# My Parents Chose My Brother's Award Over Visiting Me After A Car Crash...

An episode of [Reddit Stories](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1830891511), 2 Jun 2025, 23 min.

Audio: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APO3141958076.mp3

My Parents Chose My Brother's Award Over Visiting Me After A Car Crash...

## Transcript

[0:00] My parents chose my brother's award over visiting me after a
[0:02] car crash. Now they want my savings to bail
[0:05] him out of a fraud scandal. I refused.
[0:08] About two weeks ago, I32F was involved in a horrific car
[0:12] accident. Another automobile struck me
[0:15] from the side as I was making my way home from work.
[0:18] The force of the impact caused my automobile to overturn.
[0:21] I was later told by the paramedics that I was fortunate
[0:23] to be alive. I ultimately needed emergency
[0:26] surgery due to internal bleeding, 2 cracked ribs, and a
[0:30] damaged leg. After the procedure, I stayed in
[0:32] the hospital for a week to recuperate and try to make sense
[0:35] of things. It was difficult to be in the
[0:37] hospital both mentally and physically.
[0:40] All I wanted was for my parents to come see me as soon as I woke
[0:43] up. I assumed that as soon as they
[0:45] learned about the accident, they would rush over.
[0:47] Even though I didn't anticipate them staying the entire time, I
[0:50] would have been so grateful for a visit.
[0:53] Rather, they were absent for days.
[0:55] I waited for them to stop by or at least give me a call, but
[0:58] they didn't show up before I even received a text from them.
[1:01] I believe it was four days. To answer your question, my
[1:05] parents were told what had transpired.
[1:07] The hospital informed me that they had contacted them several
[1:10] times and that they are my emergency contacts.
[1:12] A day following my admission, the hospital was able to contact
[1:16] my parents, but the nurses reported that they appeared
[1:18] unconcerned about the situation. That obviously upset me a lot,
[1:22] but I attempted to explain it away by saying that perhaps they
[1:25] were too busy or that something else had come up.
[1:27] Fortunately, my phone was still with me because my possession
[1:30] survived the collision. Every day, at intervals of five
[1:34] to six hours, I texted my parents, but I never heard back.
[1:37] In the hospital, every day was a nightmare.
[1:40] I attempted to give my parents a lot of wiggle room because I
[1:43] really wanted to see people I knew, but it became more
[1:45] difficult every hour. Fortunately, I wasn't entirely
[1:48] alone because my pals who reside in other states were able to get
[1:52] in touch with some family members who live nearby.
[1:55] A family acquaintance came to visit me on the 6th day in the
[1:57] hospital and remarked in passing how wonderful it was that my
[2:00] brother was receiving recognition for his efforts at
[2:02] an award ceremony. I didn't know what she was
[2:05] discussing. She filled me in, but she
[2:07] appeared perplexed that I didn't know.
[2:09] As it happens, my parents didn't come to see me.
[2:12] Instead, they were at my brother's award ceremony.
[2:15] They were aware that I was in the hospital, but instead of
[2:18] helping me through a difficult period, they decided to attend
[2:20] my brother's special occasion. They were so busy getting ready
[2:24] for his big event that they had taken so long to get in touch
[2:26] with me. They were more concerned with
[2:28] their perception of his ceremony than with their daughter's
[2:30] injury. Let me be clear, before anyone
[2:33] accuses me of jealously admiring my brother, I don't find it hard
[2:36] to see why they would be proud of him.
[2:38] I am aware that he is gifted and has put a lot of effort into all
[2:41] that he has accomplished. He has always been the golden
[2:44] child, which is the problem. Since we were little, he has
[2:47] received nothing but acclaim for everything he does.
[2:50] While I have largely gone unnoticed.
[2:52] He currently works for a large corporation and is really
[2:55] successful. Therefore, this award meant a
[2:56] lot to him. However, I was actually
[2:59] convalescing from surgery. A visit or even a phone call to
[3:02] check on me would have been the very least they could have done.
