A woman who won $187 million after playing the lottery has explained why she decided to cut off her family in the wake of her lucrative winnings.
Many of us will spend a lot of our time dreaming about winning the lottery and how we would immediately buy multiple houses and jet off across the world.
But while we're daydreaming about living our best lives, it's hard to think about the difficulties that a sudden influx of money can bring.
In August 2012, Gillian Bayford and her then-husband struck gold, winning the EuroMillions lottery and bagging the equivalent of $187.5 million.
Dream come true, right? Well, things soon started going wrong for Gillian.
She revealed to The Sun that she initially shared her fortune, giving approximately £20 million (about $25 million) to family members. Following this, she severed ties with her family and even missed her brother's wedding.
"They have lost touch with where they've come from," she said in an interview, expressing her disappointment with her family's behavior.
Gillian, living in Scotland, shared with the Mirror last month that she immediately started settling debts accumulated by her late father and brother due to failed business ventures.
Her financial support included purchasing an apartment in Scotland for her parents, who were previously living in a caravan.
Nine months into her newfound wealth, Gillian claimed she gave her brother £800,000 (approximately $1 million) to start a new business. However, their relationship took a turn for the worse.
Despite her efforts to provide financial assistance, Gillian disclosed to The Sun that her family relationships had significantly deteriorated and that she no longer communicates with her mother.
Gillian's mother, Brenda McCulloch, expressed sadness over the lack of contact with her daughter and grandchildren. She acknowledged her daughter's generosity but contested the £20 million sum, claiming it was a much lower amount.
"They're rubbing people's noses in it by flashing their cash, which I think is downright nasty," Gillian told The Sun, expressing her frustration with her family's behavior.
The fallout extended beyond blood relatives, as Gillian separated from her husband just 15 months after the lottery win. Adrian Bayford, her ex-husband, described winning the lottery as "stressful," citing the strain it put on their relationship.
Experts, such as Emily Irwin from Wells Fargo, advise lottery winners to consider seeking the help of family-dynamics coaches to navigate the complexities that arise from sudden wealth, per Business Insider.
Irwin emphasized that large sums of money can complicate family dynamics, leading to strained relationships.
So maybe our daydreams about winning the lottery aren't as accurate as reality would be...
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