He’s not my sugar daddy!
Our new weekly showcase of the wonderful world that is Truly. This issue, Fabienne Laferriere reveals the candid truth behind her controversial relationship...
Denis Tetrault is a 71-year-old, now-retired businessman who spends his days playing the stock market. Fabienne Laferriere is a 25-year-old media personality and presenter.
Yet despite their 46-year age gap, the couple are utterly in love.
And they’re both insistent on one fact.
Their relationship isn’t about money.
Fabienne and Denis have experienced more than their fair share of stares and comments when out in public.
The common assumption is that Denis is Fabienne’s sugar daddy.
But glamorous Fabienne more than holds her own financially with her successful career in Montreal, Canada.
Fabienne fell in love with septuagenarian Denis after they met at a charity event. They hit it off, with Denis asking for her number.
Perhaps surprisingly, she handed it over, wanting to know more about the man with whom she so easily connected.
Now, after more than 18 months, the couple live together and, while they acknowledge their relationship won’t last for many years to come, they are happy to enjoy the moments they have together now. ‘Hopefully we will continue having the life that we have at the moment – a life filled with projects and surprises,’ says Fabienne. ‘Just full of happiness, like it is now.’ Both Denis and Fabienne have previously been in age-gap relationships. Fabienne’s previous partner was 10 years older than her, while Denis, after his marriage ended, has tended to date younger women. And despite the differences in their ages, Fabienne and Denis believe that they have much in common.
Fabienne says of her partner, ‘When I met Denis, my first impression was that he was different from the other guys. I could see he wasn’t young, but I didn’t think he was quite that old.
‘I felt as though I was with someone like me at the event where we met, a guy I would’ve dated who was my age.’
Telling her family about her partner’s age caused a few shock waves.
‘When it comes to my family, it’s obvious that when I told them I was going out with a 71-year-old man, they were surprised, which is completely normal!
‘But when I introduced Denis, they completely understood why we were together.
‘Now my family is really happy I’m with Denis and hope that it will last for a long time, because our relationship is so positive.
‘It’s good for me and it’s
The couple believe that they have much in common
good for him,’ says Fabienne. But while family and friends have accepted the pair, online comments can be more hurtful, with the most common assumption being that Fabienne is with Denis only for his money.
Fabienne says, ‘We have received nasty comments saying that I was taking advantage, I was a “gold digger”, that I didn’t love Denis, that Denis was an old man who was going to die soon, who should be put in a home.
‘People have often said that Denis is my sugar daddy, especially on social media since Denis and I talk about our relationship 100% openly.
‘People who say I’m with Denis just for his money, it doesn’t bother me, really, because I know that it’s not true.’
Denis says, ‘I saw this happiness appear in my life and I decided to go with it rather than let it pass me by.
‘I was married for 26, 27 years. I have two kids who are now aged 45 and 42. ‘For the past 22 years, I’ve always been with girls or women younger than me. The relationship with the smallest age difference was 13 years. ‘Everything that Fabienne buys or does for herself, she does it with her own money that she earns. ‘We know the reality of the situation and what’s important is that we, as a couple, are aware of it.’
For now, the couple are brushing off any negativity and focusing on the happiness that their relationship brings them.
Fabienne says, ‘We’ve really created a life that’s ours and it’s a life I wouldn’t change for anything in the world.’