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The average person is hiding about 13 secrets at any given time, half of which they’ve never told to anyone. But sometimes secrets find their way into the light, especially when they affect an entire family.

One curious reddit user posed the question, “What's the darkest secret you found out about a family member/relative?” And many people responded with dark, disturbing and upsetting discoveries that have been made about their families. We’ve gathered some of the most interesting responses down below that might inspire you to start digging around your own family for secrets, but proceed with caution: you never know what you’re going to uncover. 

Be sure to upvote the dark family secrets that you find most surprising, and feel free to share any juicy stories from your own family in the comments below. Then, if you’re interested in reading another Bored Panda article on the same topic, you can find even more family secrets that would feel right at home in a soap opera script right here.

#1

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My great uncle is a rapist that prefers underage family members. I don’t know how many people actually know, but my grandparents certainly do along with his victims (my mom, aunt, and I know at least a few or their cousins but I’m not sure which).

But then he found Jesus again so we all have to forgive him and pretend nothing happened? It was before I was born but that’s the basic run around I’ve gotten from my grandparents, they don’t ever actually acknowledge it just that “Tony did bad things but he found God”. I eventually put two and two together about my mom’s history or sexual assault and her making sure that me and my female cousins were never left alone with him. And now that I’m in my 20s that duty has been passed down to me at every family gathering. It’s like an unspoken rule that you can’t say **why**, just the warning. Don’t leave your daughters alone with him.

I’m tired of it though. Tired of shooing little girls away and having to pretend like it’s normal. Scoping toddlers out of a predators arms and acting like everything’s fine and I’m just baby crazy. When this is all over, I’m not going to stay quite anymore. The next time I have to around him I’m taking children right back to their parents with the full f*****g story of why it’s dangerous. I’m tired of having to protect a rapist to keep peace.

PoeDameronPoeDamnson , Pixabay Report

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KellyLinda
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1 year ago (edited)

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Bubbles and sparks
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This makes me sick to my stomach... All the denail to protect an image... I've never met a pedophile that was "cured" and unfortunately I've met a few in my life. One I could get away from, the other, my uncle... not so much. He rap*d a female taxi driver and they all made it out to be her fault for taking in a drunk man and drive the shortest route to get him home... Until my mid 30s, that was what my father truly believed, until I told him that that sob had been sexually abusing me from age 2, maybe 3 until way in my teens whenever he got the chance and me, as a toddler didn't understand what was happening and as a teen couldn't tell my parents because they were both sick, and I couldn't tell my grandma because she would have protected me had she known, right??? Later it turned out I wasn't the only one he used but all kept quiet... Never will I advise anyone to "not tell" and never will I believe that finding religion means they are forgiven and to be trusted... Good for you to speak up, this needs to be known...

robyngardam avatar
KombatBunni
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I’m sorry but he deserves nothing less than to be castrated with a blunt kitchen knife. I’ll even volunteer to do it. What a family

1molksiazkowy avatar
Enuya
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I heard that putting lemon juice into a wound makes it heal better, I'm ready to help.

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deannawoods avatar
deanna woods
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It doesn't matter if he found God or not, the damage has already been done. He does not need to be around children.

phantasteek avatar
ChickyChicky
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If he were truly reformed, he wouldn't try to hide it and expect everyone else to hide it. "I did terrible things, I understand if no one wants to see me anymore, I won't come to family gatherings, I won't ever put myself in a situation where I would be alone with a child." We have to stop protecting abusers.

angelab_1 avatar
Angela B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With all due respect, I would puree his testicles "Born again" or not.

jill_rhodry avatar
Jill Rhodry
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But don't name names of the survivors, that part isn't your story to tell.

soulrider13 avatar
Heather W
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sorry, but Tony would have an accident. I saw my Mom try to knock someone down the stairs just for being a b^tch. Tony wouldn't have lasted long in our family.

kmwoodard1189 avatar
keighterz
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He should have been in jail or dead a long time ago. Jesus doesn’t stand for pedophiles and rapists. Religion isn’t a magical cure for your issues.

laurahelario avatar
Squirrelly Panda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If truly repentant, God will forgive. But forgiveness isn't a free pass. It doesn't erase what was done. If someone raped me, I hope I would find the peace and strength to forgive, but I would still testify against the rapist and move mountains to make sure it never happened to another.

