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People Reveal 45 Of Their Most Uncomfortable Family Secrets In This Online Group
Every family has some secrets. Sometimes the adults wanting to protect young children don’t tell them everything that is going on and when the children grow up, they are in a little bit of a shock to realize that they didn’t know some of the important things about their families. But some of the things can get really dark and could be a little bit too much for a child to handle.
Reddit user Flash_Dimension asked other users "Once you were old enough, what were the dark family secrets you were finally let in on?" And people really didn‘t hold back spilling all the beans. Some of the stories are darker than others. Bored Panda compiled a list of the most interesting and surprising family secrets that people have shared.
More info: Reddit
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#1
My father was a dentist as was his step father. They shared an office until my grandfather died when I was 5. Dad practiced in the front office while the older back office was kept in pristine shape but unused as far as I could tell. I thought it was out of some kind of respect for his step mother who continued to live above it.
Many years later I was comparing old dental instruments scavenged from his office with my younger brother. I showed him a giant curved forcep wondering what the hell he used that for. “Oh, didn’t you know he used to do abortions in the rear office”?
I didn’t but a lot of pieces finally fell into place; the late nights at the office, the cash and often bartered items that patients often paid with.
I was too innocent I suppose as I left for college to be let in on his secret but my younger stay at home brother was not.
Shock was quickly overcome with pride and joy. There’s nothing good about illegal abortions except when they are desperately desired by the people with the most need and the least means. My father had a reputation for kindness and flexibility in billing. If you needed work done, it would get done and best of all done well by all accounts, “see this temporary bridge, Doc put that in 15 years ago and I ever had to go back”. He was an unhappy dentist with a surgeon’s hands but surgery was not an option for Black men in the 40s. I imagine that he provided high quality health services to hundreds of women who otherwise might have ended up in the ER or worse.
(Anti-abortionists, please hold your fire, it’s just a memory and reflection)
#2
Not very much a secret, but took me until I was older to understand what was happening.
My mom would sometimes have us play a game called “army” which consisted of me, my mom, and my siblings army crawling around our apartment. Kind of a hide n seek style game. She would yell “hit the deck!” randomly and we would all drop and find a hiding spot. We would giggle and giggle while my mom army crawled around looking for us. We loved the game so much.
I realized a few years ago while retelling the story that we lived in a really terrible neighborhood, and she would yell it out when she heard gunshots outside the building. I’m assuming she was worried about stray bullets.
Edit: I shared everyone’s amazing comments with my mom, and she shed a tear. She feels very appreciated on international woman’s day today!
#3
Gramma didn’t decide to move in with us because she loved us so much and wanted to spend more time with us. Gramma moved in because her son was a meth addict and convinced her to put his name on the house, take all the money out of it “for renovations,” and leave her homeless. She had a heart attack the night she found out and now has to live with a pacemaker. F*** you Uncle Roy.
#4
My cousins lived with us for a while and we thought that was fun because it's like a sleep over every day. One time our mom even took us out of school to pick them up.
I learned later that it was because child protective services took my cousins away from their mom because of mental health issues. My mom offered to take her sister's kids until she got her mental health back in order.
My cousins live with their mom now and their mom is in a much better condition mentally.
ProfessionalTimeWaster 3 years ago
This is not dark, this is heartwarming! So nice of the mom to step up and take responsibility of her nieces/nephews.
#5
My dad used to send me birthday cards every year when I was a young girl (my mother left my dad while pregnant with me for good reason), even though I never got to meet him when I was young I was glad to still receive a card from him with a few bucks acknowledging I was alive and that he did one day want to see me.
Around 14-15 I learned that my mother had written every single one of those letters and my grandfather would mail it to ourselves to make it seem legit. I never ever actually received any letter from him.
Edit: I didn’t expect this comment to blow up as I slept but I wanted to answer a few questions that I got!
My dad was a pretty terrible guy. Without airing all my family’s dirty laundry, he was a sexual abuser. I did eventually meet him two times: once at my aunt’s funeral at 17 where he wrote me a long letter about how he wished he was better, and once when I was 19 when he tried to establish a relationship. He gave me terrible vibes and I never answered his attempts to reach out after that, and I’m happier this way.
My mom raised 2 kids by herself. Unfortunately my family has its issues. My family suffers from alcoholism and my mother has deep mental health issues. Growing up with her wasn’t always easy and still isn’t now — some days she is lucid and a wonderful mother. Other days she’s violent and unstable. But I know deep down inside her where she is well and unafflicted by her illness she is an incredible mother and kind. I just have to accept that she is unwell and try to remember good times. My family and I are estranged these days but it makes me want to work harder to be a stable and loving mother if I do become one someday. At the end of everything I do still love my mom and am thankful she shielded me from him.
Thank you guys. I’m so sorry to read your stories of similar things happening to you. My inbox is always open if anyone ever needs to talk/vent. Be well everyone.
#6
Mine is more cool that horrifying on the sense I’m proud of this one.
My grandfather was an amazing guy. He was a sniper-paratrooper in WW2. Always refused to talk about the army. I learned later that he was dishonorably discharged after injury. Turns out the Sargent in his squad was an absolute bastard. He had to go behind enemy lines to set a post up, and the plane was flying too low for a safe jump. He protested it to the Sargent who proceeded to shove him out of the plane after calling him a coward. Both my grandfather and his spotter partner were seriously injured in the landing. His partner (never knew him) was paralyzed and lost a leg. My grandfather broke both of his, his arm, hand, and some ribs.
They both were rescued shortly after and taken to a military hospital. That’s not what got him discharged, though. Turns out the Sargent showed up to visit them in the infirmary, and my grandfather punched him square in the face with his only good hand, twice. If his only army buddy we ever knew is to be believed, (he was also visiting at the time) he floored the bastard. After that, and on top of his injuries, the army sent him home for the rest of the war.
We found out later after he passed and we had to go through his stuff a bunch of newspaper and article clippings about the folks involved he had kept. the Sargent was also discharged after a similar incident cost the lives of two other members of his squad a year later that weren’t so lucky. The man apparently drunk himself to death years later. We found all these written but unsent letters to his Sargent, we found photos of my grandfathers squad and the two that died with him. It was heartbreaking. I never knew any of this. He was such a fun, kind, and goofy guy you’d never think anything like this would happen to him. Now I knew why my parents always said never to bring my up the army around him. Miss you grandpa, I’d have punched the bastard too
#7
i didnt have an imaginary friend who moved, I had a twin brother who died from a bee allergy when i was too young to remember much
#8
Grandma’s top secret pie crust was actually just Marie Calender’s from the grocery store, set in a fancier dish. She messed with her daughters-in-law for years over it.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Reminds me of an episode of Friends where Phoebe and Monica try recreating Phoebes grandmas biscuit recipe but it turns out they were boxed biscuits you could get from the shops.
#9
My grandmother’s first husband was extremely abusive, but this was the 60s and he hid it well. She couldn’t file for divorce without proof of injury, so she beat herself in the face with a slipper to get away. She was 21 or 22 or so- with 3 young children. I’m 23 right now and I could never imagine. She was such a strong lady, I miss her!
