11 People Whose Lives Changed Dramatically After Discovering Dark Family Secrets

Most families likely have long-held secrets that eventually come to light. With DNA tests and a growing interest in family history, these hidden truths are being uncovered. The people on our list have discovered captivating stories that profoundly changed their perception of reality.

“My grandfather got married, had a kid, and got divorced. Then, he married my grandmother and they were married for 62 years without her ever knowing he was married before or that she had a stepson. My Dad and his siblings eventually found out when my grandparents were almost 90, but they chose to keep it a secret from my grandmother since it would have been extra drama at that point for no reason.” WanBeMD / Reddit

“My sister and father both did ancestry DNA testing. Found some new relatives because my dad was adopted. When I mentioned I would do it a well my mother got very defensive and out right mad demanding I swear I won’t do it. I don’t look anything like my dad. Gonna be a wild Xmas this year when I get the results back of my test I did behind everyone’s back.” SmrtestIdiot / Reddit

“My Grandma is absolutely the ‘Alpha’ in the relationship between my Grandparents. They had three sons, and their oldest being my Uncle named ‘Paul’. There are very few moments that we get to talk to my Grandfather alone due to my Grandma always speaking over him and for him. This one time my Grandma was in the hospital due to a recent surgery.

Grandpa was talking to us in the Hallway and so we asked how did they choose the names of our dad (middle child). He explained why, but then told us a secret about how he came up naming their first son. When he just moved to California he fell in love with this one girl, and while their relationship didn’t work out he still had a piece of him that still loved her. Her last name was ‘Paul’ and he liked that name so he named his FIRST BORN SON after her and never told my Grandma about it.” TheIceRange / Reddit

“My grandparents cheated on each other at different points in time. The results are that I have an uncle who is a decade younger than me, but they may not be biologically related to me since my grandfather may not be biologically my grandfather. I am the only one who knows this as both have told me and only me.” eveningdragon / Reddit

“My grandpa secretly changed his will that me and my two cousins will get the lion‘s share of his heritage. My father and my aunt, both went no contact with my grandpartents, are only getting the legally required potion.” goldfox_ / Reddit

“My dad kept a handwritten note in his wallet containing my mom’s old address, phone number, and directions to her house from when they first started dating in the 70s. He had moved it from wallet to wallet over the years. He just died this past March and that was one of the first things we found.” Jinx5326 / Reddit

“Found out my Dad’s mom was a lesbian and that my ‘Godmother’ who lived with both my Grandfather and Grandmother was actually her lover. They slept in the same bed while my Grandfather had his own room. Growing up I had no idea, but as I got older I pieced it together... But I loved them all and still do (RIP).” Historian_Acrobatic / Reddit

“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.” lllSnowmanlll / Reddit

“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.” slovakgnocchi / Reddit

“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.” food***reddit / Reddit

“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 had relationships with different people and that I had a half-brother the same age as me.” Apatches / Reddit

If you enjoy stories like this one, be sure to read another article where we share 10 true stories about how listening to their instincts helped save these people’s lives.