This article was originally published on DailyBee
This Man Was Purposely Brain Damaged
Sometimes people do the most dreadful things to one another. A disturbed Redditor shared: "My great grandfather had a lobotomy because of 'unknown mental issues'. He was basically a zombie afterwards, and died shortly before my grandmother married my grandfather. Really sad, because I a) Always heard he was a wonderful guy, and it must suck to see that happen, and b) Now know why my grandmother never speaks of him."
If you're not familiar with this gruesome procedure, count yourself lucky. Doctors used to remove parts of people's brain back in the day, without fully knowing what it might do to them. It was supposed to calm them down, but it often made them a vegetable!
Their Uncle Had a Secret Boyfriend
Sometimes, only when a family member passes away do people learn the truth about them. This man's nephew remembers: "At the funeral of my uncle, I learned that he became a monk after the death of his ex-boyfriend because of HIV. I was 20 at the time, and I never knew that he was gay or had HIV. To me, he was just a weird but nice skinny monk I saw just a very few times. When I asked my parents why I have never heard of it, they said it was because I never asked, which is true."
It's strange enough to have a monk for an uncle, in this day and age. But to find out he had a wild past is one big secret, indeed.
Things Did Not End Well at All
Murder is nothing new, is it? On Reddit, one user shared the terrible reality in his own family. He explained: "My great grandfather hit his wife with a fire poker, and slit her throat. He then proceeded to blow his head apart with a shotgun. He sat in a rocking chair and used his cane to push the trigger. All over an argument whether it was too cold for me to walk to a grocery store to get some milk."
The old man sure didn't stick around to explain himself. He took the easy way out, and the deed is done. All that's left is a terrible family secret!
Grandpa Was Absolutely Vile
It's time for an even darker secret. Online, a youngster shared: "My great grandfather was a horrible gambler. He was always losing money. In order to pay it back he "lent" out his daughters, he had 5 of them. They would do "wife" duties for the men who he owed money. It could be anything from making dinner, cleaning the house or having sex. I don't know for sure when it started but it ended when my grandmother was 8 and she was the youngest, the oldest was 17."
We wish we knew that this case of abuse ended well. But we imagine that these girls had serious struggles for the rest of their lives. How could they not?
Mom's Real Death Was Complicated
A sad daughter shares: "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 learned a few years ago that she had cancer and was pregnant with me. Giving birth to me severely 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."
We can see why that truth was buried as a secret for her own good. But now, we hope she can find a way to forgive herself. How could she be responsible for something like that, as a baby?
Grandpa Did the Unthinkable
Things really were different back in the day. One traumatized grandson shared: "I am 43 and recently found out that my grandfather, he had passed away before I was born, was in prison when he was 16 for killing his father. There were reports of child and spouse abuse and alcoholism. My family looks at it as protecting his siblings. When he got out of prison he met my grandmother and they had 11 children that were protected until his death!"
Back in the day, social services were different. Who could kids call, when a dangerous drunk was in charge? It seems like the family agreed with his actions in the end.
She Was Never Really His Sister
Sometimes, families get complicated. In the old days, you couldn't just be a single mom. There were strange solutions if a girl got knocked up. Sometimes, she would be sent away until birth, and then there would be a blind adoption. Other times, things got more creative. One Redditor says: "My older sister is actually my mother, my father was my mother's (actually grandmother) husband. They don't think I know."
Well, what are you supposed to do when your husband gets your daughter pregnant? This family thought this explanation would be the best. It seems the child knows the truth, though: Eventually, it always comes out!
Great-Grandma's Wild Gig
We've heard that women didn't always have career opportunities. But what were the options for an enterprising female 150 years ago? A relative from the future reveals: "Great-grandma ran a 'hotel' in the late 1800s near a train depot and army fort in the Oklahoma territory. Turns out it was a brothel. Great-grandma was a madam! She must have been good at it cause she left a stack to my grandma."
We can see how this side business at a hotel made lots and lots of profit. It may have even been legal back then. But it's a little unnerving to find it in your family tree!
Baby Daddy Mystery
What if you found out dad was just plain mad? One son shared: "Several years ago my dad dropped the truth bomb that he didn't think I was his kid when I was born. My mum had an affair and he thought I was an illicit lovechild. As soon as I started growing, he could see a lot of himself in my features so eventually brushed it off. But like... gee thanks dad. Not sure I needed to know that."
Well, it's way too late for that. The secret is out, and it's going to be the elephant in the room for a while. Just how busy was mom back in the day?
