A 22-year-old influencer faced online fire after wedding her 60-year-old former philosophy teacher, prompting her to clap back at naysayers.
Minea Pagni, a medical student and social media star, laid bare her romance on Instagram, dubbing her partner “Massimo.” Detractors branded her a gold-digger, but she hit New York Post with a fierce rebuttal: “Reducing a woman’s choices to money is one of the oldest and most unfair stereotypes. I have my own goals, my own work, and my own independence. I married him for who he is — his mind, his values, and the way he loves.”
From Classroom Spark to Bookstore Reunion
They first crossed paths when Pagni was 17 and Massimo taught her philosophy. True sparks flew later—at 21, she bumped into him at a bookstore, confessed her long-held crush, and handed over her digits.
A year on, wedding bells rang. Pagni went public in November 2025 to challenge age-gap stigma: “Many years ago, in the school of my small hometown, something happened… I found myself fascinated by a teacher: a man whose age didn’t match the brilliance of his mind; curious, passionate, alive.”
After radio silence post-number slip, she chased his public talks “out of nostalgia, curiosity, or maybe hope.” Coffee led to commitment: “Today, a year later, we still look at each other with surprise – astonished by how deeply we connect, despite the age gap, despite our very different lives.”
Facing the 38-Year Divide
The couple’s chasm sparks unease. Instagram jabs flew: “he looks like he could be ur dad.” A teacher’s take: “My students will ALWAYS be children to me… HE should have an issue with it, unless there’s a part of him not fully developed.”
Pagni shrugs off hate: “I knew not everyone would understand, but I wasn’t fully prepared for how intense some reactions could be. Still, I’ve learned that criticism often says more about society’s fears than about our love.”
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