[3:05] I only wanted my parents to be concerned about me and that was
[3:08] about all I was asking for. They didn't even blink an
[3:11] eyelash when I could have died that day.
[3:13] I was angry and humiliated. I attempted but was unable to
[3:17] explain my parents actions. I then made the decision to
[3:20] contact them and let them know how offended I was.
[3:23] I texted them to express my disbelief that they prioritized
[3:26] my brother's prize over my well-being.
[3:28] I expressed my pain at them not even checking in on me.
[3:32] I didn't have to wait long for an answer for the first time
[3:34] since the accident, and to be honest, I wish they hadn't
[3:37] responded. Their words simply made me feel
[3:39] worse. At first, they attempted to
[3:41] defend their behavior by claiming that they couldn't miss
[3:44] my brother's award because it was a once in a lifetime
[3:46] accomplishment. I informed them that if they had
[3:48] only taken the time to come see me sooner, they wouldn't have
[3:51] missed the event at all. After a while, they gave up
[3:54] trying to argue with me and told me that it was pointless to
[3:56] waste time coming to see me while my brother was out there
[3:59] making the family proud. That hurt more than words can
[4:02] express. It seemed like they only
[4:04] considered me as an afterthought.
[4:06] I wish I could say that their behavior astonished me, but it
[4:09] has always been like this. My brother was perfect as a
[4:12] child. Every action he took was
[4:14] praised. Every accomplishment he made,
[4:17] whether it was a scholarship, a fancy job, or perfect grades,
[4:20] was celebrated. In the meantime, I was
[4:23] constantly in the background. It was never good enough.
[4:26] Even when I performed well, every error I made was viewed as
[4:30] a disaster, and I never received the same level of help.
[4:33] I had the impression that they had already determined I was a
[4:35] failure and that nothing I did would change their thoughts.
[4:38] A week after my brother's award ceremony, my parents
[4:41] unexpectedly arrived at the hospital.
[4:43] I was initially perplexed because following our last talk,
[4:46] I had given up on contacting them.
[4:48] I knew my parents well enough to understand that they weren't
[4:51] worried when they came to see me.
[4:53] They arrived with phony smiles on their faces and bouquets in
[4:56] their hands. They made an effort to strike up
[4:58] a conversation about how I was doing, but it was obvious that
[5:01] their thoughts were elsewhere. I advised them to just say what
[5:04] was on their mind because I could tell that whatever they
[5:06] were thinking about was going to irritate me.
[5:08] The fact that they showed so little concern for my survival
[5:11] was offensive enough. I didn't need their phony pity.
[5:14] I didn't have to exert much effort.
[5:16] When my mother learned that my brother had been arrested for
[5:19] fraud at his company, she burst into tears.
[5:21] It turned out that my brother was at the heart of a huge fraud
[5:24] scheme that was discovered by the corporation he worked for.
[5:27] He had been directing funds into his personal investments by
[5:30] falsifying the company's accounts.
[5:32] Following an internal investigation, everything was
[5:34] turned over to the police and he was apprehended after a Co
[5:37] worker alerted the superiors. He is currently being charged
[5:40] with major offenses like wire fraud, forgery, and
[5:43] embezzlement. My parents had apparently
[5:46] already spent a large portion of their cash on hiring attorneys
[5:48] for him. They came to me because they
[5:50] didn't have enough money left to pay his bail.
[5:53] They asked me to utilize the money I had saved up from my
[5:56] work as a project manager at an IT business to help him out.
[5:59] Additionally, they asked whether I knew anyone who could help in
[6:02] any manner or pull some strings. I had the impression that I was
[6:05] merely a tool to clean up my brother's mess, not even their
[6:08] daughter. I continued to experience mental
[6:10] and physical pain. It was unbelievable to me that
[6:13] they would turn to me for assistance after everything.
