Families are full of questionable dynamics, close relationships and the odd controversy from time to time. Betrayals, naturally, made all the worse because of the oldest cliché in the book: blood is thicker than water.
But if you thought your family was a little strange, spare a thought for those who live out their lives ignorant to the kinds of family secrets that sound like the stories of novels.
Some such family members recently took to Reddit to reveal the secrets that rocked their families to the core, and probably make your own seem a little less controversial now.
The one about your grandfather
One user wrote that his grandfather fought in WWII and, like many around him, did not speak about it much when he came home. However, his grandchildren soon realised upon his death that his refusal to elaborate on his experiences was for a reason.
“After he died, one of our relatives enquired about death benefits. Well, it turns out you don’t get any benefits if you strike an officer in basic training and go AWOL. They never really looked for him cause they likely knew he was under 18,” the user wrote.
Another user told the story of their own grandfather, who was attacked on the way home from a meeting one day and suffered amnesia because of it.
“He regained consciousness as a sailor on his way to Haiti. After landing, he lived in the country for a few months before getting into a bar brawl with a police officer and getting knocked out.
“He regained consciousness in jail, with a new-found memory of who he was. Her told this tale to a priest from jail, who believed him and wanted to help. The priest wrote my great grandmother and the American government and somehow convinced the Haitian government to let him return to America.”
The user went on to explain that he returned to his wife, had children and never broke the law again. Acknowledging the totally bizarre nature of the story, the user added that they were not "convinced it was a hoax".