My Son’s Diagnosis Revealed the Most Devastating Family Secret

Nicolas always thought he had a happy family: a wife he loved, a son he adored, and a quiet life. But everything changed the day an unexpected situation led him to discover a secret his wife had kept for years. A secret that tore him apart. In the midst of pain, betrayal, and confusion, Nicolás made an impulsive decision that took him away from what he loved most. Now he feels hurt, lost, guilty and unsure of how to move forward. Does he have the right to call himself a father? Can he mend what was broken? This is his story.

In a attempt to get some advice and guidance, Nicolas decided to share his story.

This is how Nicolas began his letter: “I don’t know how to begin this. I have read many stories in this section, always from a distance, certain that these were things that happened to others. But now I’m on the other side, with a broken heart and a question that haunts me day and night: what do I do now?

Just so you know me better, my name is Nicolas, I’m 42 years old, and until recently I thought I had a happy life. I’ve been married to my wife, Emily, for more than 15 years, and together we raised our 10-year-old son, Tomas. Being his father has always been my greatest pride. Ever since he was born, I felt that my life had a clear purpose: to take care of him, to guide him, to be there for him. But a few weeks ago, everything changed in a way I could never have imagined.”

He received news that no parent would want to hear.

Nicolas continued, “My son Tomas began to feel bad, and after several tests, we received the worst news: he had kidney failure and would probably need a transplant. The news shattered us all. But there’s always a beam of hope, and it appeared for us too. There was something I could do: I will give my kidney to him.

I said it without hesitation. I didn’t even want to wait to see if we could find another donor. I was his father, it was my responsibility. But when I mentioned it, my wife Emily reacted in a way that confused me. She objected. She told me that she didn’t want me to go through an unnecessary surgery, that we would try another way, that we would see. It seemed strange to me, but I chalked it up to stress. I thought he was also afraid of losing me.”

The news led Nicolas to discover an equally bad lie.

With much regret, Nicolas added, “Emily’s refusal, that made me uneasy. There was something in her voice, in her avoidance of the subject, that made me uneasy. So, without telling her, I went to the hospital and had the compatibility tests done.

The results came back a few days later. I can still see the envelope on the table, my hands shaking as I opened it. I read it once, twice, three times. I didn’t understand. I discovered the worst. It said that I was no match for Tomas. It wasn’t that I had little chance of being his donor...it was impossible that I was.

I felt an emptiness in my stomach, a sense of unreality. It was hard to breathe.

When I looked at Emily with the papers in my hand, she looked down and burst into tears. She didn’t need me to ask her anything. Between sobs, she confessed that a few years ago, in the midst of a crisis in our marriage, she had made a mistake. When she got pregnant, she was never sure who the father was. And she decided not to find out. She decided that I would raise him, that I would never find out. The words hit me like rocks. Everything I believed about my life, about my family, crumbled.”

Nicolas made a life-changing decision and never looked back.

Nicolas continued, "I don’t remember exactly what I told him, only that I left the house feeling empty, betrayed, lost. When I returned, I was not the same. I was a shell of what I once was, a being immersed in an alternate reality, in total numbness. We barely spoke for days. I stayed at home for Tomas, because despite everything I couldn’t leave him. But the pain was unbearable.

Then I realized something that changed my life in seconds: I do feel responsibility for my son. I still called him “son” in my mind, though I had a feeling I would never call his mom a “wife” again.

Tomas had started changing—more silence, more storms behind his eyes. I think he thought it was just the illness eating away at him, but I could see something deeper: fear, anger, maybe even guilt he didn’t deserve. He began pushing back hard—sharp words, slammed doors. One night, it boiled over because he wouldn’t turn off the TV. He shouted, voice shaking, “Don’t tell me what to do! I wish you weren’t my father!”

My heart cracked, but I didn’t flinch. I walked over and wrapped him in a hug with every ounce of love I still had to give, and whispered, “You know, when you were just a tiny boy—barely walking—you chose me. I swear you did. You looked at me like I hung the moon and decided, ‘That one. He’s my dad.’ And now, here you are, no longer that small boy, but a man. So how about this? Let’s be friends—like real men do.”

Later that night, we watched The Lion King together in silence, until he looked at me through tearful eyes and grinned, "So, we’re friends like Timon and Pumbaa?"—and for the first time in weeks, we laughed.

An impulsive decision turned into something Nicolas will never forgive himself for.

I love Tomas. There is no DNA test that can change that. I raised him, I was there for every single one of his important moments. He is my son, I feel that in every fiber of my body. But I feel that he deserves to know the truth, sooner or later, about me not being his real dad. I’m torn by this, I feel anxious only at a single thought about this.

I’m in a hotel with my suitcase open, not knowing if I should go home. I took a pause to think things over. Do I tell him the truth now or hide it forever? What can I do to help him fight his illness? How do I forgive Emily when I’m still burning with betrayal? Please, Bright Side readers, tell me what to do."

What would you advise Nicolas to do? How do you think he can resolve this situation?

This is not the only story of a person with a strained family relationship who desperately needs advice. Another reader sent us a letter telling us about her complex relationship with her father, who came into her life after a long time of looking for help in a situation that was difficult to ignore.