Man Deliberately Goes Missing for 10 Years to Escape Nagging Wife

A British man willingly left his home to live in the woods for 10 years after his wife’s nagging became unbearable.

Malcolm Applegate of Birmingham shared details of his life — both new and old — in a post for Emmaus Greenwich, and organization that aids the area’s homeless population.

The 62-year-old wrote he was a gardener for 25 years and enjoyed his work until he got married, then things “became increasingly unsettled.”

“The more work I took on, the angrier my wife got — she didn’t like me being out of the house for long periods of time,” Applegate admitted. “The controlling behaviour started to get out of hand and she demanded that I cut my hours.”

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He tried to smooth things over with his wife to no avail, so he decided to leave home without saying a word to anyone. He set out from Birmingham to London by bicycle but finished on foot after his bike was stolen. He made it to his newfound home after nearly three weeks.

For about five years, he camped in a wooded area and found work as a gardener at a community center for elderly people.

A friend then told him about Emmaus Greenwich and he applied to live at the facility which houses people “for as long as someone needs it,” its website states. Now, he lives at the shelter and works odd jobs for the charity, raising money for the homeless in his spare time.

“My day-to-day involves working in the shop or driving the vans; I’m not fussy what jobs are given to me as long as I’m working,” the man wrote.

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Applegate, who seems to enjoy his life now more than being at home with his bride, wrote a message to his shelter’s backers.

“I’d like the people who donate to Emmaus to know that I am grateful for being given a second chance at life,” he wrote. “I have a lovely room, I am able to work and I can still lead an active social life — I love it here — my life is officially back on track.”

After spending years in hiding, the man finally reached out to his sister to let her know he was alive and well.

“I think she assumed I was dead,” he wrote. “I wrote her a letter once I was settled in Greenwich and she phoned me up, in floods of tears. We now have a great relationship again.”

One person Applegate hasn’t contact is his wife.

Since his story has been published, his unnamed wife has not come forward to comment on her husband’s new life, Yahoo reports.