.

For 30 years, he's injected human growth hormone and maintained a strict lifestyle including regular gym sessions and intermittent fasting—eating no meals before noon, mostly vegetarian fare.

He doesn't drink alcohol or smoke, factors that research shows significantly impact male fertility alongside aging.

His professional expertise as a healthy aging specialist has clearly informed his personal approach to longevity.

Advanced paternal age typically increases risks for premature birth, lower APGAR scores, and babies may have 'less semen volume and sperm with less motility'.

However, Dr Levin's lifestyle choices may have helped mitigate some of these age-related fertility challenges.

Planning for baby number two

Despite the biological obstacles, the couple are already considering expanding their family. 'We're thinking of another one, we'd like to have a little girl,' Dr Levin told radio station Nova 100.

However, Dr Lu sounds more cautious: 'We're still talking!' The practical considerations are significant—if successful, a second child would make Dr Levin potentially the oldest father of two children in recorded history.

Facing the future together

Dr Lu has realistically considered the challenges ahead. 'I am prepared to parent on my own in the future,' she acknowledges, while converting to Judaism in preparation for their son's bar mitzvah—an event Dr Levin is determined to attend.

The couple benefits from extensive family support, including Dr Levin's three surviving children from his first marriage: Ashley, 62, and Samantha, 60, plus 10 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. Tragically, his eldest son Greg died at 65 from motor neurone disease.

'With modern families these days you see different types of families and they make it work,' Dr Lu reflects. 'If other people can make it work, so can I.'

Looking ahead

Dr Levin's determination to be present for major milestones reflects both optimism and realism. 'Of course being there for his 21st is a goal,' he says, which would make him 114 years old. More immediately, he's focused on Gabby's bar mitzvah at 13, where he plans to read the Torah alongside his son.

Their story challenges societal expectations about aging, parenting, and family formation. While advanced maternal age is widely discussed in fertility conversations, Dr Levin's case highlights how paternal age deserves equal attention in family planning discussions.

Whether or not they proceed with a second child, this Melbourne family has already made medical history.

Dr Lu dismisses any suggestion their relationship was motivated by money, noting Dr Levin was 'bankrupt' when they met—theirs was purely a love match that happened to defy biological odds.

As baby Gabby grows up in this unique family constellation, he'll have the unusual distinction of potentially being the child of the world's oldest new father—and possibly, if his parents' plans come to fruition, gaining a sibling who would cement their father's place in the record books forever.

Have you encountered families with significant age gaps? What do you think about the challenges and joys of late-life parenting? Share your thoughts below—we'd love to hear from you.