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Katy McMouse
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Blow his world up and don't apologize. He has to know why children are being kept from him, so it probably won't be a surprise to him when this happens. If there's grief given, so be it. This has to be done, no question about it.

teresacline avatar
Cold Contagious
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're exactly right! If people don't like it that you're warning others about him to keep the children that may encounter him safe, then cut those toxic people out of your life, because they're willing to harm you and other children to protect a pedophile who has been harming innocent children for years and they are all disgusting pitiful excuses for human beings to let that happen.

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dc1 avatar
DC
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Expose him. This is something so severe that it cannot count as snitchery. This ah took advantage of a position of massively more power than his victims had ... making it something different than telling people someone has run over a red light or so...

julmurfren avatar
Julia French
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Silence always aids the perpetrator or opressor & never the victims! SPEAK OUT

robertblackwell avatar
Robert B
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do not stay silent. Too many times people have kept their mouths shut when they should have been using a megaphone.

christysmith_1 avatar
Mokayokok
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She should really just completely blast him on social media and in person. I know blasting ppl on FB is kind of childish, but these ppl can't always keep an eye out for everyone that has a vagina and young. Why hide it, he's disgusting, tell the world. Also, and it may be because I'm an atheist and jaded, it pisses me off to the 10th degree when some POS claims they found Jesus esp in prison settings when it's stuff like this - I want to scream, "Your god can't absolve you a*****e, you will be a piece of s**t until the die you f*****g die"

misstiwari92 avatar
BetterBitterButter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This makes me so angry! If an animal gets out of control and starts hurting people they are put to sleep. Why is it then these two legged animals are allowed to roam free and others need to protect themselves?

cary1029 avatar
Caryle
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is ridiculous that he’s been sheltered from this the children certainly were not

monicamichelle avatar
Monica Michelle
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This. My family my friends family. I decided after my son had a talk that I was not going to pass this to a new generation or wait for him to die. I have never been so terrified or brave in my life

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Brazen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My Mom's first husband did this to their daughter (it's why they divorced). I met him the first time when I was 15 and no one told me why I should keep an eye on him when he was around, but I was told to make sure he wasn't alone with my niece's. Upon him walking into the room, it took just one look from him at me to understand why no one should be around him alone. It was summer and I was just wearing a t-shirt and shorts, but I felt as though I had no clothes on. I never imagined I could feel dirty from just a look, but there it was. Why they let him come around is beyond me. I don't think "because he's my dad", is a good enough reason. Disgusting people all around.

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Jane Cortez
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is beyond horrible. He should be behind bars. Laws exist for precisely this reason. I hope you do and so sorry for what happened to your mother and aunt!!!

katmin avatar
Kat Min
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am glad, you decided to stop enabeling the rapist and his complicit family.

tarrynitup avatar
Tarryn Louise
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do it! Tell them! They need to know before someone like you is not around to save these poor babies from that monster!!!

lorrierothstein avatar
Lorrie Rothstein
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it's ridiculous because people find Jesus everything should be forgiven. He's still capable if being a pedophile

rachelsmith_4 avatar
Rachel Smith
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"finding god" does not get rid of the problems in that person's brain. Honestly he should have been in jail a long time ago or at least excommunicated from the family.

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Mary Zurlinden
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know there is a statute of limitations on things like this, but I would still try to convince family members to report him to the authorities

moya_satterwhite_1 avatar
Moya Satterwhite
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Maybe mention it to a counselor and let them help feel better. Also police should be involved, it all needs to be aired for the sake of the victims.

laurabamber avatar
The Starsong Princess
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, stop going along with all this. I recommend a big fat scene where you out Uncle Tony as a pedophile at the top of your lungs. Your family or at least your grandparents will punish and ostracize you far more than they ever did uncle Tony but it will be worth it.

laurahelario avatar
Squirrelly Panda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you want to forgive someone for anything, that is a grand and wonderful thing, the person who did wrong no longer lives rent free in your mind. BUT there are some wrongs that you NEVER trust the person again. And if the predator is truly repentant and changed, he should be the first to say "don't trust me, dont leave your kids with me. I know I'm safe, but you have no way of knowing that" Forgiving does not and should not equate to forgetting or trusting.

scottrackley avatar
Scott Rackley
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Shouldn't have been quiet in the first place. Let's place our young female family members in jeopardy of sexual assault so no one's embarrassed.