When You Have a Killer Bloodline
Time really changes how we perceive certain things. This American shares: "My distant ancestor (great x8 uncle) was a sociopath and a serial killer. His name was Tom Quick and he was an 'Indian Slayer' who [pursued] the Delaware tribe. He claimed to have [terminated] ninety-nine members of the tribe by the time he [passed], including an entire unarmed family with two young boys and an infant, which he beat [...] with a rock...It's weird...in 1889, he was considered a hero and a defender of the civilized settlers."
It's cool to be related to a historical figure, but imagine looking into your genes and finding this. Your forefather hunted Indians. It's a dark, dark world out there.
Mom Had a Scandal at School
Some people don't realize the consequences of their actions until it's too late. A disgusted son shares: "My father told me that my mom (a teacher) used to steal the money for school trips where she worked at. For some twisted reason she moved me and my sister to the same school. I never understood why were the other teachers so bitter towards us...Apparently there was a big scandal between the teachers, but we had no idea. Worst years of my life, finally explained."
It's bad enough to experience a school change in your youth. But to find out that a parent is the reason for your trauma is yet another level of trauma. Thanks a lot, mom!
It Was Rubber Revenge
Only a lunatic would tamper with your protection. But sometimes, that does happen. One nephew reveals: “My uncle was pissed at my dad once, and decided to poke holes in all of his condoms. He was dating my mother at the time, and that is how I came about. I wasn’t supposed to know, but my uncle told me once when he was drunk. I am thankful he did it, but that was a pretty douche move.”
It's not a drunken confession you hear every day. But the deepest family secrets don't even come out, without a little booze. But is it better to know, or not know?
Dad Sent Some Pretty Scandalous Letters
In a healthy family, mom and dad are together and all the kids love each other. It doesn't always turn out that way, of course. But incest is way beyond that, and this family secret disturbed the internet. A niece shares: "My grandfather had written inappropriate love notes to his daughter when she was 13. He was an alcoholic, and she got married off soon after, so we rarely ever see my aunt."
The alcohol sounds challenging enough for an 8th grader. But to receive strange attention from your drunk dad is beyond confusing. What an awful secret!
An Extra Uncle Existed
A shocked nephew shares: "An uncle I've never met (mom's brother) [took the lives of] my mom's parents when he was sixteen in a fit of rage, and burnt down their home in an attempt to cover it up. I've never met him, as he has been in jail on a life sentence since before I was born. I was only informed of his existence because my dad was blackmailing my mom with this."
It's tough to decide: Should you tell the kids about their evil uncle, even if they will never see him in real life? Safely behind bars, this family secret might have died with him. But dad insisted!
When You Really Don't Want to Deploy
In the '60s, young men across America were notified that they had to become soldiers. They would be sent far away to Asia, to a country called Vietnam. Many knew nothing about the place, and they really didn't want to fight and die for the cause. How could you get out of duty? One grandson shared: "My grandfather got out of serving in Vietnam by robbing pharmacies and going to jail for years."
Being in jail sure is a good way to avoid the battlefield. If you're actually behind bars, there's no way you can be in front of gunfire. The big house has its own hazards, but clearly, this fellow did his cost-benefit analysis and made a choice.
Uncovering A Presidential Past
We'd all like to think we are blue-blooded, but how many of us can say we are? This poster claims: "A cousin of mine is the illegitimate son of a past U.S. president. He was born before his father's presidency, so it's a secret that's been pretty well kept. Funny enough, the cousin is also in politics but at a state level. Our family never talks about it, nor do we ever see Papa Prez."
We aren't sure exactly which leader they are alleging, but we have our guesses. A clue: Only a few have a cousin in politics. A little deduction will tell us!
When You Accidentally Uncover an Old Fraud
Family recipes are often a family secret of their own. But usually, there's nothing dark about them, unless chocolate is involved. Here, we found an exception in a family where someone was trying to pass off store-bought for homemade. A betrayed granddaughter reveals: "Grandma’s top-secret pie crust was actually just Marie Callender's from the grocery store, set in a fancier dish. She messed with her daughters-in-law for years over it."
The main issue is not that someone bought pre-made. This alleged recipe caused insecurity. Grandma made her son's wives feel less than her at gatherings, but she was the con all along!
They Almost Ended Him
We'd like to think that we were planned by mom and dad and that we were always desired. In reality, many children are born by accident and loved later, while others never make it. That nearly happened here! A Redditor says: "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."