Aria Dayan 3 years ago
How would the slipper help? I mean I'm super glad she got away I'm just kinda confused.
#10
My cousins used to stay with us a lot, I remember my male cousin was a just a small baby when he first came to us. He would scream and scream and scream all night, and mum put him in my room so I used to spend the night cuddling him or playing peekaboo. My other cousin was my age (5) at the time. I found out later, my auntie was a heroin addict and a sex worker. My cousins were the result of clients and my male cousin was actually born whilst my auntie was heavily using and he was going through withdrawal after his birth. My grandparents ended up flying in from Wales and taking custody of them as well as putting my auntie on a plane and leaving with all of them. It was one of the saddest days of my life that I never understood... I thought they were going to be my brother and sister and wasn’t sure why all of a sudden they were taken from me.
Edit: Wow, thank you so much for the awards! I’ve just woken up and have loads to read through. For those asking, my Auntie made it out of that life. She prefers to be alone and doesn’t have anything really to do with the family. She still lives in the same village as my grandparents. Them being taken was always something that upset me so much, but was swept under the rug so much I thought I was being dramatic. Seeing all your comments is so validating and I thank you for that.
#11
I'm still at least one families secret! I'm adopted and found my Biological Father, he begged me not to reach out to any of my half siblings as it would "ruin his life and standing in the community". The sad thing is I'm not even his first secret child, I have an older half sister that he also begged not to reach out to family. So that's two kids he's had because he cheated on his wife. I can only imagine how often he cheats to have at least two women end up pregnant...My half sister and I call 23andMe (how we met) "23andMark" because who knows how many more kids he might have out there. Pretty sure he's been terrified since at home DNA kits became a thing.
Edit: A word.
Second Edit and Additional info: First, I can finally say it, RIP my inbox! I tried to answer as many of you as I could but I thought I'd clear up some of the most repeated questions here:
Why don't I tell his wife? I don't need to, she already knew about my Half Sister and now me because she answered his phone when I first called asking questions and promptly told me to leave her family the Hell alone.
Screw him asking me to stay quiet, why don't I blow up his life/reach out to my Half-Siblings? It is largely because of my Half Siblings that I haven't done anything. I did not sign up to be a wrecking ball or to destroy a family. Imagine finding out everything you knew about your Dad was a lie in the worst way possible. I know I'd be devastated. I may not have met them but they are my Half Siblings. They are just as innocent in this as I am, I don't want to be the one to hurt them like that. I really hope that he will realize he can't keep a secret like this forever and come clean himself.
Why not mail his kids DNA kits anonymously? Realistically it's only a matter of time before one of them gets curious and does it on their own or gets gifted one from an unwitting family member/friend.
Why don't I blackmail/extort the bastard? he's a terrible person, he should pay! It's pretty simple, that's just not the kind of person I am. I don't want his money, I never have. I go to bed every night with a clear conscience which is more than I can say for him and that's worth more than anything money could buy in my opinion. I have a roof over my head, a Husband who loves me, a beautiful Daughter, a great Dad and two new Half Siblings I adore. From my perspective I'm already rich.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Not just that but blackmail/extortion is illegal. Not worth getting into trouble with the law for that sperm donor.
#12
My father met my mother in the Philippines when he was stationed there in the Navy. He married her there and conceived me. He went away to finish his tour of duty.
My mother moved to America when she was a month away from giving birth to me. She moved in with relatives in Texas. My father's tour ended while he was in Hawaii. He met a woman there and called my mom in America, asking for a divorce. He wanted to take back his recent marriage to her - with a kid on the way - because he had a hot one-night stand.
My mother was already scared, being in a new country, not knowing much English. Add to this that she was pregnant, about to give birth, and her husband was dumping her.
My Texan uncle got on a plane to Hawaii, prepared to kick my father's ass. He somehow talked my father into being a man and taking responsibility for his wife and child. The fact that the fling dumped his ass surely helped. He was back by the time I was born.
I learned all this when I was eleven, around the time my parents got divorced. It was only the first of countless "dark family secrets" I would come to learn during my teenage years.
#13
My grandma retired and she still decided to work for her brother in his restaurant to save up money for when she dies. Funerals are, obviously, expensive. She insisted he would hold on to her paychecks and pay for her funeral when she dies. He never did.
#14
Grandma had 13 siblings, of those 7 women are still alive. Once a year they have a “sister day” where they all except one are going somewhere to have fun. They’ve been doing this since they were teens. All but one sister, who has been lied to her whole life about sister day, because she thinks it doesn’t exist. This is supposed to have been started when that one sister borrowed something and didn’t give it back. Or something trivial like that.
We are all reminded whenever we ALL get together (pre pandemic) that we’re not to talk about this, because it will hurt that sister. Still can’t wrap my head around how backstabbing b****y some family members of mine are. Because this is just stupid.
#15
That my cousin was actually my half-brother. Mom got pregnant in college and my aunt and uncle adopted him. And, that my dad wasn't my biological father. Mom and dad got divorced, she got pregnant by another man, and my dad wasn't able to have kids of his own so they got remarried and he raised me as his own.
#16
When my mother died I found out she had had multiple female partners before my father. I only discovered this when two of her ex's showed up to her funeral... Both of them were absolutely lovely. They told my sister and I a lot about our mom in her younger years. My mom shared so little of her past with us while she was alive, it was nice hearing about it, but also made us feel like we never really knew her at all...
If you're a parent, don't let your kids discover your secrets after you are gone. I wish I could have learned about my mother's interesting and exciting life from her. Instead, I only got to see a glimmer of who she really was. I hope others let their family see the whole picture.
Sharon Ingram 3 years ago
She didn’t know you would find it “interesting and exciting.” It was her experience and in that time she knew how it would be received.
#17
Got a Facebook message from one guy asking if I was related to [my dad], since it's not a common last name. I thought he was a fan of his work, because I was in college at the time and the guy was about the same age as me.
And that's how I found out my dad slept around and that I had a half-brother the same age as me.
Sharon Ingram 3 years ago
I hope you and your half-brother got along and enjoyed a relationship. Not his fault your dad was a d**k.
#18
My step grandfather has always been an alcoholic. As a child he even taught me how to mix his favourite drink. As kid at like 6 years old I would mix his drink as he liked and bring it in to him in the living room. (Don’t ask what the drink was a mix off cause I literally can’t remember) and my grandpa always acted “funny”. I always liked spending time with him cause I found him funny. So I never saw the bad side of his alcoholism and he never made me drink or anything so overall he didn’t have any negative impact on me at all, but before I was born he could get so drunk he threatened to kill my grandma and when he got in a car accident and came home he was bleeding badly from his head and he started saying my granny shot him. He even threw out some of the wedding pictures my parents had. I never knew how horrible he was. Maybe cause he liked kids or something. He would make me cocoa and watch Garfield with me when I was a kid, he was never a bad influence in my life. So it was so weird to me when I found out these things about him.