[6:16] It was like being slapped across the face when I was laying in a
[6:19] hospital bed after surgery, afraid and alone.
[6:22] They didn't give a damn, but now that their favorite child was in
[6:25] danger, they needed me. I felt bad about it.
[6:28] Perhaps I ought to have assisted for the benefit of my family.
[6:31] The other side of me, though, was angry.
[6:34] The same brother who has always had everything handed to him.
[6:37] Why should I save him? My parents have always protected
[6:40] him, so he has never experienced any repercussions.
[6:43] Now they expect me to do the same.
[6:45] I informed them that I would not assist.
[6:47] I said that even if I did have the money, I wouldn't feel
[6:50] obligated to help him out. I made it obvious who they cared
[6:53] about more and reminded them that they hadn't even come to
[6:56] see me yet. They insisted that I was being
[6:58] self-centered and that family should be together.
[7:01] I couldn't get myself to care, even though they said I would
[7:03] regret not helping my brother. To be honest, my brother has
[7:07] always taken precedence over me. I was never enough for them no
[7:11] matter how hard I tried. They wanted me to simply forget
[7:14] all the times they disregarded me, left me out, and made me
[7:17] feel unimportant now that they needed something from me.
[7:20] I felt in control of the situation for the first time in
[7:23] my life and I wasn't going to let that go.
[7:25] I'm laying in my hospital bed right now, feeling a mixture of
[7:28] anger and remorse since I said no.
[7:31] My parents haven't spoken to me and I know they're upset, but I
[7:34] simply can't bring myself to care any longer.
[7:37] I'm done trying to gain their approval.
[7:39] I've wasted too much time Aida for standing up to my parents
[7:43] after everything they've done to me and not helping my brother.
[7:46] They keep repeating that family should always remain together.
[7:48] Therefore, I feel like I might be the villain.
[7:51] However, the way they have treated me throughout my life
[7:53] and particularly now is something I simply cannot get
[7:56] over. I feel like I've had enough, but
[7:59] I'm not sure what to do first. Update Hello everybody, I wanted
[8:03] to express my gratitude for your support of my initial article.
[8:07] I was able to maintain my position because of that,
[8:10] although I didn't anticipate updating so quickly.
[8:12] A lot has transpired since then. I was eventually released from
[8:16] the hospital a few days after my parents arrived.
[8:19] I can walk, but my leg fracture requires crutches and breathing
[8:22] is still difficult as my ribs heal.
[8:24] Going home, finding some serenity, and escaping the
[8:27] turmoil were all things I was looking forward to.
[8:30] The moment I arrived at my apartment, that hope was dashed.
[8:33] I knew things wouldn't go well as soon as I spotted my folks
[8:36] who were waiting for me just outside my door.
[8:38] They must have called the hospital to find out the precise
[8:41] time of my discharge because I hadn't told them.
[8:44] They wasted no time at all. They began hammering me before I
[8:47] could even remove my keys. They were incensed and informed
[8:50] me that by not helping my brother, I had gone too far.
[8:54] It's the most irate I've ever seen them.
[8:56] They seemed more unhappy with me for refusing than they were with
[8:59] my brother's deception. They talked endlessly about how
[9:02] family should always come first. They said I was selfish and
[9:05] vindictive. They claimed that I was using
[9:07] this circumstance as a means of exacting revenge on them because
[9:10] I had resentment toward my brother.
[9:12] They didn't care that I was still recovering from my near
[9:15] death experience a week prior. They simply viewed me as a
[9:18] barrier to their beloved son's rescue.
[9:20] They had the audacity to say that they expected me to step up
[9:23] now. They said that this was my
[9:25] opportunity to show that I wasn't a let down and that I
[9:27] could be part of the family by acting morally.
[9:30] It was crazy. They essentially acknowledged
[9:33] that I wasn't related to them and that helping my brother was
[9:35] the only way I could make amends.
