At nearly 60 years old, Lauren Cohen experienced the joy of motherhood once again when she welcomed twin boy and girl in 2006.
What should have been a purely joyful moment for the mother of two from Paramus, New Jersey, turned bittersweet due to an unexpected reaction from her eldest daughter.
Lauren first met Frank Garcia in 2002 during a dance class in New Jersey, two years after divorcing her previous husband.
Despite their 20-year age gap, they were instantly drawn to each other and quickly fell in love.
“I never imagined he would be interested in a woman so much older than him. He was an amazing dancer, so one night, I asked him to dance, and he said yes,” Lauren recalled.
In July 2002, the couple exchanged vows, and soon after, Lauren realized that Frank was eager to start a family.
They turned to in vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive, but several doctors refused to assist due to Lauren’s age.
In early 2004, a clinic in Virginia finally approved their request, but after four unsuccessful IVF attempts, they nearly gave up hope.
Eventually, a doctor in New Jersey agreed to help, and their perseverance paid off when Lauren became pregnant.
In December 2004, they celebrated the arrival of their first daughter, Raquel, conceived through IVF.
Less than a year later, Lauren received more surprising news—she was expecting twins.
On May 22, 2006, just before her 60th birthday, she gave birth to twins, Gregory and Giselle, conceived via IVF with donor eggs.
“I don’t feel like I’ve set any records. Other than dealing with arthritis, I’m in great shape,” she told PEOPLE.
According to the publication, Lauren, at 59, became the oldest woman in the U.S. to give birth to twins, matching a record set by an unnamed British woman in 1993.
Raising three young children, Lauren made it a priority to stay as healthy as possible so she could fulfill her dream of seeing them graduate from college.
To maintain her well-being, she practiced Pilates and yoga regularly and took nearly 100 supplements each week.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to live as long as I can,” she said. “My goal is to see them through college. I need to keep going for at least 17 more years—until I’m 81.”
Being an older mother came with its own set of challenges, including moments when her eldest daughter, Renee, mistakenly believed people saw Lauren as the children’s grandmother.
Despite the difficulties, Lauren and Frank cherish their family and remain grateful for their three children, even if it means spending less time with Renee and their granddaughter.