Before he died tho, he really regretted drinking, and he completely stopped. He became really depressed too until his granddaughter (biological) was born. He was so happy about his granddaughter. He died regretting everything and a sober man who was happy to have been able to meet his one and only biological granddaughter.
Regardless of everything he really changed in the end and everyone was really upset he died.
#19
My aunt started the communist party in her country. It got quite large, her children fled the country, and I still don't know what happened to her.
EDIT: there's a reason I didn't list the country.
General kenobi 3 years ago
That’s either awesome or sad depending on which way you look at it.
#20
My parents were going to abort me, but his friend stopped him. My dad named me after his friend. My dad and I have a great relationship now though lol.
#21
When I was young I thought it was really nice that my nanna lived with my aunt and her family since she was getting on a bit and it meant she was looked after and there were always people around (aunt has 6 kids). Occasionally aunt would gripe about being the one looking after nanna since aunt is also one of many kids and being young I sympathised but given they all spent loads of time with nanna too didn't think it was a big deal (you don't think about financial responsibility when you're young I think, just social and caring).
Well it turns out the reason nanna lives with aunt is because aunt and her husband convinced nanna to put the house in their name so they could "look after her affairs" and sold it out from under her and invested the money in a pyramid scheme (so it's gone now). Because of this her siblings refuse to give aunt a penny towards looking after nanna since it's her fault nanna has no money or assets and instead pay to take nanna out all the time, meals, shopping, activities so she doesn't go without but they let aunt struggle under the weight of nanna's general living expenses. (Aunts kids are all independent now so they are not going to be impacted by money problems.)
Now I look back at her griping with annoyance and think what a terrible person she is.
#22
My mother died after a few months of giving birth to me. Whenever i asked how she died the answer was that she passed away in her sleep and no one knew why. I just learnt a few years ago that she had Cancer and was pregnant with me. Giving birth to me severally weakened her and eventually led to her death. I don't think I'll be able to ever forgive myself because from what I've heard from everyone, she was a damn good woman.
#23
My father got my mother pregnant when he was her teacher in high school. He was thirty and married. She was fifteen and his student. They ran off together, he got a divorce, and they got married in a state that allowed marriage at 16, two months before my older brother was born.
#24
Double whammy I suppose. Didn't look like my parents or siblings so I thought I was adopted. Ask, mom brushes it off. Dad does too. Dig, find some info, prepare my "case". Around the same time I almost get abducted, super scary, mom was mortified. After, I was sat down and told I have a different father who I look like and he had just tried to abduct me. So not adopted but man who I thought was my dad wasn't. Good times.
#25
My dad is in a cult. Wasn't much of a secret, but as a kid you just kinda assume everything your parents do is the norm.
#26
My grandma actually legally disowned my mother for marrying my dad. The family house was supposed to go to my mom, but after the disowning, Grandma didn't say who she wanted house to go to, resulting in a decades long family feud that has split the family even to this day. Sad thing is, my parents actually ended up divorced after 20 years of marriage. Mom took care of my grandma til the end and was the one who handled the funeral arrangements when my grandma passed two years ago. She never asked for the house back. It's worth millions. Nobody told me any of this until I was thirty.
#27
Not so much let in on, as we found out by accident, but apparently my dad’s first love and him got into a serious car crash when he was 25 and she died. He lived with her father for years after her death. He still occasionally comes to visit my dad, even 30 years later. We were always told he was a mentor until my sister pressed my mom on the subject.
One of my sister’s is even named after the girl that died (middle name) and we never even knew about her until last year. None of us have ever brought it up with him.
#28
My grandmother ran off and had an affair, got pregnant, came back to my grandfather & they raised the baby girl together. My father and his siblings didn’t find out until they were older. I’m not sure if my aunt new the truth before she passed away. It’s also rumoured that there’s another half sibling somewhere out there so grandad seemed to be having an affair as well. Just affairs all round back in the day!
#29
When my grandfather died, he wrote his will on his death bed. He left his entire estate to my family, which was enormous.
His wife however, who despised us, in the biggest f*** you move I've ever seen, wrote a directly conflicting will, leaving the estate to her family, none of whom I've ever met, and then killed herself.
It took around 5 years in legal hell to sort that out. We ended up winning the case in the end, but it cost so much that we couldn't afford to keep his $3M house anymore.
#30
My mum got pregnant at 18 and I have an older sister who was adopted.
Let me clarify: My mum was a boomer, and in those days, getting pregnant at 18 to someone you had no intention of marrying was Just Not Done.
There's no nice way to word this, but a common way of "dealing" with it (I did say there was no nice way to word it!) was that the young woman would have the baby and the baby would be signed over to their adopted parents within a few days.
I would say the young mums were pushed into this, but that implies that society gave them a choice. The impression I got (though I never dug into it in much detail) is that simply wasn't the case. "Mum, I'm pregnant" would be met with "How far along are you? Okay, pack your bags, you're going to live with Auntie Ruth for 9 months and the baby will be adopted once you've had it. There's a taxi waiting outside and your train leaves in 15 minutes. I've already called Ruth; she'll meet you at the station. See you in September. Oh, and there's some turkey left over in the fridge - make yourself a sandwich to take on the train"
#31
My grandfather got out of serving in Vietnam by robbing pharmacy’s and going to jail for years.
Shelley DuVal 3 years ago
Whatever works to get out of a war that should never have happened in the first place.
#32
Grand uncle Harry has had 9 wives, over 30 children, and over 100 girlfriends. He's currently 70 living in a campervan in California while e-dating his 21 year old girlfriend from Florida.
His children range from 15 to 40 years old. He also groped my mom at her 18th birthday after he disappeared for over a year without contact.
This all stems from when my great grandmother took him to a cult after discovering a gram of weed in his dresser. She didn't know it was a cult of course but still. Imagine Mormons mixed with heavens gate. Crazy s***. He then started an air conditioning business and made millions but has since gone bankrupt and lost his two mansions after he didn't live in them for multiple years.
edit: forgot to mention, he was kicked out of the cult after a few years for repeatedly trying to hook up with girls even though it broke their "no sex before marriage" rule
edit2: iirc there was at one point a support facebook group for his children and former spouses, I dunno if it's still active
#33
That schizophrenia ran in my mom’s side of the family. I developed it a year after she told me about it at 25. She didn’t refer to it as schizophrenia, but as the “(her maiden name) Madness”. She said that every once in a while someone in our family would go mad and that that’s what they would call it. I guess her side of the family also had ties to organized crime and at least one of them was a prostitute. My family never talked about issues or emotions at all so it was a shock. I assumed our ancestors were relatively normal, but I also thought my family was sane back then too.
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
I have a nephew with schizophrenia, which started becoming obvious when he was 16. It’s a heartbreaking thing!
#34
My grandfather's brother left the family business after a feud to sell tractor parts to Africa. When I was an adult, I was told these were semi-automatic "tractor parts".