[9:37] Things truly took a turn for the worst when I informed them
[9:39] outright that I wouldn't do it. My mother began crying at my
[9:43] door screaming things like we've already lost one child and now
[9:46] we're going to lose 2 and you're punishing us for loving him
[9:49] more. In contrast, my dad simply
[9:52] became more irate and wasn't attempting to shame me.
[9:55] He repeatedly accused me of being cold hearted and
[9:57] self-centered, claiming that I had no regard for the family and
[10:00] that I would regret it once they were gone.
[10:02] To be honest, it was everything I could do to not lose it.
[10:05] I was told I was a bad person for not cleaning up my brother's
[10:08] mess, even though I was already fatigued from the hospital stay
[10:11] and could not stand on my crutches.
[10:13] The fact that my parents intentionally treated my brother
[10:16] better and that they love him more than I did just serve to
[10:18] exacerbate the situation. I didn't give up, though.
[10:21] I warned them that I would call the police if they didn't leave
[10:24] and that I wouldn't pay a dime for his bail or legal bills
[10:27] after that. They eventually backed off, but
[10:29] not before insulting me once again.
[10:31] My brother's case made headlines a few days after that onslaught
[10:34] at the door. It seems that the deception was
[10:37] far larger than we initially believed.
[10:39] Evidence that he had been transferring business funds for
[10:42] more than a year, some of which had been laundered through
[10:44] fictitious business accounts in his name, was discovered by the
[10:47] police. Additionally, as part of a
[10:49] broader inquiry, they found that he had assisted several
[10:52] colleagues in concealing their embezzled funds.
[10:54] My brother is now being charged with conspiracy and money
[10:57] laundering in addition to fraud. He might spend a significant
[11:00] amount of time behind bars if convicted.
[11:03] The fallout has been harsh. My parents are really freaked
[11:06] out. My brother's reputation has been
[11:08] utterly destroyed after they boasted about his
[11:10] accomplishments to everyone they knew for years.
[11:13] People aren't buying into their attempts to control the
[11:15] situation by claiming that it's all a misunderstanding and that
[11:18] it will all be resolved. When word spread that his son
[11:21] was embroiled in a significant fraud case, my dad even lost a
[11:24] significant client. They're fumbling and it's
[11:27] obvious they don't know what to do.
[11:29] Naturally, they came stumbling back to me.
[11:31] They made no effort to conceal their desperation this time.
[11:34] They indicated they needed my assistance just this once to get
[11:38] through this because they were under a lot of stress.
[11:40] They insisted that they would have an opportunity to fix
[11:43] things and keep the family together if I helped my brother.
[11:46] But I understood exactly what that meant.
[11:49] Keeping the family together meant preserving the appearance
[11:51] that their ideal kid had done nothing wrong, and fixing things
[11:54] meant hiding his transgressions. They've gone completely silent
[11:58] after I told them no once more. Nothing.
[12:01] No texts, no calls. They seem to have given up on
[12:04] me. To be honest.
[12:06] They most likely view me as a hopeless failure who abandoned
[12:08] the family when they most needed her.
[12:10] But what do you know, I no longer give a damn.
[12:14] I feel like I'm in charge for the first time in my life.
[12:17] Knowing that my parents just saw me as a fall back option,
[12:19] someone to control in case something goes wrong hurts.
[12:23] However, it also feels fantastic to put myself first for once and
[12:26] to finally say no to appease them.
[12:29] I won't help my brother and I won't allow them to use guilt to
[12:32] get me to correct a situation they started.
[12:34] They must now deal with the repercussions of their
[12:36] decisions. 2nd update Since many of you have been inquiring about
[12:41] my condition, the truth is that things have gotten even more
[12:44] problematic. It was my brother who sent me an
[12:46] e-mail since he doesn't have access to a phone while
[12:49] incarcerated. He persuaded one of his friends,
[12:52] who still maintains his innocence, to contact me on his
[12:55] behalf. I was initially inclined to
[12:57] simply remove it without reading it.
