Buzz Aldrin, the second person to set foot on the moon, got married to his girlfriend of four years, Dr. Anca Faur, on Jan. 20, 2023, his 93rd birthday. Faur was born on May 14, 1959, making her almost 30 years younger than her newly-wed husband. This is Aldrin’s fourth wife. Faur holds a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and is the former vice president of Buzz Aldrin Ventures. She has an estimated net worth of $2 million. In contrast, Aldrin is estimated to have a net worth of $12 million as of January 2023.
Usually, for married couples that have a wide age gap, society has assumed that the younger one of the pair tends to get married for material gain which they obtain through divorce or through the testament of their elderly deceased spouse. This stereotype stems from the media with “gold digger experiments,” or movies based on sugar daddies, that lead us to assume that all marriages between wide age gap couples are like this.
Since Faur herself is reportedly a millionaire, it does not appear that she married Aldrin for wealth. However, little is known about her personal life. Most articles mention her marriage to Aldrin and her career, but nothing about previous marriages or her family life. It is alright if she is a private person; she has every right to keep personal information to herself. But it does lead to the question of if she has some hidden motive to this marriage.
Marriage is simply a legal binding between two people. A couple that is merely “dating” can do everything that a married couple can. The only difference is that the relationship is undocumented in a court of law, but this does not make it any less of a genuine, loving relationship.
If Aldrin with his wife signed a prenuptial agreement, then it can be assumed that Faur married him with genuine feelings. According to Forbes: “Prenups allow you to determine whether spousal support (alimony) will be due if the marriage ends and the amount and terms of those payments. And they can determine what kind of bequests you leave to each other in your wills.” Even if a prenup was signed, Aldrin could have also promised or shown Faur that she is under his testament, meaning when he passes, she will inherit a portion, or all, of his estate. Though this cannot be proven, it remains a possibility. We can all speculate, but no one knows what’s in their relationship other than Aldrin and Faur.
Skepticism of how genuine this love is between Faur and Aldrin is valid. But it does not amount to much. Even if most of society agrees that Faur married Aldrin for money, this did not stop them from getting married. Ultimately, the skepticism of others does not affect their relationship.
Love is not proven by signed papers in court. Even if they had not gotten married, their connection would not have been any less valid. Their long-lasting relationship could serve as a testament of Faur’s genuine love for Aldrin.
Marriage at 93 seems a little strange. Aldrin’s extremely old age will most likely make Faur a widow, which means she will inherit Aldrin’s assets and wealth. Aldrin is expected to have Faur in his will since he is claiming she is his “longtime love.”
Although marriages like that of Aldrin and Faur may seem suspicious, they may also be genuine. Everyone may have their own thoughts doubting the authenticity of this marriage and the love behind it, but no concrete claim can be made. In the end, it is Aldrin and Faur who decide what they want to do with their lives, and if both parties are happy and aware of what they got into when getting married, then it doesn’t matter what anyone says or thinks.