Hugh Cookson 3 years ago
I worked as a private Chef for a very well known arms dealer many years ago - interesting times, especially when he was doing deals with opposing factions but would deliberately invite both / all parties to meet and discuss stuff on the yacht. All firearms were left securely on the dock, which meant that little old me, with my sharp knives and rolling pins was often the object of very close scrutiny until we got back to port ..... He was actually a nice chap and wouldn't sell to any conflict that was deliberately targetting civilians ...
#35
To put it shortly - my family tree, is more like a very long branch.
Yes we have the genetic defects to prove it.
#36
Not particularly dark, but I was about 45 when I found out my parents never got married. My mother just took my father’s surname and they carried on like normal. I’d always wondered why there were no wedding photos etc, but they were hippy types so I assumed they just didn’t have a traditional ceremony. Weirdest part was it just came out in a random conversation, and they were like “.oh, we thought you always knew!” Well no, you never mentioned it! All a bit odd, really.
#37
My dad’s sister had a secret daughter that would have been approximately his age. She was 16 years older than him, and the family didn’t tell him until he was in college. In their small town, there is a not-zero chance he could have/did date his niece.
Edit: for those asking, my dad was 3-4 when this happened. He remembers a lot of shouting at the time, but not the topic. Also, he is definitely NOT the baby in question
#38
I wasn't actually let in on it.
My mother apparently had a miscarriage between me and my older brother, I was supposed to have an older sister. (Or maybe I wouldn't be born if she was)
I simply overheard her crying about the experience over the phone to my aunt (mom's older sister) and it still bothers her after all these years.
They speak Hakka (non the main Chinese language Mandarin), which they have come to assume I don't understand but I do somewhat ¯_ (ツ) _/¯
#39
Quite literally a "dark family" secret. Being a white a** blond haired blue eyed little rat bastard at 6 and finding out my bio dad is black. Funny enough my best friend at the time was whiter than me with blond hair blue eyes also had a black bio dad. I guess our mums were just supper f****** white.
#40
My uncle wasn’t missing a ton of birthday parties, family reunions, holiday dinners, etc. when I was a kid because of his “really busy job,” but because he became a heroin addict after his wife took off with their daughter, my cousin who I’ve still never met.
#41
My father always tells me as a joke that it's my fault my mom and him are married ( I'm the second son). But through the years from drunk conversations and several sources I've pieced the story together, my parents separated before they knew my mother was pregnant and only came back together after I was born.
#42
My father cheated on my mum, with my sister and I's horse riding instructor. We'd always thought it ended amicably. We only found this out while mum was admitting to having contemplated driving off the road with us in the car as kids, as opposed to raising us as a single mum with no career or stable job.
#43
Just discovered recently my grandma had a 5th child. Put him up for adoption. Idk the whole story as my grandma has passed on.
#44
My aunt steals desserts from buffets.
#45
Turns out the reason my mom's parents divorced wasn't because they "fell out of love" but because he had an affair with another married woman from church. The families had known each other for years and my mom was good friends with the other woman's kids. They ended up getting married less than a year after their respective divorces (they each had three kids). It was especially sad because my step grandmother's (the Other Woman) children suffered pretty badly because neither she nor her ex husband were functional adults. Their kids grew up fast and the oldest daughter basically became a mom and maid at the ripe old age of 12 since dad refused to step up.
My bio grandmother, bless her, didn't tell a soul about this. When I told her I knew, she sort of smiled and nodded like it was a relief that someone else knew beside her. I can't imagine keeping a secret like that for so long and not being able to tell your kids that it really wasn't your fault that you divorced and upended their lives.
So yeah, learned that little gem while helping with my step grandmother's hospice care this past fall. She was always a chatty person but end of life drugs really amped it up. It was pretty shocking because my grandfather is a pretty laid back, kind, straight laced church person and you never suspect him of cheating. The worst part is that in my shock and confusion, I told my mother about it and it was pretty obvious she had no clue prior to my telling her. I really wish I could take that back.
Edit: She wasn't literally a mom at 12, her dad just refused to learn how to cook or clean so naturally that fell to the other females in the house, his daughters.
And yes, step grandmother was the Other Woman. We had a great relationship, but that would have been different if I'd known what I know now. Kinda sucks when s*** like this comes up and changes how you see people. I still love her and my grandfather, but damn, they caused so much suffering for their kids for the sake of being together and love.
What do you think ?
Rae Reyn 3 years ago
My mother was arrested and spent time in federal prison for sneaking people into Canada to avoid the draft. Twice. She ended up on several watch lists.
Sky Render 3 years ago
I learned about 6 years ago that my parents got married due to my father getting my mother pregnant and her parents forcing her to get an abortion. Apparently it was the first legal abortion in my state, no less. My grandma on my mom's side tried to have mom committed after the two of them ran off to Las Vegas to try (unsuccessfully) to get married, and apparently my mom's dad had to convince grandma to allow the actual wedding instead once my parents got back. Given how horrible my dad ended up being, I'm sorry to say that grandma was probably right to try to keep them apart... At least neither I nor my two brothers inherited any of his mental illnesses!
Xander Wloch 3 years ago
I’m adopted and for most of my life I thought my bio mom only had me but then last year I randomly get a text from someone saying they knew my bio mom. And after asking that person a couple questions like when he was born. Because my bio mom died in 2005 from a heroin overdose (I was told she just “got sick” until I was 17) and this person was born in 2003 and after questioning my adopted parents, they told me that this person was my half brother. We have the same mom but not the same dad. My bio mom had another kid a few years after she had me (1999) but decided to keep him and try and raise him because she thought she was ready but her drug addiction came back (she was smart enough to stay sober while pregnant both times) my half brother (who I just call my brother) was taken away and given to my bio grandma and then later was adopted by my bio aunt and uncle. But they never told me this. Turns out the bio cousin I met when I was 8 was him but again, was never told that.
Jennie-Lind Normand 3 years ago
My dad was lied to his entire life about who his father was. Up until he joined the military he thought my grandfather was his biological father, nope, grandma had been married previously and that was my dads 'dad' and he just buggered off after getting her pregnant. Story over right? Wrong! Years and YEARS later we find out grandmas first husband wasn't my dads bio dad and it was another dude who had lived in the same town as most of us and had just died. We're not even sure if he knew he had a son, he had three daughters, one of who I went to school with never knowing she was my aunt! It's so messed up. I'm sure there are many MANY more secrets because damn my grandma never talked about anything!
Dodo 3 years ago
Great-grandmother gave my grandmother up for adoption. We always knew that part. When I researched my family tree I found out the rest: great-grandmother then had another kid, and drowned herself and the child.
Patti Vance 3 years ago
putting this out there hoping someone may have info to my family skeleton. grandmom born in boston. her mom died while she was very young so raised by her dad & older brother. when she was 16 she eloped with a boy named andrew newton (that name was what i have uncovered so far). when they returned home a few days later her dad made them get annulment but not bc she was too young; bc he wasn't portuguese. little did he know she was preggers w/my aunt. her dad never accepted my aunt & bc she now had a child married her off to older man in texas where my mom was born. grt grand dad adored my mom but still rejected my aunt which made my grandma resent my mom, spoil my aunt, & generally not be as generous emotionally w/my mom. both my mom & aunt confronted her once to find out info for aunt's dad but grandma only said she had promised her dad to never speak about it; she never did.