[12:59] I assumed it was just another attempt to use guilt to get me
[13:02] to assist him. However, my curiosity overcame
[13:05] me and I opened it. My brother said he was being
[13:08] framed in the e-mail. Although he vowed he wasn't the
[13:11] mastermind, he acknowledged that he was a part of the fraud at
[13:13] his company. He claims that the superiors
[13:16] used him as a scapegoat to hide their own wrongdoing.
[13:19] He even said that while he was trapped taking the fall, certain
[13:22] powerful executives were still able to move freely.
[13:25] He pleaded with me for assistance, not for our parents,
[13:28] but because he believed that I was the only one who could save
[13:30] the family from disintegrating entirely.
[13:33] I was genuinely offended by that line.
[13:35] Perhaps it was because my brother finally admitted how
[13:37] poisonous our parents have been. He acknowledged that they have
[13:40] consistently mistreated me and exploited him to stroke their
[13:43] egos. Seeing him acknowledge that was
[13:45] odd because he had always complied with it.
[13:48] I couldn't get rid of the impression, though, that he was
[13:50] just saying anything he felt would persuade me to assist him.
[13:53] He also said that I should help him by saving the family, which
[13:57] is what my parents have been saying ever since this fiasco
[13:59] began. I kept asking myself if there
[14:02] was any truth to what he was saying, even though I promised
[14:04] myself I was done with all of this.
[14:06] Could it be that he was actually being set up?
[14:09] What if I was mistaken about how huge this was?
[14:12] I wanted to know for sure. Part of me.
[14:14] I therefore made the decision to investigate.
[14:17] I mentioned the problem to a buddy of mine who is a lawyer
[14:19] and whom I trusted. Since they were not involved in
[14:22] the case, they were unable to provide me with a complete legal
[14:25] breakdown. However, they did offer me some
[14:28] guidance on where to find additional information.
[14:30] After doing some additional research, I discovered that my
[14:33] brother's story wasn't entirely untrue.
[14:35] There was no doubt that he was a fraudster, however, based on my
[14:39] understanding, it appeared that he wasn't the one controlling
[14:42] everything. Evidently, he was not the only
[14:44] victim of the fraud plan. My brother was utilized as a
[14:48] pawn by several high level executives who had been
[14:50] transferring corporate funds for years.
[14:52] Since he was responsible for overseeing specific accounts, he
[14:55] was held solely responsible. When things went S, my brother
[14:59] was left holding the bag because these superiors had purposefully
[15:02] separated themselves from the grunt work.
[15:04] I felt torn after learning all of this.
[15:06] I was upset that he was involved in something so dubious in the
[15:09] 1st place. On the one hand, he was involved
[15:12] in a serious crime regardless of whether he was the mastermind or
[15:15] merely a pawn. He wasn't just an innocent
[15:17] bystander who unknowingly became involved in anything.
[15:20] He followed through because he knew what he was doing.
[15:23] Most likely, he believed he would never be caught.
[15:26] However, I did feel a little sorry for him.
[15:28] At the same time, knowing that he was exploited by those with
[15:31] greater strength and expertise in hiding their trails is
[15:34] difficult. It's obvious that those
[15:36] executives were well versed in their roles and made sure my
[15:39] brother would bear the brunt of any negative outcomes if he
[15:42] hadn't been raised in a household that encouraged him to
[15:44] take shortcuts. As long as you were successful
[15:46] on the outside, I couldn't help but wonder how things may have
[15:49] turned out. He most likely believed that he
[15:51] was untouchable because of our parents unceasing protection and
[15:54] adulation. My folks were unexpectedly
[15:56] silent when I told them what I had discovered.
[15:59] Although they didn't want to acknowledge it, I believe that
[16:01] they secretly understood my brother wasn't an innocent
[16:04] victim. They persisted in promoting the
[16:06] same story, claiming that I was selfish for not prioritizing the
[16:09] family and callous for not assisting him rather than
[16:12] admitting the reality. It was like speaking to a
[16:14] Stonewall when you spoke to them.
