There are secrets in every family, but some are bigger and scarier than others. Today, we’re sharing shocking truths about family histories that people have been brave enough to share. Even though many of these stories are heartbreaking or shocking, the people who shared them have chosen to use them as a compass to help them get through life with more strength and clarity.

“My dad would take me to school at 5 a.m., long before anyone else got there.” He always parked a long way away, close to a broken fence on the edge of the school grounds. It was “healthy” and a nice way to start the day for him to walk through the mist in the morning. I asked why we parked so far away one foggy morning. He gave a shrug and said it was to get some fresh air. I found out the horrible truth years later, and it broke me. Based on what my aunt told me, my dad had been working double shifts just to keep our car running since my mom left. I didn’t know what he was going through when I was his age because he always had a big smile on his face. Now that I’m 20 years older, I see that he was parked far away because he didn’t want anyone to see our rusty, barely working car. He was afraid that if the other kids found out how poor we were, they would make fun of me. Those early starts and long walks were his last-ditch efforts to protect me from other people’s harsh judgment.

I found out that my dad won the lottery. Our family has been acting like they are poor so they don’t have to ask for money. Not a known author/Reddit

We’ve never met my dad’s brother because he always said he died before we were born. He has cut ties with almost everyone, so he doesn’t even know if his brother is alive or dead. From ttttttodayjr on Reddit

I learned that when my mom’s parents split up, her dad got custody of the kids. After that, her mom took her, but luckily, her dad found them soon after. From Reddit user Slippery_Fish8787

They got a divorce 35 years ago after only 3 years of being together. Since I’m stuck between them and have to watch them fight, I’ve been through a lot. They bother me even though I’m 36 years old, especially my mom. They went on to see each other for another 15 years after they got divorced. A few self-centered people. But I should have cut ties with them. Not a known author/Reddit

When I was 30, I learned that I had a brother who was 15 years old. This was because my dad had an affair with the mother of a girl I went to school with. Not a known author/Reddit

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