Phillip Smith and his wife Hasina with baby Prince Phillip (Picture: Hasina Smith / SWNS)
A man has become a dad at 62-years-old, à la Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Mick Jagger.
He has no regrets about his decision, even though people often think he’s the granddad of his son.
Phillip Smith was apprehensive when he found out his wife Hasina, 41, was expecting a baby in May 2022.
The couple had been trying for five years, but had given up hope following a miscarriage at five months pregnant.
Phillip already has three grown up sons aged 38, 37 and 36, and people tried to warn him against becoming a dad again.
However, he and his wife are in love with their 11-month old.
Phillip, a contractor, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida said: ‘People say I’m old to have a baby.
‘People are shocked. I don’t shy away from it at all.’
Happy family (Picture: Hasina Smith / SWNS)
Baby Prince (Picture: Hasina Smith / SWNS)
Hasina, a hairdresser, said: ‘People felt like why would he be starting over – and said “shouldn’t you be getting ready to retire?”‘
Hasina and Phillip met properly after he reached out to her on Facebook. They hit it off and began dating in the spring of 2016.
Hasina said: ‘I used to work at a hair salon. He used to come and talk to the barbers around football season.
‘I remembered his name and face. He reached out ten years later.’
Although Hasina wasn’t expecting to be with someone 20 years her senior, she and her family were never bothered by the age gap – Hasina knew she wanted someone older and more mature than she.
Another surprise came when the couple found out they were three months pregnant last year, following a miscarriage.
She said: ‘We ended up pregnant with Prince. We were both surprised.
‘I was in shock. I thought I was going into early menopause.’
People think he’s the granddad to Prince (Picture: Hasina Smith / SWNS)
Phillip has no regrets (Picture: Hasina Smith / SWNS)
Phillip was worried about how he’d financially support the new family member, and was uncertain at first about the pregnancy.
Hasina had to have an operation at 18 weeks pregnant to stitch up her cervix as it started to open up – and was put on bed rest for the remainder of her pregnancy.
Hasina also struggled with hyperemesis gravidarum – an extreme morning sickness – but managed to hold Prince in 34 weeks.
When he was born, Phillip said: ‘I was a nervous wreck. I held him for the first time – and thought “I have got a son”. He has so many of my features.’
Phillip says being a dad this time round feels ‘different’.
He said: ‘Now at my age I know how important time is and to give more of yourself.
‘Before it was all work, work, work. Now it’s work a little, support a lot.
Phillip Smith and his wife Hasina (Picture: Hasina Smith / SWNS)
‘I can give the best I have left of me – give him all of me. One day I’ll be gone, and I hope he’ll know his daddy and what he stood for.’
Hasina and Phillip have had conversations about Phillip not being around for all of Prince’s life.
Hasina said: ‘I don’t think for me it’s a problem.
‘The time that he has with him – we’ll make sure our son is a great person.
‘We’re older parents – he’ll gain a lot of wisdom.’
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‘People are shocked. I don’t shy away from it at all.’