shimmifairy avatar
Angela Jester
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Shout it from the rooftops! The way it's done now if something happens it's the victim's and their parent's fault. They were warned, after all. Say it out loud, make him accountable

artkittengirl avatar
Arianna
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Two of my uncles are drug addicts and alcohol addicts, my family still invites one of them over to Christmas parties and they always make rude or inappropriate comments about my and my cousins. Me and my mom and aunts try to keep my little cousins away from him but he tried to show my 7 year old cousin(male) some very not age appropriate pictures at one point and it still makes me uncomfortable to this day, it's rumored that he's doing better but I still don't want to see him around there. Luckily My other uncle lives quite far away, and the rest of my uncles are somewhat normal, but that's the reason why I get uncomfortable around some men.

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MyCatsTheRealPanda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Being a drug or alcohol addict doesn't necessarily make someone a bad person. Chances are your uncle is not a very good guy with or without his addictions. Do some people do bad things in the name of their addiction, sure. That's generally to aide or support it. Being a gross pervert doesn't do that. I am a recovering addict. 9years clean. Did I steal or manipulate to pay for drugs, yes . Did I let people use me in ways I would never let now, sure did. Did I show inappropriate pictures to children or become a pedo? No. Not all your morals are lost and I still would have done everything in my power to protect a child- mine or not when I was using. Don't let your uncle hide behind his addictions.

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XenoMurph
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As long as it's not just some rumour that perpetuates in a family about the weird uncle, then you should do more than that. You should go to the authorities to protect other kids.

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Cold Contagious
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OP says that he abused them from the age of 2-3 years old to way into their teens.

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PandaRave
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why no police? That’s all I can think of to say. Why does nobody just tell the police?

lisahewes avatar
Lisa H
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's one thing if one of the victims told them to keep the secret (like with me with another family member. I have never said anything out of respect for this family member), but to protect the predator is absolutely insane, family or not. As a Christian, yes, I agree only God can judge. But doesn't mean I can't shun the bastard who did it. Now his ashes are in our downstairs closet and all I want to do is tell my mom so she can do the right thing with them, which is to flush them down a toilet in the most rancid men's room we can find. But I can't because it's not my secret to tell.

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Leoninus Fate
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

one of our uncles is "touchy" with the females in the family, I usually steer him off but he came over with our aunt {rip love you terry~} and when she went upstairs he started getting "close" to my sister, such as leaning over her {she has...larges breasts so shirts suck for her} and trying to touch her neck and back, she told me how she let him do it for about a moment then grabbed her knife {we go for knives instead of guns mostly lol} and held it up for a moment, then turned to him and put it to his throat and said sweetly "would you please back off?" and said he turned white and walked upstairs to our aunt and after an hour, they left, and apparently he never told anyone, and its one of those great stories in the family for a while {about 13-14 years, since she was like 17 at the time and were in our 30's}

aishling21 avatar
Aishling O Leary
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are we related I wonder or does this just happen in every family or just the unlucky ones

kerowync avatar
Kerowyn Canny
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never place your pearls before swine. Specially swine that cloak themselves in a Christian robe.

katyking avatar
GlamourGhoul
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Preach! And expose that waste of life!! I have a relative we do this same sort of thing with. My abuelita's husband molested my cousins and myself when we were young (around 5 or so) It wasn't until last year that we told her everything. Nothing has changed, except now the family knows why you don't leave your kids alone with him. Luckily he's back in Cuba. (My family is from Nicaragua 🇳🇮)

basedwang12-4 avatar
BasedWang12.4
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is terrible. Hopefully her family doesn't act like I am afraid they will and shun her for calling it out

storm_and_baby avatar
Lisa T
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would not be going to any get togethers that Tony was at, or letting my kids anywhere near him.

jessicagolden avatar
Jessica Golden
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why not just keep the pedophile away from all family gatherings??

robyn63ward avatar
Robyn Ward
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That sort of secret is dangerous...the worst kind of evil comes from those that know but do nothing...

sarah_n_parkes avatar
Sadie Parkes
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How does finding God make it OK? Look at the similar scandals within the Catholic church!

johnathanwilkinson avatar
Johnathan Wilkinson
Community Member
8 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If people have truly ‘found Jesus’, then they must confess their crimes and pay the penalty — they should turn themselves into the police to demonstrate that they truly repent.

leighrobbins avatar
Leigh Robbins
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Telling the truth is the ONLY way that the abuse has any chance of ever stopping.