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
Let's see: Two close relatives, one did life for homicide, one is wanted for one and implicated in another, all unrelated homicides; one relative (same with 2 likely murder raps) also wanted for embezzling; addicts and abusers; and my dad's parents were 3d cousins, which is legal but still a bit creepy, IMO; drug dealers; medicare/social security fraudsters.... One person had sold their dead mom's house (my late dad's mother) without owning it ... Suffice to say, Deep/Dark/Ugly is sorta my whole paternal family, and I only keep enough track of them to know how to avoid them. Cowardly, but safer.
Jessica Bertram 3 years ago
not cowardly. smart. that's survival. hang in there.
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BananaAnna 3 years ago
Many years ago, while playing a truly stupid game, I told a secret that seemed meaningless to me. Apparently, that was no the case. Several people were upset that they did not learn the secret long before I blurted it out. I swore off repeating secrets. A secret can only be kept by two people if one of those two is legally, undeniably dead.
Eslamala 3 years ago
I'll never understand why some people assume they're going to inherit something after their parents die and have the audacity of throwing a tantrum when that doesn't happen. Also, kids getting in the middle of their parent's marital problems annoy the fùck out of me. You don't get to judge them as husband or wife (unless there's violence, of course). You just get to evaluate them as your parents. That's the role they play in your life. If they cheat on each other, it's their problem, not yours, and parents who poison their kids against the other parent, or drag their kids into their marital problems are mentally abusing their kids.
Pervinca 3 years ago (edited)
I agree for the second part of your text. But for the first part, I imagine it is a cultural thing because in my family everyone expect to inherit from their parents. My parents would be angry if some of their siblings obtain more without the right motivation. And sure I would feel betrayed if my parents decided to disinherit me without the right motivations. It's not something I assume. I have grown knowing that, and I have the responsibility to grow my assets and to not waste what I will got, in order to pass them to my children ( if I will have children in the future) and to use it to help them. As I said, it's a cultural thing, where I live even if you aren't from a rich family it is generally assumed that your children will inherit something when you die.
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John Montgomery 3 years ago
I don't have anything that dark, but I do remember being told by my dad that one of the reasons he divorced my mom was that he didn't like always having to "finish her off with his finger". I was about 13 when he told me. I'm not sure there is a good age to find out such a petty reason, but at that age my dads sexual failings was the last thing I wanted to hear.
Laura Dawson 3 years ago
I’ve got some & I don’t mind sharing as I am estranged from my family. Father dated my grandmother first then ran off with her daughter (my mum) 20 year age gap between my parents & one of my Uncles robbed banks with some quite high profile names back in the day & died in prison. Found out what we thought was my Grandfathers much younger sister was actually my Dads much older sister. My Dads mum got pregnant at 16 & this was the 1930s so they invented a cover story.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
My Great Aunt Mabel ran whorehouse in Saginaw Michigan for years and years. She murdered two of her husbands and it is rumored that she murdered at least two of her "girls" for having affairs with the second dead husband. I know that she murdered two of her husbands because she told me about it. I was 14 at the time and she passed soon after that. I told my parents and my mom (this was her side of the family) was like, "Oh, we know."
KT 3 years ago
I was being driven out by my mom to looking for a wedding dress when she dropped a bomb on me. Told me the only reason my mom and dad were able to buy their new house was because a pedophile that was on the run gave my dad $70,000 to hold onto for him. They spent the entire thing on random crap and a down payment on their house. I was sickened and infuriated when she told me this. And why on earth would she tell me when taking me out wedding dress shopping. I was so happy and excited as the day started and absolutely disgusted and sad after her telling me. Turns out the pedophile had molested my moms 3 kids from her first marriage (before I was born from another guy)
Wonderful 3 years ago
Wow. Thats a very large drama bomb to hit someone with. Definitely should have picked a better day to drop it. She should have waited to drop it as a toast at her daughters wedding. That explosion would be felt across the world.
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Theory Buchannon 3 years ago
My mom used to joke around saying things like, "Your adopted", in the middle of the store just to see what others would do. She never in her life meant it in a rude way. But last year i figure out that my big sister, big brother, and i were actually adopted by my stepdad, YIKES
KombatBunni 3 years ago
Found out many years ago that my father’s parents were first cousins..explained a lot about him, and had an aunt who was a lesbian..didn’t shock me but wasn’t talked about in my family...
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
My dad's weere third cousins if you looked at it one way, second cousins if you looked at it another, and either way ------ yes, can explain a bit, can't it? You have my sympathy.
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Bex 3 years ago
There was always a family rumor that my Grandfather was the result of an affair his mother had. The rumor went that Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa were best friends with a minister and his wife. Their son was best friends with my Grandfather. Supposedly, on her death bed, my GGM confessed that she had an affair with the minister that resulted in my Grandfather and hat his best friend was actually his half brother. We never fully believed this bc the only one who heard this supposed confession was my Grandfather's sister (My Great Aunt) and she was a little loopy in the head. Then one day while I was doing family genealogy and research, I discover proof that this wasn't a rumor. Turns out my GGM did have an affair with her husband's best friend, (or her best friend's husband, however you want to look at it) (who was also a minister), and that's where my Grandfather came from. And that's the tame side of my family!
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
My dad's older brother is only his half-brother, but we're never supposed to talk about it. Naturally, we all knew before we were about 10 years old, LOL. My dad's mom was a bit wild in her teens.
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Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
My sister cheated on her husband ON THEIR HONEYMOON. A year later she discovers she's pregnant - and there are 3 possible fathers (my stepfather's best friend among them - ew), besides her husband. We used to be best friends and thick as thieves, but I started to notice just how much of a s**t she is. I take loyalty & fidelity pretty seriously and just couldn't overlook it anymore. We text occasionally, but I refuse to speak to her.
Jods 3 years ago
I’m so naive. As I was icing my parents 50th wedding anniversary cake I suddenly realised my sister’s date of birth didn’t quite add up. She couldn’t have been born that premature. So that meant only one thing - my mother was pregnant before marriage. That explains the wedding at the registrars and my maternal grandmother never liking my mum. Then in 2013 I find out that I have a 7 year old step sibling. Mum’s cut him out of her will, doesn’t let him use the joint account without her permission and has bought him a funeral so that we and my sister don’t get saddled with the cost. They’re still together though. I only live 3 doors away and can hear them arguing, well, her berating him!
Jackie Porter 3 years ago
My mum had a miscarriage between having my older sister and having me. Turned out the baby wasn't even my dad's. Mum had a revenge affair after catching my dad cheating and she ended up pregnant. Mum and dad stayed together and had me eventually but divorced in 1990 after mum said she couldn't take dad's cheating any longer. They'd been married 27 years by this point and it wasn't until mum had a breakdown and was diagnosed as bipolar that she decided she'd had enough.
