Trajan
Veteran
Husband who used his wealth to provide life-saving care when his wife developed cancer goes on to give away his entire £16 MILLION ($26m) estate... so now she's left him
A multi-millionaire who gave away £16million to help cancer patients after his wife survived the disease has ended up losing his home, possessions and even his spouse.
Brian Burnie, who owns a recruitment business, paid for his wife Shirley's treatment when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and became so inspired he devoted his life to helping other sufferers.
But after selling the family home, cars and possessions, the couple have divorced as Mrs Burnie reveals she could no longer put up with her husband's generosity.
Speaking for the first time since their 2012 split, Mrs Burnie told the Sunday Mirror: 'I didn't want to give everything away.
'I wanted security for us and our family.'
While her husband had always been generous - he asked guests at their wedding to donate to a leukemia charity rather than give them presents - his urge to give back became overwhelming when Mrs Burnie was given the all-clear.
After selling their 10-acre estate, the couple moved into a rented house opposite a council estate in Morpeth, Northumberland in 2010.
Mr Burnie, who has owned petro-chemical and recruitment businesses, traded in his luxury car for a Ford Fiesta, and revelled in the idyllic notion of a simple life.
At the time his wife fondly described his 'madness', but his unrelenting devotion to the charity began to drive a wedge between them.
But when Mrs Burnie learned he had bought a house without telling her, she assumed her 70-year-old husband was preparing for divorce.
However when she learned the property had in fact been bought for Mr Burnie's charity - Daft As A Brush - she was pushed to confront the issue.
'I didn't intend to have to beat cancer and then spend the rest of my life living in a house like this and doing everything for everyone else.
'I'm sick of bloody charity and the hard work - we all are.'
'I felt he had put me in a position where we had to end the marriage.'
While Mr Burnie regrets buying the house, he would make no changes to the way he gives so generously.
Living alone in a flat above his charity, he said: 'We acquired the life-style, we lived very well, but nothing gave me as much pleasure as giving it all away.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-help-patients-left-fed-up.html#ixzz3DxX5CMRy
I mean he did stick with her through her cancer...but does that mean she should be eternally grateful?
Was he being unreasonable by selling everything and moving into a small flat? Nikka gave away $26m...
A multi-millionaire who gave away £16million to help cancer patients after his wife survived the disease has ended up losing his home, possessions and even his spouse.
Brian Burnie, who owns a recruitment business, paid for his wife Shirley's treatment when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and became so inspired he devoted his life to helping other sufferers.
But after selling the family home, cars and possessions, the couple have divorced as Mrs Burnie reveals she could no longer put up with her husband's generosity.
Speaking for the first time since their 2012 split, Mrs Burnie told the Sunday Mirror: 'I didn't want to give everything away.
'I wanted security for us and our family.'
While her husband had always been generous - he asked guests at their wedding to donate to a leukemia charity rather than give them presents - his urge to give back became overwhelming when Mrs Burnie was given the all-clear.
After selling their 10-acre estate, the couple moved into a rented house opposite a council estate in Morpeth, Northumberland in 2010.
Mr Burnie, who has owned petro-chemical and recruitment businesses, traded in his luxury car for a Ford Fiesta, and revelled in the idyllic notion of a simple life.
At the time his wife fondly described his 'madness', but his unrelenting devotion to the charity began to drive a wedge between them.
But when Mrs Burnie learned he had bought a house without telling her, she assumed her 70-year-old husband was preparing for divorce.
However when she learned the property had in fact been bought for Mr Burnie's charity - Daft As A Brush - she was pushed to confront the issue.
'I didn't intend to have to beat cancer and then spend the rest of my life living in a house like this and doing everything for everyone else.
'I'm sick of bloody charity and the hard work - we all are.'
'I felt he had put me in a position where we had to end the marriage.'
While Mr Burnie regrets buying the house, he would make no changes to the way he gives so generously.
Living alone in a flat above his charity, he said: 'We acquired the life-style, we lived very well, but nothing gave me as much pleasure as giving it all away.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-help-patients-left-fed-up.html#ixzz3DxX5CMRy
I mean he did stick with her through her cancer...but does that mean she should be eternally grateful?
Was he being unreasonable by selling everything and moving into a small flat? Nikka gave away $26m...
for a few seconds. This is them imagining a life without constant obligations and compromises. After a few seconds of this, they'll compose themselves and look back at you and say, "Well... 
marriage is a lot of work."