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NaMiMoore
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You should have spouted about it a looonnnggg time ago. Ugh

davcarro-ripalda avatar
Dav Carro-Ripalda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

God can also be found in jail. One thing does not exclude the other. He has made peace with god, but not with the law, the victims, the damage... He will go to paradise, wherever that is, but human laws are to be applied while on earth.

amysansom-harvey avatar
Amy Sansom-Harvey
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have an uncle that did that too. My sister , my cousin I know for sure. When the family found out everyone fought and no more family functions. Then my gradfather passed away and all of a sudden my uncle was "forgiven" and they all acted like it never happened. My sister killed herself My cousin is still mess and the sick bastard is just living his life.

stephanystapelberg avatar
Stephany Stapelberg
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm send this on my wife's email. I'm from South Africa. I grew up in a town called Pietersburg (now Polokwane). As a teenager I was sexualy assaulted (played with and fondled my private parts) by our family doctor. Many years later I spoke to my late brother about this and confirmed the same happened to him. My mother and him confronted him but backed off after threats from his lawyer. My brother passed away in 2000 of HIV. He deliberately got hiv to spite my mother because she sexualy abused him from a young age. When she learned of this, she spiraled into depression and eventually killed herself. I was also sexualy assaulted by my Sunday school teacher. Btw, this mother I'm talking about is our foster mother. My brother and myself were adopted

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Michelle C
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Check your state’s statute of limitations. You may be able to report him to the authorities!

stephanystapelberg avatar
Stephany Stapelberg
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Like I said, I'm from South Africa. Here we don't have States, and I doubt if our justice system have a statute of limitation. In any case, this happened in the 80's when I was a teenager. I'm 49 and I doubt that this doctor is still alive. Same for my Sunday school teacher. My mother paid for what she'd done to my brother.

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KAYE DONLIN
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OMSTARS! and here i thought i was unique in this similar situation! i did speak up when i was getting ready to start my senior year in high school only to be called a whore and other horrible things and i was told that i brought it all on myself because i was asking for it! smdh. this was a very long time ago back in the mid 1970’s but some wounds Never heal.

bibliovilla3372 avatar
Ranger Harvey
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't worry about removing young/any kids from his clutches. Do it with a knowing GLARE. You don't need to explain your actions to anyone, they know.

helentaylor avatar
Helen Taylor
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do not blame you. Protecting the children is the most important thing to do and that cannot be done by keeping secrets.

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Ramona Jackson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good. Family secrets enable monsters. Sunshine cures that pronto.

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Gladys Hayes Southerland
Community Member
1 year ago

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Juliankha
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd stop doing and put it on BLAST!!! Wouldn't care if I was invited back but those kids would know to stay away from him permanently! He should be doing JAIL TIME

greggb57 avatar
Gregg Bender
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Prepare to be shunned for a long time. That's just the reality of it.

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Terri Rimmer
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I found out we had a murder-suicide and a suicide in the 50s and in 2010 in our family.

davidharris avatar
David Harris
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Regardless of his faith he needs to be punished for his actions and I would never keep that a secret! Far too dangerous for family members and others!!

tatjana_peskir avatar
Tatjana P
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think you are not protecting a rapist. You are protecting two people at the same time: the children, snd the reformed person a rapist has become, which is what we all hope they will become.

dinsdale-holly avatar
Holly🇫🇮🇬🇧
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

are you saying that because he found god its ok suddenly?? Didn't his god then make him a rapist to begin with?

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#2

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My uncle tells the story that when he was a kid, his older brother wanted him to go out hunting with him in the woods near their house. They woke up really early, and started walking much deeper into the woods than they usually did, and way off the normal trails they used. My uncle realized his brother was letting him get further and further ahead. He stopped and turned around to see his brother starting to bring the shotgun up in his direction. He asked him what the hell was he doing, his brother said "Oh, I thought I saw something." My uncle decided to go back at that point. Later that week he went back and found a pit that someone had dug a bit further off the trail.

He never went anywhere with his brother alone again.