Aurelia! 3 years ago
My grandpas' second wife overdosed on meds and died and he died shortly after and left the house to their son. Son couldn't cope, dropped out of law school, left to play video games for a living, and disappeared for 3 years. Then we found out the house had been foreclosed on and my mom and uncle went up to get all the stuff out of the house...it was all gone. Son had let his ex girlfriend and her (five!) kids stay in the house and she sold EVERYTHING and then left...
The_tattered_hippie 3 years ago (edited)
My great grandmother left her husband and 3 small children (oldest being about 7/8yo at the time) to run away with an African American man. This was in the 30’s, so not only was it morally wrong to leave her family, it was illegal. The saddest thing to me is that while she was gone, my grandmother (the 7/8yo) was pretty much raising her 2 younger sibling and was the only one home when her 4yo sister caught on fire and burned to death. My great grandmother came back years later with a daughter she had gotten pregnant with by other guy, not knowing what happened to her youngest daughter. My grandmother understandably had a horrible relationship with her after that. Daughter from affair hung around as a “friend who died, daughter” that was being raised with all the other kids, but I guess she drifted away over the years, cause no one talks about her. 30’s-40’s were probably not a good time to be an interracial family in Texas.if I knew her name I’d try to find her or her kin. 😕
deanna woods 3 years ago
I had always thought fondly of my grandfather on my dad's side. I had never met him because he died many years before I was born, but that admiration went away when I learned that he had raped my dad's older sister. My mom's sister didn't know until a few years ago that her father had molested my mom when she was a kid. My mom is fourteen years older than her sister. My dad didn't learn until a couple of years ago that he had other siblings on his dad's side. My grandfather was with a lot of women back in the day.
Parmeisan 3 years ago
I was told from a young age that we were not supposed to admit to being related to any other people in my city with the same last name. We never met them, but my dad was an only child to a single mother and we knew his father had other family who were out there somewhere and maybe sort of related but not really? So last year some things came to light. My grandma and grandpa on that side *were* married when my dad was born, but it didn't last long and my grandpa remarried. His new wife knew he had a son but for whatever reason they kept it a total secret from their kids. This family grew up having no idea they had a half-brother, and my dad had decided not to interfere in any of this. Until last year, when my grandpa's dementia got very very bad and the (now not so new) wife decided to tell the kids. In their early 60s, finding out they had a secret half-brother. They are now all happily getting to know each other via email and Zoom. :)
MrsWood 3 years ago
I knew for a long time that my dad was one of twins - he had a sister, how I was told had died soon after they were born. I also knew that his parents weren't married when he was conceived. What I didn't know is that my grandmother apparently tried to have an abortion (and in that time and place it would have been a poison to procure miscarriage or a knitting needle) and it was partially effective - my father survived, my 'aunt' died. I also found out that later on, when grandad was posted overseas in the army, they basically had an open relationship. Nan was infatuated with an Egyptian army captain, who would go on holiday with them, and they would walk around holding hands and kissing with my grandad right there. Considering that my uncle - who is very much younger than my dad - looks nothing like either parent or the rest of the family, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the only open relationship they had.
Suebee70 3 years ago
My parents were cousins. Not first cousins, but they were related somewhere along the line. I had heard bits and pieces about this during my early years, but it was never fully explained. Both my parents are gone now, and I've had to go through all their papers and such to sort things out. I found an old cigar box of love letters they wrote each other before they got married. One of those letters from my mom to my dad says something about her mother taking her to the local priest (or bishop?) to research their relationship and see if it was ok for them to marry (due to the obvious issues with close cousins having children). The letter said the priest told her they were something like second cousins, but for $15, he would write up a dispensation allowing them to marry. Seriously. Pretty sad (but also very common back then) that the church could be paid off to look the other way on this kind of thing.
martin734 3 years ago
Not really my family history but my partner's. they are from Ireland and their great-granddad was heavily involved in the uprising against British rule and became one of the founders of the original IRA. A lot of their family was involved in the IRA over the years and several of them have spent time in prison for terrorist offences.
alexx 3 years ago (edited)
my mom is apart of one of the biggest cheating scandals rn. She did not cheat her (now ex) fiancee did. He was also on Dr Phil recently and had the nerve to right a book. Turns out he had a wife and another fiancee and like 7 gfs. She exposed him on FB and it went viral. He is a very horrible person
Sam Yobado 3 years ago
My dad bought a moped when I was a kid. He said it was because it was better on gas. It turns out that mopeds are legal to drive without a license. It took years before I understood he was an alcoholic and was arrested for drinking and driving many times.
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
My father was still legally married to my mother when he married my stepmother (40+ years ago and she and I are really good friends). Didn't change anything, but still. Dad passed away August 18, 2014 - which would have been he & Mom's wedding anniversary. Eerie.
Mer☕️🧭☕️ 3 years ago
Addiction runs in both sides of my family but thankfully my mother wasn't hush-hush about it so I could be aware of potential problems. One side (mom's) also has purported horse thieves and (proven) minister-cops on a power trip. The other side (dad's) is curiously shrouded in mystery by an unexplained last-name change by my grandfather's grandfather.
Random Anon 3 years ago
This is funny rather than shocking and it isn't my family. So my buddy for 20+ years have older siblings, the closest one 8 years older and the elder 10 years. Dude is the youngest kid. He didn't bother much about it until we were like 18 or so when I asked him how come there is this age gap. This sort of prompted him to ask his mom. The next time we met, he said he was a mistake lol.
Rae Reyn 3 years ago
My mother was arrested and spent time in federal prison for sneaking people into Canada to avoid the draft. Twice. She ended up on several watch lists.
Sky Render 3 years ago
I learned about 6 years ago that my parents got married due to my father getting my mother pregnant and her parents forcing her to get an abortion. Apparently it was the first legal abortion in my state, no less. My grandma on my mom's side tried to have mom committed after the two of them ran off to Las Vegas to try (unsuccessfully) to get married, and apparently my mom's dad had to convince grandma to allow the actual wedding instead once my parents got back. Given how horrible my dad ended up being, I'm sorry to say that grandma was probably right to try to keep them apart... At least neither I nor my two brothers inherited any of his mental illnesses!
Xander Wloch 3 years ago
I’m adopted and for most of my life I thought my bio mom only had me but then last year I randomly get a text from someone saying they knew my bio mom. And after asking that person a couple questions like when he was born. Because my bio mom died in 2005 from a heroin overdose (I was told she just “got sick” until I was 17) and this person was born in 2003 and after questioning my adopted parents, they told me that this person was my half brother. We have the same mom but not the same dad. My bio mom had another kid a few years after she had me (1999) but decided to keep him and try and raise him because she thought she was ready but her drug addiction came back (she was smart enough to stay sober while pregnant both times) my half brother (who I just call my brother) was taken away and given to my bio grandma and then later was adopted by my bio aunt and uncle. But they never told me this. Turns out the bio cousin I met when I was 8 was him but again, was never told that.