It's nice to read that the son was so understanding. Maybe he is old enough to know how a pregnancy scare feels. Still weird, though, when the scare is you!
The FBI Tracked Granny
If you're living on the right side of the law, you might never guess you have a criminal family tree. One Redditor did, though. She shared: "My cousin is Catherine Greig, the one who was on the run and arrested with Whitey Bulger. Found out that during my entire childhood my grandma's phone lines were being tapped by the FBI even though everyone in the family assumed she was dead."
Whitey was finally caught in 2011. It must have been unnerving to be watched all the time, for this family caught in the crosshairs. But the FBI really wanted to know where their gangster was.
The Imaginary Friend Who Wasn't There
The truth is, not all children make it out of childhood. It is devastating when a young member of the family dies. What do you tell the other children? There may be no right answer. But this solution is a little bizarre! One grown brother shares: "I didn't 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."
It would have been traumatizing to say that a bee killed his playmate. But it's also a little confusing to realize you never had an imaginary friend. This is all kinds of dark!
It Wasn't Grandma's First
Before social media existed, it must have been a lot easier to run away from your family forever. That's exactly what happened here. A grandson reveals: "Grandma had a family before ours including 3 daughters we did not know about. She had run away from an abusive husband, and never mentioned it to anyone. We only found out after she passed when we received a letter from one of the daughters."
We understand why a woman would run away from an abusive partner. But what about the kids? Leaving them behind with the abuser is rather unusual. It's a pretty dark family secret!
Mother Had a Creepy Childhood
Sometimes, we wonder why a relative is so odd. In one case shared online, a daughter got a very vivid answer. She says: "I am pretty sure my mother was in some sort of cult or something as a child (parents forced her and [assaulted] her, I think). She would tell me these pretty creepy stories of bodies being chopped up and thrown down a well. It's incredibly disturbing and I really don't want to know what really happened."
We certainly hope that her mother got therapy or help of any kind. This stuff cannot be easy to suppress every day. We are appalled to read it, even now!
Mom Let Her Think the Worst
A mistreated Redditor shared: "This is kind of messed up, but my parents told me my mom had a bad back because I pushed on her spine during birth. this was what I thought all my childhood. I think I was in my teens when my older brother told me my dad pushed my mom during an argument and she fell and had to have surgery. I thought I ruined my mom's back my entire childhood and those SOB's let me believe it."
It's awful that a mother would let a child take the blame for a father's violence. But as we can see, it happens. It's a dark family secret, no more — just a dark truth.
Granny Was Just That Cruel
Do we always know the truth about tragedies? One Redditor shared: "Grandfather hadn’t died peacefully in his sleep like I was told at eleven. He purposefully overdosed on his pain medications after the final fight of his brutally toxic marriage with my grandmother. Left my dad a suicide note and everything. My grandma still doesn’t know it wasn’t death due to natural causes, nor do most of my cousins. I was extremely close with my grandpa. Grandma’s always been a terrible person and I will always blame her for his death."
Some people are just that toxic and mean. If we don't have them in our own families, we've probably met them in the real world. Sadly, grandpa was married to one.
This Boy Was Definitely Wronged
Modern times are good times when it comes to medical issues. Not so long ago, a lot of human conditions were poorly understood. This social media user revealed a dark example of a diagnosis gone wrong from his own family. He says: "Great uncle was taken from his parents, told he was retarded, wouldn't be right, put in state hospitals, experimented upon, only thing wrong with him was a speech impediment."
Imagine just having trouble speaking, not thinking, and you are declared too dumb to live in society. This little boy was sent away as a lab rat. Outrageous, isn't it?
Granny Hurt the Baby
Sometimes, there are unexpected reasons for a child's challenges. Mom might even be responsible, but she might never admit the truth. One Reddit user figured out that his grandma was responsible for his uncle's lifelong issues. He explained: "My uncle has serious learning disabilities. It turns out that my nan tried to do a home abortion because she got pregnant by some guy while my grandad was away in the army."
That is pretty disturbing in more than one way. We don't know if the uncle ever knew why he had so much trouble at school. Did mom at least help him, after the fact?
The Mistress Didn't Make It
When your husband cheats, you have a few choices. You can leave him. You can forgive him. Or you can murder the woman who got in between. One Reddit user shared that dark family secret, with a twist: "My great-grandfather had a 17-year-old mistress he put up in an apartment. Great-grandmother found out, confronted them at said apartment, shoots [...] 17-year-old mistress. Great-grandfather serves time in prison for the murder."