Thowitawaydave , Rudolf Jakkel Report

#3

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories Here goes: My two remaining grandparents, my father's father and my mother's mother, married each other when they were 75. This made my mother and father step-brother and step-sister. Since the son of my father's sister (my aunt) is my cousin, and the son of my mother's brother (my uncle) is also my cousin, I became both cousins. I am, therefore, my own cousin. I'll never be alone...

Pigs100 , pexels Report

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#4

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories Not necessarily a family secret but a weird story nonetheless.

This happened around 2013 - Instagram wasn’t totally new but it was still a much smaller platform centered a lot around visual artists. Through Instagram - a friend of mine found a profile that was my goddamn doppelgänger. Like, this guy looked so much like me that I sent multiple photos of him to my mom and she was convinced it was me even after I told her.

Now, for the purpose of the story I’ll just say I am incredibly unique looking. Dark brown hair, firey red beard, almost a full bodysuit of tattoos. Same for this guy. The brands of clothes I wore, even down to the gold and black RayBan Clubmasters. I am a professional Tattooer and he is a painter who owns an art gallery.

So - keeping with how the internet worked back then - we said hey and joked about meeting and occasionally would call or FaceTime the other to prove a drunken point.

Then, I got an opportunity to travel to NYC for work. This guy lived in NYC as well so we made plans to meet up! Bought plane tickets, made arrangements and even talked about how funny it would be to get a photo together.

Then we started talking about how funny it would be if we were long lost brothers and he goes “that’s entirely possible! My Dad was never in the picture - he was a traveling biker that hooked up with my mom one night.” Which was weird because my dad was a tattooer and notorious biker who traveled in the area he lived when he was growing up. I thought it was a long shot but I said “hey! Ask your mom if his name is James Jobin! Wouldn’t that be crazy if we are brothers?!”

He loled and agreed that would be funny - said he’d ask his mom the next morning before I got into town.

Then he blocked me on everything. Instagram, Facebook, Text. Absolute radio silence.

I’ve made other accounts to check up on him and see how he’s doing but I’ve never reached back out. The thought that I could have a brother is bittersweet for me - I wanna respect his right to have contact with me or not but it does break my heart a little every time I think about him.

jgorbeytattoos , Pixabay Report

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terayarnell avatar
Pangoro
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's so sad! I wonder why the guy would block him? Doesn't make sense.

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#5

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories A few years before he passed, my dad and I had a long heart to heart, at the end of which, he told me he wasn’t the one to first sleep with my mom on their honeymoon.

He caught her in bed with her cousin, with which she was had been in love for a long time.

He spoke with their pastor, who told him to forgive and forget.

That worked, until 6 years later, when he caught her again, with the same cousin. He told me he wanted to leave with me but ultimately decided to stay, because he wanted me to have a family.

With all that happened in my childhood, and to him (workaholic, diabetes, heart attack), I wish he’d left and be happy instead.

Bassman1976 , Andrew Neel Report

#6

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories I found out that my grandfather’s first wife (before my grandma) died of botulism from eating some tomatoes she had canned at home. She could have been saved, but he refused to take her to the doctor because the botulism was her “fault.” He let her die to teach her a lesson.

Filiaeagricola , pxhere Report

#7

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My step-grandfather had a completely hidden life in Australia before he met my grandmother. He had a family and kids in Australia, and faked his death by driving his car off a cliff then moving to America. His kids thought he was dead until my grandmother found out about them and reached out years later. His son actually became a famous comedian over there, and from what I know has a joke he does at his shows about his father faking his death to disconnect from them.

ivydragons , Patricia Prudente Report

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#8

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My father used to secretly go to parks and highway rest stops to meet other men for anonymous sex.

Just in case you're wondering, he really hated gay people.

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wifeofweasley
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think he hated gay people. He hated himself and projected his own self hatred onto other people.

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#9

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My biological grandfather threatened to kill my grandmother while she was very young and pregnant with my uncle. (Long story short, he was engaged to someone else).

My grandmother became a nervous wreck while pregnant and wouldn’t leave the house and he used to throw bricks through the window. Eventually she told some of her friends about what he’d threatened to do to her. Shortly after that he went missing, never to be seen or heard from again.

We always kind of laughed and joked that one of her friends must have threatened him or ‘ran him out of town’. We would even go as far to say someone might have killed him for her.