[16:16] I've made the decision to stop interacting with them at this
[16:19] time. I've made-up my mind and I'm
[16:21] sticking with it. No matter how much he wants to
[16:23] blame the executives, my brother still made his bed and now has
[16:27] to lie about it. My parents are at fault if they
[16:29] wish to continue supporting him. If the situations were reversed,
[16:33] I wouldn't ruin myself trying to help someone who wouldn't do
[16:35] anything for me. To be honest, I've not felt so
[16:38] at ease in a long time. Even though my family will never
[16:41] believe it, I know I made the right decision.
[16:44] I've been treated like I didn't matter for far too long, and I'm
[16:47] sick of it. Although my brother's
[16:48] predicament is awful, I am not responsible for fixing it.
[16:52] Once again, I want to thank everyone who has helped me along
[16:55] the way. Although it hasn't been simple,
[16:57] it has been a huge comfort to know that I'm not the only one
[17:00] who feels this way. 3rd update. I now have enough information to
[17:04] provide you all with an update, even though it has been more
[17:06] than a month since my Last Post. I'll start with what my parents
[17:10] did. When they realize that insulting
[17:12] me and pleading with me wouldn't work, they made the decision to
[17:15] do something else, which was to make me even more miserable than
[17:18] I already was. They contacted several of my
[17:20] aunts, uncles, and cousins to express their disdain and
[17:23] selfishness for not helping my brother.
[17:25] They gave the impression that my refusal to assist was motivated
[17:28] by spite and that I was simply sitting on a mound of money.
[17:31] All they said was that I was a monster and should not be
[17:34] trusted. Only until one of my cousins
[17:36] contacted me and informed me that my parents were spreading
[17:39] unfavorable rumors about me did I learn the truth.
[17:42] They cleverly omitted the fact that they left me in the
[17:44] hospital and hadn't contacted me since, completely twisting the
[17:47] tail to make it seem like I was harboring resentment.
[17:50] I was only ever summoned to assist my brother.
[17:53] I was hurt at first. Even though I had defended
[17:55] myself, it seemed like I was being punished again.
[17:58] I believed that I would be left on my own with no one to support
[18:01] me. However, an unforeseen event
[18:03] occurred. Several distant relatives began
[18:06] contacting me rather than supporting my parents.
[18:08] It turns out that my parents treatment of others and constant
[18:11] emphasis on my brother caused them to sour relations with a
[18:14] lot of individuals over the years.
[18:16] I was unaware of the depth of this.
[18:18] I started hearing stories from relatives I hadn't spoken to in
[18:21] years, and to be honest, they were all more startling than the
[18:24] last. My brother once borrowed A
[18:26] substantial amount of money from her husband to invest in a
[18:28] business venture, according to an aunt who informed me about
[18:31] it. Naturally, the plan failed and
[18:33] my parents severed all ties with my aunt when she attempted to
[18:36] recoup her money. They even propagated the idea
[18:39] that my aunt was avaricious and unsupportive of her family.
[18:42] According to another cousin, my brother blamed a parking lot
[18:45] attendant for my uncle's car crash at a family gathering a
[18:48] few years ago. To keep the family from being
[18:50] embarrassed, my parents supported him and made sure the
[18:53] rumor didn't get out. They accused my uncle of
[18:56] attempting to damage my brother's reputation when he
[18:58] attempted to address them about it.
[19:00] There were several examples like this one where my parents either
[19:03] covered up my brother's wrongdoing or silenced anyone
[19:05] who dared to speak up. My brother and another family
[19:08] member had a business partnership, but my parents
[19:11] ruined it because they believe the relative wasn't renowned
[19:13] enough to be affiliated with their son.