Jennie-Lind Normand 3 years ago
My dad was lied to his entire life about who his father was. Up until he joined the military he thought my grandfather was his biological father, nope, grandma had been married previously and that was my dads 'dad' and he just buggered off after getting her pregnant. Story over right? Wrong! Years and YEARS later we find out grandmas first husband wasn't my dads bio dad and it was another dude who had lived in the same town as most of us and had just died. We're not even sure if he knew he had a son, he had three daughters, one of who I went to school with never knowing she was my aunt! It's so messed up. I'm sure there are many MANY more secrets because damn my grandma never talked about anything!
Dodo 3 years ago
Great-grandmother gave my grandmother up for adoption. We always knew that part. When I researched my family tree I found out the rest: great-grandmother then had another kid, and drowned herself and the child.
Patti Vance 3 years ago
putting this out there hoping someone may have info to my family skeleton. grandmom born in boston. her mom died while she was very young so raised by her dad & older brother. when she was 16 she eloped with a boy named andrew newton (that name was what i have uncovered so far). when they returned home a few days later her dad made them get annulment but not bc she was too young; bc he wasn't portuguese. little did he know she was preggers w/my aunt. her dad never accepted my aunt & bc she now had a child married her off to older man in texas where my mom was born. grt grand dad adored my mom but still rejected my aunt which made my grandma resent my mom, spoil my aunt, & generally not be as generous emotionally w/my mom. both my mom & aunt confronted her once to find out info for aunt's dad but grandma only said she had promised her dad to never speak about it; she never did.
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
Let's see: Two close relatives, one did life for homicide, one is wanted for one and implicated in another, all unrelated homicides; one relative (same with 2 likely murder raps) also wanted for embezzling; addicts and abusers; and my dad's parents were 3d cousins, which is legal but still a bit creepy, IMO; drug dealers; medicare/social security fraudsters.... One person had sold their dead mom's house (my late dad's mother) without owning it ... Suffice to say, Deep/Dark/Ugly is sorta my whole paternal family, and I only keep enough track of them to know how to avoid them. Cowardly, but safer.
Jessica Bertram 3 years ago
not cowardly. smart. that's survival. hang in there.
Load More Replies... BananaAnna 3 years ago
Many years ago, while playing a truly stupid game, I told a secret that seemed meaningless to me. Apparently, that was no the case. Several people were upset that they did not learn the secret long before I blurted it out. I swore off repeating secrets. A secret can only be kept by two people if one of those two is legally, undeniably dead.
Eslamala 3 years ago
I'll never understand why some people assume they're going to inherit something after their parents die and have the audacity of throwing a tantrum when that doesn't happen. Also, kids getting in the middle of their parent's marital problems annoy the fùck out of me. You don't get to judge them as husband or wife (unless there's violence, of course). You just get to evaluate them as your parents. That's the role they play in your life. If they cheat on each other, it's their problem, not yours, and parents who poison their kids against the other parent, or drag their kids into their marital problems are mentally abusing their kids.
Pervinca 3 years ago (edited)
I agree for the second part of your text. But for the first part, I imagine it is a cultural thing because in my family everyone expect to inherit from their parents. My parents would be angry if some of their siblings obtain more without the right motivation. And sure I would feel betrayed if my parents decided to disinherit me without the right motivations. It's not something I assume. I have grown knowing that, and I have the responsibility to grow my assets and to not waste what I will got, in order to pass them to my children ( if I will have children in the future) and to use it to help them. As I said, it's a cultural thing, where I live even if you aren't from a rich family it is generally assumed that your children will inherit something when you die.
Load More Replies... John Montgomery 3 years ago
I don't have anything that dark, but I do remember being told by my dad that one of the reasons he divorced my mom was that he didn't like always having to "finish her off with his finger". I was about 13 when he told me. I'm not sure there is a good age to find out such a petty reason, but at that age my dads sexual failings was the last thing I wanted to hear.
Laura Dawson 3 years ago
I’ve got some & I don’t mind sharing as I am estranged from my family. Father dated my grandmother first then ran off with her daughter (my mum) 20 year age gap between my parents & one of my Uncles robbed banks with some quite high profile names back in the day & died in prison. Found out what we thought was my Grandfathers much younger sister was actually my Dads much older sister. My Dads mum got pregnant at 16 & this was the 1930s so they invented a cover story.
GirlFriday 3 years ago
My Great Aunt Mabel ran whorehouse in Saginaw Michigan for years and years. She murdered two of her husbands and it is rumored that she murdered at least two of her "girls" for having affairs with the second dead husband. I know that she murdered two of her husbands because she told me about it. I was 14 at the time and she passed soon after that. I told my parents and my mom (this was her side of the family) was like, "Oh, we know."
KT 3 years ago
I was being driven out by my mom to looking for a wedding dress when she dropped a bomb on me. Told me the only reason my mom and dad were able to buy their new house was because a pedophile that was on the run gave my dad $70,000 to hold onto for him. They spent the entire thing on random crap and a down payment on their house. I was sickened and infuriated when she told me this. And why on earth would she tell me when taking me out wedding dress shopping. I was so happy and excited as the day started and absolutely disgusted and sad after her telling me. Turns out the pedophile had molested my moms 3 kids from her first marriage (before I was born from another guy)
Wonderful 3 years ago
Wow. Thats a very large drama bomb to hit someone with. Definitely should have picked a better day to drop it. She should have waited to drop it as a toast at her daughters wedding. That explosion would be felt across the world.
Load More Replies... Theory Buchannon 3 years ago
My mom used to joke around saying things like, "Your adopted", in the middle of the store just to see what others would do. She never in her life meant it in a rude way. But last year i figure out that my big sister, big brother, and i were actually adopted by my stepdad, YIKES
KombatBunni 3 years ago
Found out many years ago that my father’s parents were first cousins..explained a lot about him, and had an aunt who was a lesbian..didn’t shock me but wasn’t talked about in my family...
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
My dad's weere third cousins if you looked at it one way, second cousins if you looked at it another, and either way ------ yes, can explain a bit, can't it? You have my sympathy.
Load More Replies... Bex 3 years ago
There was always a family rumor that my Grandfather was the result of an affair his mother had. The rumor went that Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa were best friends with a minister and his wife. Their son was best friends with my Grandfather. Supposedly, on her death bed, my GGM confessed that she had an affair with the minister that resulted in my Grandfather and hat his best friend was actually his half brother. We never fully believed this bc the only one who heard this supposed confession was my Grandfather's sister (My Great Aunt) and she was a little loopy in the head. Then one day while I was doing family genealogy and research, I discover proof that this wasn't a rumor. Turns out my GGM did have an affair with her husband's best friend, (or her best friend's husband, however you want to look at it) (who was also a minister), and that's where my Grandfather came from. And that's the tame side of my family!
Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
My dad's older brother is only his half-brother, but we're never supposed to talk about it. Naturally, we all knew before we were about 10 years old, LOL. My dad's mom was a bit wild in her teens.