It wasn’t until we were going through her boxes of photos and ‘love letters’ we realised she was actually friends with the Kray twins...

blxndeandblue , Andre Furtado Report

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Jessica Cifelli
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For those too lazy to google, Ronald Kray (24 October 1933 – 17 March 1995) and Reginald Kray (24 October 1933 – 1 October 2000), were identical twin brothers, gangsters and convicted criminals. They were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in the East End of London, England, from the late 1950s to 1967. With their gang, known as the Firm, the Kray twins were involved in murder, armed robbery, arson, protection rackets, gambling and assaults

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#10

Found out the hard way that my grandfather was a sexual predator. Turns out my grandmother had been in denial despite both my aunts, their friends, and young girls in their small town claiming he raped/molested them (one 16 year-old even got pregnant and *he paid for the abortion*). Grandma lied about his whereabouts/activities for years to protect him because if he went to jail she'd be unable to afford their house. So, long story short, me and my then 10 year old cousin were his latest and final victims.

Thanks, Grandma.

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#11

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My father tried to kill my mother while she was pregnant with me

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#12

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories Not really dark at all, but surprising. My mild mannered Buddhist lawyer uncle was International Mr. Leather's "Leather Daddy's Boy of the Year" some time in the late 80s.

Theatre_throw , Moose Photos Report

#13

Step father was cheating on mother. Didnt find out because he was caught cheating; found out because he and his mistress were drunk, got in a fight, and he punched her so hard that she fell over and died. Found out about the whole thing during the investigation, the trial, and the conviction. Was weird to have a lawyer want to call 12 year old me to a stand to defend the character of a man I already had very little interaction and a fear of, and that was before the manslaughter charge.

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#14

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories That my grandfather murdered his own brother to inherit his money

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#15

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories Two years ago I found out that my Dad had a wife before my Mom and she died in a freak accident on their wedding night.

PookSpeak , pexels Report

#16

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My great uncle told his wife that their son died right after being born and gave him up to the state because he had Down's Syndrome. They had twins, a boy and a girl, and he somehow hid it from the whole family for about 40 years. It was only found out when the family lawyer was dying and contacted the sister to tell her she has a living brother who lives in a home run by the state. I guess he had helped my great uncle with the whole thing and still felt terrible about it.

Also, for some added context, my great uncle was extremely wealthy. He could have easily paid for multiple caregivers to help his son and it wouldn't have effected his life at all.

stev10 , Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas Report

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BetterBitterButter
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine the mother (if alive) and siblings learning about him. The shock and betrayal!

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#17

Found out my birth father was still alive and living in California after being told for years he had died in the Navy before I was born. Fast forward a couple of years and a Sister whome I was told had died at birth contacted me saying she had been adopted. Put all the pieces together and found out that my Grandparents, mother then 16 and uncle then 14 were stealing cars in Southern California and running them down to Tijuana. When the Feds started snooping the whole family ran for the border and made it as far as central America where my mother discovered she was pregnant with me. They then turned noth and made it to Zapata Texas where I was born. She gave me the name of her last boyfriend and told me he died in the Navy. Less than a year after I was born she gave birth to my half sister and gave her up fo adoption telling the family she was still born. My mother was a pathological lier all her life and I didn't find out until I joined the Navy at 17 and found my birth father was still alive.

Also found out my Grandmother was a prostatute, madam, and arsonist as well but that is another story.

Stesslo Report

#18

I recently found out that my grandmother committed suicide as a result of the sexual abuse she received from her grandfather as a child (aged 8-14). Apparently her mother and many of her relatives were compliant with it and would even send her to his house for week long visits where she would sleep in his bed.

joe_1222 Report

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Ael
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can we throw both rapists and their enablers into volcano lakes, alive?

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#19

when i was a kid we went to my grandma’s house every sunday and all of my uncles and aunts would be there. one day i noticed that one of my uncles didn’t show up anymore so i asked my family where he is. they told me that he wouldn’t be able to visit anymore because he moved away.
years later i found out that he raped and killed two women and they locked him up.

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#20

My parents had a nasty divorce which was often accompanied by a lot of s**t-talking about each other. There was a lot of “well your mother blah blah blah” and “your dad is such and such”, most of which I would just ignore because it was incredibly immature and embarrassing, until one day my mom broke out the big guns. My siblings and I were just watching t.v in the living room one day and the conversation moved to my dad coming to town to visit, at which point my mom overheard. The mere mention of dad prompted this woman to stop whatever she was doing, come into the living room, and say something along the lines of: “talking about your dad again, huh? Did you know that he was *molested*”?