[19:15] According to one relative, it was both startling and
[19:18] reassuring to hear all of this. I wasn't insane.
[19:21] It's true that my parents have a long history of ignoring others
[19:24] and hiding behind my brother. For a long time, I believed that
[19:28] I was somehow to blame for my parents treatment of me, that
[19:30] perhaps I wasn't good enough or didn't live up to their
[19:33] standards. It was never about me though, as
[19:36] I now see they constantly wanted to keep my brother safe at any
[19:39] costs. They even avoided family members
[19:42] who questioned them or obstructed their path.
[19:44] For those who wonder why my parents were so in need of my
[19:47] assistance, the answer is because I have established a
[19:50] strong life for myself. In spite of their lack of
[19:52] encouragement. I've developed excellent
[19:54] relationships and managed my finances wisely.
[19:56] In my role as project manager for a reputable IT company, I've
[20:00] saved money and made prudent investments.
[20:02] My parents knew I had the money, which is why they were so
[20:05] frantic. They failed to realize, however,
[20:08] that I didn't want to help just because I could, especially for
[20:11] those who have treated me like an afterthought my whole life.
[20:14] There has been an update on my brother's case.
[20:16] My parents eventually gathered together enough cash from loans
[20:19] and favors to get him out of jail after I refused to bail him
[20:22] out. However, the inquiry was far
[20:24] from finished. My brother made the decision to
[20:27] assist the authorities a few weeks ago.
[20:29] According to what I understand, he provided information about
[20:32] the higher ups who were complicit in the scam, which
[20:35] aided in the prosecution's progress.
[20:37] He was able to receive a lighter sentence as a result of his
[20:39] cooperation. He will serve a year and then
[20:42] perform community service in lieu of years in prison.
[20:45] To be honest, that doesn't make me feel any better.
[20:48] His cooperation is commendable, but that doesn't change the fact
[20:51] that he initially decided to participate in the plot.
[20:54] Furthermore, I don't think this event will significantly alter
[20:57] my brother. I don't think he will quit
[20:59] having my parents clean up his mess anytime soon.
[21:02] For my part, I've decided to permanently cut off contact with
[21:05] my parents, which I probably should have done a long time
[21:07] ago. They are blocked on all of my
[21:09] platforms. I even instructed the front desk
[21:12] of my building to deny them entry if they returned without
[21:15] warning. I'm tired of serving as their
[21:17] fall back option, scapegoat, or emotional target.
[21:21] I'm surprisingly not depressed about it.
[21:23] I had assumed that leaving my family would be a great loss,
[21:26] but instead it feels liberating. I can now live my life without
[21:29] having to continually compare myself to my brother or ask for
[21:32] morsels of affection from people who would never show it to me.
[21:35] The family members who got in touch have been incredible.
[21:38] They've shown me that I'm not alone, and I feel supported for
[21:41] the first time in a long time. It's weird because after years
[21:44] of my parents excluding me, I've unexpectedly found a family.
[21:48] In fact, I'm excited to get to know these relatives better
[21:51] because many of them have invited me to family events that
[21:53] my parents won't be there. One of my aunts even expressed
[21:56] regret for not recognizing the situation sooner.
[21:59] She claimed that although she always thought something wasn't
[22:01] right with the way my parents treated me, she kept quiet about
[22:04] it because she didn't want to start a fight.
[22:06] She is now one of my biggest supporters, along with a few
[22:09] other family members. For the first time, I feel
[22:12] hopeful even though I have no idea what the future contains.
[22:16] I appreciate all of your help and guidance during this trip.
[22:19] Reading your comments helped me realize that I wasn't insane for
[22:22] sticking up for myself. Even though it hasn't been easy,
[22:25] it feels so amazing to finally feel like I'm in charge of my
[22:28] life. Thank you for watching.
[22:30] If you haven't subscribed yet, please do so and hit the
[22:32] notification bell to stay updated with more shocking real
[22:35] life stories happening around you.

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