Yes, it seems that the great grandpa served time in prison for the killing. But she knows it was really her grandma who did the shooting. Perhaps that was his way of apologizing?
He Got Life in Prison
It might be the oldest profession, but it's still one of the most dangerous. Working as a lady of the night is never easy, and some of your clients are sure to be crazy. One nephew reveals that his own uncle killed a woman he hired for the night. He says: "My uncle is currently serving a lifetime prison sentence for [ending the life of] a prostitute with an axe."
That's violent, right there. It's a terrible tale, and certainly qualifies as a dark family secret. We imagine they don't talk about him much anymore. Or at least, we hope not.
It's All in The Name
At some point in history, no one had a last name. We were all part of a tribe and everyone knew who you were. But as things got bigger, we all needed ID. Do you know what your last name means? A Redditor shared: “All this time my family thought that my weird Hungarian last name meant ‘boat builder.’ Well, recently we were enlightened to learn that the closest meaning is actually ‘man who goes around the village at night and picks up the poop buckets from doorsteps.’”
That is an incredible letdown. All this time, they thought they were part of a noble lineage of boat building. But in fact, they dealt with the toilets of the town. That stinks!
The Cat Wasn't Really Hit by a Car
A sad cat lover shares: "When I was 8, I got a cat named Toes. Big fluffy gray long-haired kitty with white feet. Sweet kitty. I went away to visit my grandparents for the weekend and when I came home, my mom broke the news to me Toes had been hit by a car and killed...Years later, when I was probably 21, my mother called me and sounded very upset...Turns out Toes had not been hit by a car that weekend. He had instead climbed into the warm clothes dryer to sleep and mom didn't see him and loaded the dryer with a blanket she had washed...and then found Toes when she opened the dryer an hour later."
That's a pretty big secret to hide all those years. But we know she wanted to preserve their relationship. Toes the cat lost all nine lives, and it was her fault!
Their Romance Was Truly Crazy
There's nothing like a good love story, and it seems like there aren't enough of them these days. Have you ever asked how your own grandparents met? A granddaughter on Reddit revealed: "My grandparents met in a mental hospital. My grandmother worked there and grandfather was a patient. He was also married at the time, and since he never got a divorce my grandparents weren't legally married."
He had found a woman who understood him, right at the hospital. We don't know exactly why he decided to stay married, technically, while pursuing a second family. It seems complicated!
The Addict Paid for Everything
We bet you just took out loans. One Reddit user shared: "Most of my college was paid by someone named Tony (random dude to me). I know you're all thinking that it was some sort of lovechild thing, but it turns out my grandfather was a bookie and Tony was always just a bad gambler. So instead of My grandpa having his knees capped, he made a deal Tony would pay for college."
Quitting gambling is tough. You can't give up using money, can you? It's always going to be a temptation, right at your fingertips. Tony here got himself into a pickle, as gamblers often do.
Cheating Was Actually the Answer
In the old days, people had a lot less understanding about emotional abuse. And if you wanted to get a divorce, the laws were not necessarily in your favor. Online, one modern gal revealed a family trick. She says: "My great-great grandma couldn't get a divorce for cruelty (it was the 1910s), so she left her husband and moved in with another man. Her husband divorced her for infidelity, which she gleefully admitted!"
Moving in with a new lover is not the official way to end a marriage. It seems like this was the best she could do, though. We don't blame her!
Grandpa Was a Secret Spender
This secret was a well-kept one, but it's actually more lighthearted. One youngster shared: "My grandfather was a small business owner who everyone always thought of as extremely frugal due to growing up poor. Later we found out he spent a significant amount of money on charitable causes and helped a lot of his employees with financial and in one case legal trouble. Positive secret, but it was definitely a secret."
You may not really know who your grandparents are until they die. Many find out the worst, tarnishing memories. But in this case, the family found out wonderful information. How refreshing!
They Never Had Dad's DNA
In grief, one gal discovered an awkward family truth. She recalled: "After my dad died, my mom sat me and my brother down and told us we were both conceived by IVF with sperm from anonymous donors. I was 30 at the time. A subsequent DNA test confirmed we were only half-siblings. The revelation explained a lot, but I'm still processing even now and don't know how to feel about it."
It is a lot to process, indeed. She had a half-brother, and dad was just a loving, unrelated man. We want to know: Why did mom lie, all this time?