My dad had never mentioned anything about it in the 18 years that I lived with him, which is understandable. To this day, I have no idea why my mom felt the need to blurt that out to the three of us, or why it is she thought that being the victim of sexual abuse was a stain on someone’s character, but it was a really weird way to find out something so deeply personal about my dad.

TL;DR: My mom told my siblings and I that my dad was molested when he was little as a way to spite him.

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Inga Paškevičiūtė
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Imagine thinking that it's something to make your kids turn against their father. Still...both suck.

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#21

My mom and dad decided to take in my 3 cousins because their mom got into a horrible car accident. Two girls and one boy. The girls were 6 and 10, the boy 12. Fast forward to when the 6 yr old girl is 14 years old and is asked about birth control. She starts sobbing saying her brother (the then 12 yr old) took her virginity when she was 6 and that it continued until she was about 13. We had no clue.

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Eline
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh my god. I'm so sorry for her, poor girl. This boy is a piece of trash.

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#22

My grandmother used to kidnap and sell young girls in Mexico back in the 50's and 60's. She would sell them to ranchers to presumably be wives and/or sex slaves. She was not a good person at all.

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#23

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories Both of my mother's parent's had affairs without the others knowledge. My grandmother had Parkinson's and in one of her confused states she told my grandfather that she had an affair.

Suffice to say my grandfather was not happy and put her in a home. He then started talking to my mother trying to figure out when it could have happened. He speculated that it happened around the same time he was having his affair, which was around 1966. My mother was shocked, she was born in 1967.

So my mother may or may not be related to the man she believed to be her father.

Witchgirl2658 , pexels Report

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ERIKA H.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The audacity and hypocrisy to.put her in a home when he did the exact same thing

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#24

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories A relative tried to poison one of their guests. Once I learned about it, it finally sealed the deal for me and forever changed my view on them. They were bonkers anyway but good lord that's too much.

VonFelder , unsplash Report

#25

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories In doing ancestry research, I found a prison record for my great-grandfather. Felony assault at age 18 in 1901. My mom was shocked and never knew.

BestCatEva , Denny Müller Report

#26

Growing up I never understood why my dad could sometimes be so cold to my mom. When I was 13 he passed away and I had to start dealing with my learned relationship habits. My aunts began telling me the story of his first wife.. My father and her got pregnant and he was called to the hospital and excitedly ran into the room to find her and her lesbian lover standing there with the baby. They told him "we are done with you and she wants a divorce." It was a years long plot to have a baby with him and he never even suspected anything. My grandmother said he was crushed for years. I probably hurt women along they way in my navigating relationships as well. Please don't make selfish choices that hurts others, it hurts more people than you think...

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#27

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories I found out 2 years ago that my mother had a baby she gave up for adoption 18 months before she had me and then had another baby when I was 3 and she also gave that baby up for adoption. All 3 of us have different fathers and I think the only reason she kept me was because my father married her but that marriage only lasted a year. My mother remarried when I was 5 and my (half) brother was born when I was 7. As far as I knew for 59 years he and I were our mother's only children.

I never saw her pregnant with the 2nd baby because she sent me to live with my great-grandparents across the country during her pregnancy. My mother and grandmother were the only people who knew about this and they both took the secret to their graves.

The only reason any of it was found out is because of all of the DNA testing people now do. This discovery really impacted my sense of identity for a while, my view of my mother, and our relationship.

I've met my half-siblings, an older sister and younger brother. I like them and I'm glad I've been able to answer some of their questions but the initial discovery really messed with me for a bit.

Cheercraft , Omar Lopez Report

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witchling
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I just found out something similar. I've always been an only child and desperately wanted a sibling. Recently found out thru moms confessions that I have a sister that's a few years older then me. Mom doesn't have any of the adoption info and I have no way of looking for her.

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#28

When I was growing up my grandfather hated anything Russian.
If there were any news about them he turned of the TV. if they played against any other team in hockey or so he didn't watch it (even tho he loved ice hockey and it was a world cup final).


I was a kid I didn't understand why, to me he was a retired carpenter and grandfather.
When he passed away my uncle told me everything. How he served as a foreign volunteer for Finland in the winter war against Soviet (my great grandfather was from Finland). How he's friend were taken as a POW and executed. He then want back to Finland for the continuation war where he was wounded and almost died in the battle of Ilomansti, the last big battle.

