A British man who auctioned off his entire life on eBay after he was left broken hearted has found new love and bought his own Caribbean island.
When Ian Usher’s wife Laura left him six years after they emigrated from Britain to Australia, he used the website to sell everything he owned. He used the proceeds to build a new life — and to fulfil a “bucket list” of 100 things he resolved to do before he died.
Since then the former jet-ski instructor (48), originally from near Darlington in County Durham, has run with bulls, dived with great white sharks, learned to fly, met Sir Richard Branson and joined the mile high club.
He has travelled to dozens of countries around the world, swum with a humpback whale and her calf, ridden a motorbike on a wall of death, and played a bit part in a Hollywood movie.
Almost four years on from his life-changing decision, Hollywood has come calling and Disney has snapped up the rights to his incredible story.
While it was not among his 100 goals, Mr Usher also managed to find love along the way, with a Canadian woman who helped him achieve his goal of going on a dog-sled ride in the wilderness.
He told the Sydney Morning Herald: “It has been the most incredible adventure - exactly what I was after. I’ve learnt that I am much happier and more fulfilled when sharing life’s adventure with a partner, and that I am very resilient and resourceful.
“It always amazes me when people know the story of the eBay life-seller. [They say], ‘that was you?’. Most people are very interested.”
Mr Usher became an internet sensation in Australia after he resolved to shed every part of his past life. He funded his adventures using £192,000 (€232,000) he raised after putting his three-bedroom house near Perth, Western Australia, and all its contents on sale.
Before his money ran out he bought an idyllic 2.2-acre island off the coast of Panama, believed to have cost around £30,000, where he is building himself a home.
PA