My Brother Wants to Bring His Prosthetic Leg to Christmas, I Said No

Family gatherings during the holidays can often come with drama, but this story takes things to another level. A sibling’s strange attachment to a prosthetic leg—despite having two perfectly healthy legs—sparked an unexpected family standoff over Christmas plans. What began as an unusual house rule quickly turned into an internet phenomenon. Readers couldn’t help but react with shock, humor, and even a bit of concern, as the story revealed layers of bizarre behavior, unanswered mysteries, and a sibling who stood firm on their boundary.

Here’s the story that had Reddit captivated, complete with twists, turns, and thousands of reactions.

The Initial Shock and Confusion

Many readers were stunned by the bizarre premise of the story, taking a rollercoaster ride from judgment to disbelief.

• “Title: oh yeah, you absolutely suck.
  First paragraph: wdym?
  Second paragraph: ?????
  Third paragraph to end: ?!?!?!?!?!”
  — © BodybuilderKitchen45 / Reddit
• “I started off thinking the sister didn’t have a leg to stand on, turns out that’s no problem ’cause bro has a spare.”
  — © KhaoticMess / Reddit
• “I thought the sister was wrong at the start. Much like someone with a real use for a prosthetic leg, I stand corrected.”
  — © RichardBachman19 / Reddit
• “STAAAAHP I was mid-inhale, and I’m pretty sure I just lost a lung because of that.”
  — © Legitimate-Command15 / Reddit

The Burning Questions: Where Did the Leg Come From?

• “Does the person who it belonged to know you have it? Did they die? Have you named the leg yet? What’s their name? Pronouns?
  Do you sleep and cuddle with it? Do you buy it Christmas presents? DOES IT HAVE A FAVORITE TYPE OF SOCK? I NEED TO KNOW.”
  — © AdventurousRevolt / Reddit
• “I’m a prosthetist and I have to ask: What does this leg even look like? Below knee or above knee? Does it just have the pylon bare, or is there a foam covering so that it sorta looks like a leg? Is there a foot shell on it, or is the foot component just sorta... hanging out?
  The reason I’m asking is because A) prosthetic anything is mindboggingly expensive, and B) you can’t just ’have’ a prosthetic leg if you have two perfectly healthy legs. You literally need a stump to make one that’s specifically yours.
  Did your brother receive it from someone? Did he steal it????? And just to be sure, it’s an actual prosthesis and not a leg brace of some kind? I’ve had patients and their families make that mistake before.”
  — © danuhorus / Reddit
• “Out of interest, what happens to prosthetics when their owner passes away? Do they get refitted to someone else?”
  — © G**_n_To**c_with_Dog / Reddit
• “Teen me got a fake leg for $5 at an estate sale. Amputees pass too, and their stuff gets sold. I’ve seen some at thrift stores over the years, too.”
  — © fa**zilla_bread / Reddit

Professional Insight: Prosthetics Aren’t Just Random Objects

Experts in the comments weighed in with information about prosthetics.

• “AK prostheses are not cheap. If he stole it, he’s looking at felony charges. If you truly want to get rid of it, there are organizations that refurbish old prostheses for people who need them.”
  — © danuhorus / Reddit
• “I buy prosthetics for patients at my job. They can get to $39K and higher.”
  — © quyksilver / Reddit
• “Let’s hope your brother got their leg from someone who doesn’t need it anymore...”
  — © G**_n_T**ic_with_Dog / Reddit

Empathy and Mental Health Observations

• “An emotional support prosthetic leg—that’s a new one.”
  — © ApollymisDIL / Reddit
• “Is he being treated like a child because he has an unhealthy attachment to a prosthetic leg, or does he need an emotional support prosthesis because he’s being treated like a child?”
  — © Nik-ki / Reddit
• “So he doesn’t need it to walk—it’s just his emotional support leg. How can you deprive him of his ESL? Therapy is indicated...”
  — © twilight_songs / Reddit
• “There is most definitely some sort of mental trauma going on there. It would be like Linus bringing his blanket everywhere, except it’s a prosthetic leg. Sounds as if he needs a mental health eval to root out the source of why he feels compelled to drag this thing around with him everywhere.”
  — © HazelWoodlands / Reddit

The Final Takeaway: the Sister is Not the Bad Guy, but It’s Still Wild

While most commenters agreed the sister wasn’t wrong, the brother’s behavior remains a bizarre mystery.

• “I went from incorrectly assuming the sister was wildly ableist and cruel to being like, what am I even reading right now?”
  — © fka_interro / Reddit
• “Me and my mates found a prosthetic leg in a field once. We were obsessed with trying to figure out how it got there. For like a whole day.”
  — © ShutUpMorrissey*** / Reddit
• “Title: yeah, you’re obviously the bad guy.
  Post: oh, yeah, you’re cool, I never even considered this as a possibility.”
  — © thornhead / Reddit

In the end, this family’s story remains as strange as it is unforgettable. Whether you find yourself sympathizing with the brother’s attachment or firmly supporting the writer’s boundaries, the debate is far from over. Is this an odd coping mechanism, or something more? We’d love to hear your thoughts—what do you make of the brother and his mysterious prosthetic leg?

If you’re interested in stories about breaking barriers and redefining beauty, don’t miss our feature on a trailblazing model who’s changing the face of fashion with her golden legs and inspiring inclusivity in the industry.