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#29

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My Uncle didn’t have an ~~aneurism~~ stroke spontaneously. (Sorry, I’m not a Doctor)

He deliberately stopped taking his blood thinners.

Dude was 63 with a wife, four kids and 15 grandkids, the oldest of which was 13 and the youngest was not even a year.

He was just done. His wife doesn’t know, his kids don’t know. I only know cause I overheard the family doctor telling my dad. As far as I know, only myself. The Doctor, and my dad know.

Phranquelyhnne , Polina Tankilevitch Report

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Emerald Joanna
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As someone who works in the medical field, a lot of people self-discontinue their medication for a multitude of reasons - not always because they are "done." I would be interested to know if he stopped the meds knowing it would kill him or if he just believed he didn't need them anymore & was done taking them.

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#30

This will probably get lost, but here's my story.

Had some family move to Vegas with a local churches money (close to a million dollars) to open a new church for them in sin city.

They gambled it all away.

Came back church told them to f**k off basically.

They started their own church that allowed them to buy multi million dollar houses, brand new cars for them and their kids, basically a luxury lifestyle.

They sell merch at the front door to the church, members are required to provide bank info and they tithe 10% monthly income from all families. If you don't pay up, they kick you out. They tell you how to eat and exercise. If you don't follow they kick you out. They put it in an old movie theater so they have multiple stages. Full lighting and av crews. They do love offerings when they need extra cash. God tells them to take trips (like told their congregation God told them to ride motorcycles through the grand canyon) he even claimed he had healing powers for a short amount of time and got SAINT tattooed down his arm. The whole 9 yards.

At the beginning of the pandemic when they were shutting everything down, they pressured their congregation to pay the 10% for the WHOLE YEAR UPFRONT*

They've cut contact with all our family because we won't be part of their church.

Also their church is well know in our city and local area, but no one has stepped in. Cuz, ya know, Bible belt.

My cousin started a cult.

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#31

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories My uncle’s family claimed he had polio instead of a hereditary crippling disease. His wife figured it out when she went to their family reunion. She already had one child and was pregnant with another.

follygolly , pexels Report

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Ael
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, "protect" the family name by sacrificing children. What trash some people are. Hope both kids were okay.

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#32

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories I found out that my great-grandpa got away with murder. He thought that my great-grandma was cheating on him with her dentist so he went into his office and shot him. He got away with it too and they didn't find out that he did it until he told everybody before he died.

AlexGeekSpeak , RODNAE Productions Report

#33

“What’s The Darkest Secret You Found Out About A Family Member?”: 35 People Share Heavy Stories I found out my dad killed someone in a drunk driving accident. My mum randomly told me a few years ago, it shook me for a while. I think it still very low-key affects him.

Spadarlvl1000 , Lisa Fotios Report

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Lolly
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It should very high key affect him. He took someone's life drink driving. My nephew was killed by a drunk driver, he was only 18

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#34

I found out that my great grandpa wasn't actually my great grandpa because my great grandma had my grandma (her daughter) with a famous boxer who was extremely abusive. She divorced him after having kids with him and met my great grandpa while she was supervising the manufacturing of B-25 bombers during WW2. My mom and I are the only ones (besides my grandparents) that know the true story.

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#35

My mother "supposedly" has a fraternal twin. My grandmother couldn't handle the thought of two kids so she gave the male child away to someone she knew that was moving away.

In a drug induced rage one night my grandmother screamed at my mom that she kept the wrong child; it was never mentioned before or after that moment. My mom was roughly 12 at the time. She asked my great grandmother about it and she knew the boy's name but not where they moved to or who he was living with. My mom actually had met him once but didn't know who he actually was. My grandmother denies it ever happened and my grandfather felt that "surely they'd have had to tell me". I doubt they would have though.

When she was pregnant with me, my mom asked my great-grandmother what my middle name should be: my middle name is actually his middle name.

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keighterz
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Fathers were not allowed in the delivery room so it’s entirely plausible that she told them to take the other baby away without him ever knowing. They didn’t do ultrasounds regularly or at all back then so they might not have necessarily known they were twins. I was born in 89 and the only child my mum had an ultrasound with, and that was only because they were worried I had ceased existence.

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