SURROUNDED by friends and family at my gender-reveal party, two balloons popped and pink confetti rained down over all of us.
I may have been 56 years old, a mother of five and a grandmother of 12, but I’d never been happier.
Growing up on the Gold Coast of Australia, I’d always wanted to be a mum.
I had my first child Sheana, now 37, when I was 19, and her brother Heath, 33, four years later.
I never thought I’d be a single mum, but despite my heartbreak when my relationship ended at 24, I adored my little family.
I went on to marry my first husband the following year, then had three more children – Kallum, 32, Deina, 28, and Gabriel, 18.
Raising my kids was the joy of my life, but over the years, I realised I wasn’t happy in my marriage.
We divorced in April 2019, when I was 51, and being single after so long was both liberating and scary.
I longed to be a wife again, but the last thing on my mind was having more babies.
I was already going through perimenopause, but I didn’t feel sad about it.
I had five incredible children and now could focus on myself, travel and starting my own business in disability services.
In March 2020, however, I decided to take a chance and joined a dating site.
I connected with a Nigerian man called Emeka, who was 47 and lived in Senegal.
It was good to chat online, but I knew he wasn’t The One.
Then, three months later, Emeka sent me a picture of his family, and when I saw his younger brother, Bright, then 34 and a cook, it was like a thunderbolt – I knew this was the man I was meant to be with.
I asked Emeka for Bright’s phone number, and as strange as it sounds, he was fine about it.
When I called Bright immediately afterwards, I heard myself say: “Hi, I think you’re my bright future,” and was relieved that he didn’t hang up, even if he seemed a little stunned!
There were 17 years and 9,000 miles between us, and I’d never considered dating a younger man before.
We spoke for hours every day about everything from my life in Australia and his in South Africa – where he was working at the time – to our families, before I asked him if he’d consider being in a relationship.
Hearing him say yes felt amazing.
For nine months we spoke daily, and I fell deeper in love.
We didn’t share the same interests or life experiences – he’d worked hard since he was young to help take care of his family, had never been married and didn’t have children.
‘ROMANCE SCAMMER’
But he adored his family and wanted to do everything he could for them, just like me.
When I told Bright that I was going through perimenopause and wouldn’t be able to have more children, he told me not to worry and that one day we’d have twin girls together.
I laughed, knowing that was impossible.
At first, I hid the depth of my feelings for him from my children.
Although he never asked me for money, they were worried Bright was a romance scammer.
Despite their concerns, in February 2021, I travelled to Nigeria, where he now lived.
Meeting him in person was the only way to know if what we had was real.
My heart was thumping as I walked through arrivals in the airport in Lagos.
Hugging him for the first time, I felt like I’d known him my whole life.
When Bright proposed the next day, I was stunned.
But I knew I wanted to marry him and, nine days later, we said our vows in a tiny civil ceremony.
The kids were horrified when I called to tell them, but I knew that once they met Bright, they’d understand.
That June, with our visas finally arranged, we flew back to Australia.
I was nervous about everyone meeting him, but he was so calm and happy, and it went surprisingly well.
Our marriage blossomed and Bright’s relationship with the kids grew stronger as they could see he was genuine.
Still, it made me sad that Bright wouldn’t be a father – I knew he’d make an amazing dad.
So, at 54, I began looking into IVF, and was devastated to discover the cut-off age in Australia is 52.
I asked my daughters if they’d be willing to be our surrogate, but they weren’t keen on the idea, and I even considered advising Bright to have a baby with another woman.
Luckily, fate had other plans. In January 2023, during a visit to Nigeria, a friend of Bright’s suggested having IVF there.
I was sceptical, but the clinics seemed great and the doctors weren’t worried about my age.
They said they could arrange an egg donor and create embryos with Bright’s sperm, and I would be able to carry our baby.
It felt like the answer to our prayers, but not everyone saw it that way.
My children were worried about the health impact of carrying a baby at the age of 56, and my GP was very judgemental.
I was confident that being older and wiser would make me an even better mum
Angela Peters
I listened to their concerns – the increased risk of miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and heart problems – but none of it put me off.
I was healthy and determined, and in December 2023, we were overwhelmed with joy when we took a pregnancy test and it was positive.
The kids – who by then had come round to the idea – were happy for us, and back in Australia, my eight-week scan showed there were two heartbeats.
I had known there was a chance I would become pregnant with multiples, as I’d had three embryos implanted, and I was thrilled.
At 16 weeks, we threw the gender-reveal party.
Seeing the pink confetti fall, I realised Bright’s prediction was coming true.
Despite all the warnings, it was the easiest pregnancy I’d ever had, and I continued to work and exercise.
It was my daughters’ idea to film my pregnancy journey and put it on TikTok – we wanted to inspire other women who dreamed of becoming mums against the odds.
Suddenly, I had people recognising me in public, which was strange.
‘NEGATIVE COMMENTS’
Most were supportive, and although some online comments said that having a baby at 56 was selfish, I didn’t let the negativity get to me.
For a start, it’s sexist, as men have children in their 60s or older and no one bats an eyelid.
Plus, no one knows how long they’ll live for.
I knew that the girls would always have a large, loving family, and Bright was younger.
As for me, I was confident that being older and wiser would make me an even better mum.
I felt fantastic right up until the birth in August 2024, which I insisted wouldn’t be a caesarean.
The girls were born five minutes apart, weighing 5lb each.
We named them Khorus and Knowyn and, holding them for the first time, I was overcome with love.
That feeling only grew as the weeks passed and our girls grew.
I was changing nappies and doing the night feeds without blinking, as the baby days all came flooding back to me.
In the months since, I’ve often been mistaken for their grandma, but I’m never offended.
These babies have brought our family closer than ever and reminded us that miracles can happen, even when they seem impossible.
To those who dream of motherhood later in life, don’t lose hope.
My journey took me across continents, but it’s led me to this beautiful moment. Now, both my hands and my heart are full.”
Angela’s daughter Deina, 28, says: “I had initial fears that Bright was a scammer, then I got the shocking news that they’d got married and wanted me to be their surrogate.
“So, hearing Mum was having IVF in Nigeria instead was a relief!
“I was worried about her being pregnant at 56, but she flew through it and put my mind at rest.
“She’s so incredible with the girls, it’s a wonder to see.
“Mum has proved that age isn’t a barrier to following your dreams.”