Load More Replies... Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
My sister cheated on her husband ON THEIR HONEYMOON. A year later she discovers she's pregnant - and there are 3 possible fathers (my stepfather's best friend among them - ew), besides her husband. We used to be best friends and thick as thieves, but I started to notice just how much of a s**t she is. I take loyalty & fidelity pretty seriously and just couldn't overlook it anymore. We text occasionally, but I refuse to speak to her.
Jods 3 years ago
I’m so naive. As I was icing my parents 50th wedding anniversary cake I suddenly realised my sister’s date of birth didn’t quite add up. She couldn’t have been born that premature. So that meant only one thing - my mother was pregnant before marriage. That explains the wedding at the registrars and my maternal grandmother never liking my mum. Then in 2013 I find out that I have a 7 year old step sibling. Mum’s cut him out of her will, doesn’t let him use the joint account without her permission and has bought him a funeral so that we and my sister don’t get saddled with the cost. They’re still together though. I only live 3 doors away and can hear them arguing, well, her berating him!
Jackie Porter 3 years ago
My mum had a miscarriage between having my older sister and having me. Turned out the baby wasn't even my dad's. Mum had a revenge affair after catching my dad cheating and she ended up pregnant. Mum and dad stayed together and had me eventually but divorced in 1990 after mum said she couldn't take dad's cheating any longer. They'd been married 27 years by this point and it wasn't until mum had a breakdown and was diagnosed as bipolar that she decided she'd had enough.
Aurelia! 3 years ago
My grandpas' second wife overdosed on meds and died and he died shortly after and left the house to their son. Son couldn't cope, dropped out of law school, left to play video games for a living, and disappeared for 3 years. Then we found out the house had been foreclosed on and my mom and uncle went up to get all the stuff out of the house...it was all gone. Son had let his ex girlfriend and her (five!) kids stay in the house and she sold EVERYTHING and then left...
The_tattered_hippie 3 years ago (edited)
My great grandmother left her husband and 3 small children (oldest being about 7/8yo at the time) to run away with an African American man. This was in the 30’s, so not only was it morally wrong to leave her family, it was illegal. The saddest thing to me is that while she was gone, my grandmother (the 7/8yo) was pretty much raising her 2 younger sibling and was the only one home when her 4yo sister caught on fire and burned to death. My great grandmother came back years later with a daughter she had gotten pregnant with by other guy, not knowing what happened to her youngest daughter. My grandmother understandably had a horrible relationship with her after that. Daughter from affair hung around as a “friend who died, daughter” that was being raised with all the other kids, but I guess she drifted away over the years, cause no one talks about her. 30’s-40’s were probably not a good time to be an interracial family in Texas.if I knew her name I’d try to find her or her kin. 😕
deanna woods 3 years ago
I had always thought fondly of my grandfather on my dad's side. I had never met him because he died many years before I was born, but that admiration went away when I learned that he had raped my dad's older sister. My mom's sister didn't know until a few years ago that her father had molested my mom when she was a kid. My mom is fourteen years older than her sister. My dad didn't learn until a couple of years ago that he had other siblings on his dad's side. My grandfather was with a lot of women back in the day.
Parmeisan 3 years ago
I was told from a young age that we were not supposed to admit to being related to any other people in my city with the same last name. We never met them, but my dad was an only child to a single mother and we knew his father had other family who were out there somewhere and maybe sort of related but not really? So last year some things came to light. My grandma and grandpa on that side *were* married when my dad was born, but it didn't last long and my grandpa remarried. His new wife knew he had a son but for whatever reason they kept it a total secret from their kids. This family grew up having no idea they had a half-brother, and my dad had decided not to interfere in any of this. Until last year, when my grandpa's dementia got very very bad and the (now not so new) wife decided to tell the kids. In their early 60s, finding out they had a secret half-brother. They are now all happily getting to know each other via email and Zoom. :)
MrsWood 3 years ago
I knew for a long time that my dad was one of twins - he had a sister, how I was told had died soon after they were born. I also knew that his parents weren't married when he was conceived. What I didn't know is that my grandmother apparently tried to have an abortion (and in that time and place it would have been a poison to procure miscarriage or a knitting needle) and it was partially effective - my father survived, my 'aunt' died. I also found out that later on, when grandad was posted overseas in the army, they basically had an open relationship. Nan was infatuated with an Egyptian army captain, who would go on holiday with them, and they would walk around holding hands and kissing with my grandad right there. Considering that my uncle - who is very much younger than my dad - looks nothing like either parent or the rest of the family, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the only open relationship they had.
Suebee70 3 years ago
My parents were cousins. Not first cousins, but they were related somewhere along the line. I had heard bits and pieces about this during my early years, but it was never fully explained. Both my parents are gone now, and I've had to go through all their papers and such to sort things out. I found an old cigar box of love letters they wrote each other before they got married. One of those letters from my mom to my dad says something about her mother taking her to the local priest (or bishop?) to research their relationship and see if it was ok for them to marry (due to the obvious issues with close cousins having children). The letter said the priest told her they were something like second cousins, but for $15, he would write up a dispensation allowing them to marry. Seriously. Pretty sad (but also very common back then) that the church could be paid off to look the other way on this kind of thing.
martin734 3 years ago
Not really my family history but my partner's. they are from Ireland and their great-granddad was heavily involved in the uprising against British rule and became one of the founders of the original IRA. A lot of their family was involved in the IRA over the years and several of them have spent time in prison for terrorist offences.
alexx 3 years ago (edited)
my mom is apart of one of the biggest cheating scandals rn. She did not cheat her (now ex) fiancee did. He was also on Dr Phil recently and had the nerve to right a book. Turns out he had a wife and another fiancee and like 7 gfs. She exposed him on FB and it went viral. He is a very horrible person
Sam Yobado 3 years ago
My dad bought a moped when I was a kid. He said it was because it was better on gas. It turns out that mopeds are legal to drive without a license. It took years before I understood he was an alcoholic and was arrested for drinking and driving many times.
Celtic Pirate Queen 3 years ago
My father was still legally married to my mother when he married my stepmother (40+ years ago and she and I are really good friends). Didn't change anything, but still. Dad passed away August 18, 2014 - which would have been he & Mom's wedding anniversary. Eerie.
Mer☕️🧭☕️ 3 years ago
Addiction runs in both sides of my family but thankfully my mother wasn't hush-hush about it so I could be aware of potential problems. One side (mom's) also has purported horse thieves and (proven) minister-cops on a power trip. The other side (dad's) is curiously shrouded in mystery by an unexplained last-name change by my grandfather's grandfather.
Random Anon 3 years ago
This is funny rather than shocking and it isn't my family. So my buddy for 20+ years have older siblings, the closest one 8 years older and the elder 10 years. Dude is the youngest kid. He didn't bother much about it until we were like 18 or so when I asked him how come there is this age gap. This sort of prompted him to ask his mom. The next time we met, he said he was a mistake lol.
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