- A U.S. couple divorced after 57 years together to shield the wife from $277,000 in medical debt, sparking outrage and emotional reactions online.
- By ending the marriage, the wife would no longer be legally responsible for the debt if her husband passes away.
An American couple has reportedly divorced after 57 years of marriage in a bid to protect the wife from overwhelming medical debt.
The story, shared on X by their niece, @luvhuss, revealed that the couple remains deeply in love but made the painful decision to legally separate due to the husband’s rising medical bills, which reportedly total $277,000.
By ending the marriage, the wife would no longer be legally responsible for the debt if her husband passes away. The arrangement also ensured that their family home remains solely in her name, safeguarding it from debt recovery.
The niece described the situation as heartbreaking, blaming the U.S. healthcare system for forcing the couple to sacrifice their marriage for financial protection.
Sharing the story on X, @luvhuss wrote: “My aunt and uncle got divorced today. They are no longer married after 57 years. They’re still in love but divorce was necessary because of uncle’s medical bills. Now, when uncle passes, aunt won’t be saddled with $277,000 in debt. She’s free & the house is in her name. I’m so sad that decades of marriage comes to an end because of the American healthcare system.”
In other news… A Nigerian-born nurse, Chimzuruoke Okembunachi, has had her nursing licence revoked in Australia after a tribunal found she repeatedly fell asleep during night shifts at an aged care facility, putting elderly residents at risk.
The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled on January 20 that her actions in March 2024 amounted to professional misconduct, leading to the cancellation of her registration.
Okembunachi, 25, had been the only registered nurse on duty during several night shifts at Hardi Aged Care in Guildford, western Sydney, overseeing about 100 residents with the support of assistants-in-nursing.
The tribunal heard that on six nights she slept on duty, resulting in missed medication, including morphine on three occasions. In one instance, she allegedly instructed an unauthorised assistant to administer Panadol to a patient.
Although the tribunal acknowledged her remorse, it ruled that deregistration was necessary, stating her conduct had the potential to endanger patients’ lives. She is barred from applying for a review for at least nine months.
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