Sibling Showdown: A Tale of Family, Forgiveness, and Fury
Alright, darlings, buckle up because today’s story takes us on a whirlwind emotional rollercoaster, all inspired by a real Reddit post. Picture this: a sister’s righteous fury, a brother’s drunken confession, and a heart-wrenching tale of healthcare neglect. This story, served with extra sass and a dash of wit, is bound to stir up more tea than the Boston Tea Party.
The Setup: Schizophrenia, Strokes, and Sibling Tension
Once upon a time, in the not-so-magical land of familial dysfunction, lived a 27-year-old heroine we’ll call Jane (no, not her real name, but let’s keep it simple). Jane and her 25-year-old brother, James, were raised by their single dad after their mother did a disappearing act that would make Houdini proud. Their lives were a kaleidoscope of challenges.
Growing up, Jane took the 24/7 job of caretaker quite seriously, especially after their dad was diagnosed with schizophrenia when she was 18. Her mental health took a back seat as she struggled to manage her dad’s condition alone. James? Well, he took the “Not-My-Problem Express” to Avoidanceville and left Jane in the trenches.
Fast Forward: Heart Failure Hits Home
As if things weren’t fun enough, when Jane hit 23, her dad suffered a stroke and was diagnosed with heart failure. Despite needing a break from playing Florence Nightingale, Jane soldiered on, but eventually moved out of state for her sanity. She needed to breathe, people!
James, flashing the rare glimmer of responsibility, promised to step up. Cue the world’s smallest violin. A promise from James was about as reliable as a chocolate teapot.
The Big Blow: Neglect and Negligence
By September of 2022, Jane’s spidey senses tingled, suspecting her dad’s health was declining. She reached out to her knight in tarnished armor, James, about the potential Power of Attorney rights, ensuring their dad got the care he needed. And what did James do?
He accused Jane of being dramatic and told her to chill (because, you know, a heart attack is just like a minor headache). By November, Jane hadn’t heard from her dad in days. Horrified, she called for a welfare check, and here’s where the bomb drops. Her father was found deceased, likely from a heart attack.
Jane rushed back home, probably shattering several speed limits, only to find James in a drunken stupor. And then—hold your hypothetical martinis—he confessed he saw their dad the day before his death. Described him as “unrecognizable, sick, couldn’t eat or move.” What did James do? He brought him energy drinks and left. Energy drinks, people. Einstein would be proud.
The Aftershock: Sibling Smackdown and Emotional Fallout
Jane’s response? She unleashed a tsunami of pent-up anger. “I hate you, I’ll probably never forgive you for this. The one time you had to be an adult, you couldn’t, and you may have cost him his life,” she snapped. Honestly, Zeus himself would have clapped.
Now, she’s labeled heartless by her family. But is she really? Let’s break it down. Her brother didn’t just fail their dad; he failed Jane too. All she got from her family was blame. Family drama or Greek tragedy? Hard to tell.
The Emotional Wreckage: Grief, Guilt, and a Side of Therapy
Jane was robbed of her father’s final moments—the goodbye, the thank you, the last “I love you.” Adding insult to injury, the authorities told her she couldn’t prove anything about James’ involvement without concrete evidence. Not a comforting thought when your life feels like it’s been co-authored by Kafka.
Taking accountability—because she’s the real adult here—Jane moved states for a break, which she begrudgingly admits had its consequences. But she also begs the question: why didn’t anyone else step up? She asked for help, and everyone bailed faster than rats off a sinking ship.
Roger’s Sassy Verdict: A Symphony of Sibling Strife
So, is Jane the A-hole here? Absolutely not. If anything, she’s a damn hero. James? He needs a long, hard look in the mirror.
Listen, darlings, family dynamics are messy. People screw up. Forgiveness isn’t mandatory, but healing is. Jane has every right to feel angry and betrayed. James, meanwhile, should be doing some serious soul-searching. Therapy, anyone?
In the grand tapestry of sibling shenanigans, this story is a cautionary tale. Don’t take your loved ones for granted. And for heaven’s sake, if someone hands you responsibility, don’t treat it like a hot potato.
So, Jane, I stand with you. Hold your ground, speak your truth, and let the healing begin. And James, it’s high time you get a clue—maybe two.
Original story
AITA for telling my brother I hate him and I’ll probably never be able to forgive him
Background I 27f and brother 25m were raised by a single dad our mom left we didn’t really have family so we only had each other. I’ll refer to my dad as dad and brother as James.
Fast forward to 18 year old me my dad was diagnosed with schizophrenia that took a lot on me mentally because my brother refused to help. My dad accepted help and was put on medication fast forward to 23 year old me my dad had a stroke and was diagnosed with heart failure.
I was the sole care taker and it was breaking me. He still worked and could fully function unless he had an episode which was rare with the meds.
Fast forward I move out of the state for my peace and a break my brother James promised to step up. September of 22 I could tell my dad was going off the deep end so I called James to advise of POA rights James told me I was being dramatic and didn’t need to worry about it cause I was selfish and left.
Fast forward November 2 days go by I didn’t hear from my dad. I called a welfare check and they found him deceased believed heart attack.
I immediately flew back home that day. When I get there james drunkenly confesses to me he seen him the day before and describe him as “unrecognizable, sick, couldn’t eat, move or anything.
” James brought him some energy drinks and left quoting “if it was that bad he’s an adult and would’ve asked to go to the doctor.” I stood there stunned.
No words. My brother kept pushing me to say something when finally I snapped and said “I hate you, I’ll probably never forgive you for this.
The one time you had to be an adult you couldn’t and had you did there’s a possibility he could still be alive today.” He called me a heartless b* and now all of my family is saying the same but I feel my feelings are valid so AITA?
Edit to add: I understand eventually I would have had to come to terms with him dying, but the part I’m angriest about is my brother robbed me of his final moments, I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t get to tell him how much he meant to me.
I didn’t get to tell him how he was my hero. I didn’t get to say thank you for still loving me everyday when my birth mom left us cause we were a burden.
I feel like I was robbed of so many things.
Edit 2: I did explain to the police the next week what happened and exactly what my brother had told me when the autopsy on my father was performed. When I spoke to the detective they said basically I was SOL because I had no proof other than his confession that I also had no proof of.
An because I couldn’t concretely prove my dad was in a manic state at the time of the incident that nothing really could be done especially giving the heart failure diagnosis that was given 2 years prior. I also want to say thank you so much for all of the support even the non supportive ones.
I understand that me leaving the state did make me responsible and I take accountability for that and regret that everyday. But I have taken up seeing a therapist who specializes in grief.
Ive been very angry for a long time. My dad had living brother and sisters and a dad who lived in the same state who knew everything and also did nothing.
I guess while my main focused anger has been at my brother for a long time I’m angry at everyone who I begged to help who promised they would and didn’t. Either way there’s a lot of comments and I can’t really keep up through the tears.
But I again want to say thank you. This is the first time my anger and pain has felt seen in a while and I appreciate that.