Update: 68-year-old woman reunites with her bio family living across the globe, immediately guilted into caring for the mother who gave her away: ‘[Bio-mom] isa very strict and spiteful woman who treated the people who worked for her horribly”

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Feb 18, 2025 2:00 PM EST

Reuniting with your biological family sounds sweet in theory, until you realize it comes with baggage heavier than a 96-year-old matriarch who needs full-time care. A 68-year-old woman recently stumbled upon her long-lost biological family and was immediately welcomed with open arms, and a request to take care of the mother she never knew existed. Surprise! Here's your new family and a full-time job you didn't ask for.  

Now, if you were hoping this was one of those heartwarming "family reunites after decades apart" stories, let's stop you right there. Turns out bio-mom is no cookie-baking sweetheart.

The newly discovered "mother" isn't exactly winning any lifetime achievement awards for parenting. She's the kind of person who treated people horribly, didn't want daughters, and even tried giving away her kids when it was convenient. Truly an inspiration. Her sons turned out just as spectacular, mastering the art of financial freeloading while enjoying inherited wealth. Family reunions are supposed to bring people closer, but this one seems to exist solely to see how much free labor and money they can squeeze out of their long-lost sibling.

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  • 01

    "Update - My (68F) mother was given away for adoption. Now her (69M, 72M, 65F) bio-siblings are asking her to care for her (96F) bio-mother."

    "She never wanted daughters and even tried to give away her other daughter"
    via vcgcorbis

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Luckily, the woman’s no fool. Instead of becoming her mother’s live-in nurse, she’s opting for a one-time financial contribution and a very clear message to her brothers: not my circus, not my monkeys. Of course, her brothers aren’t thrilled the cash flow has been capped, but what’s family without a little entitlement? 

    Every reunion has its ups and downs, but this one is less "tearful hugs" and more "please lose my number."

  • 02
    Update! Hey y'all! First of all, thank you so much for all the responses to my previous post. I decided to share it with my mom and let her read your comments. She was really moved by the similar stories some of you shared.
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  • 03
    This led to a deep conversation between us. Over the past few years, my mom has learned a lot about her adoption. Unfortunately, my bio-grandma
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  • 04
    was not a good person. The wife of one of my bio-uncles (let's call her Maria) sat my mom down a few years ago and told her everything.
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  • 05

    If you were hoping this was one of those heartwarming “family reunites after decades apart” stories, let’s stop you right there

    Cheezburger Image 10469200640
    via JohnCe

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 06
    Turns out, my bio-grandma was a very strict and spiteful woman who treated the people who worked for her horribly. She never wanted daughters and even tried to give away her other
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  • 07
    daughter, but that adoption fell through, so she kept her. My bio- aunt went through a really tough time growing up and that's why she moved abroad. Her brothers never supported her the way they
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  • 08
    cheated her out of part of her inheritance. Maria is now thinking about leaving her husband since their kids are grown, and she doesn't want to stay married to a man she knows isn't a good person.
    via ThrowRA_Sout9042
  • 09
    As for my mom, she never felt a bond with her bio-mother. But after hearing everything from Maria, she's decided she doesn't want much contact at all. She knows exactly what kind of people her bio-brothers are and
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  • 10
    never wanted a super close relationship with them (they're not in daily contact anyway), but she does feel attached to her nieces, nephews, and their wives. That's the main reason she hasn't cut ties completely.
    via ThrowRA_Sout9042
  • 11
    My mom has decided she will help financially but won't take bio-grandma into her home. She's doing it mainly to support her bio-sister, who is under pressure from their brothers to care for their mother. My mom
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  • 12
    has tried to get closer to her bio- sister over the years, but her sister has kept her distance. She explained that she has deep trauma from growing up with their mother and wants to maintain some emotional space. But she's still happy they met.
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  • 13
    This past Christmas, my bio-aunt came to Greece and stayed at our house. I wasn't there because I was visiting friends in the Netherlands, but my mom and her sister spent time together, and it brought them closer. My
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  • 14
    aunt told my mom to cut off her brothers completely and even invited her to move to her country. She has made it clear she wants only a formal relationship with the rest of the family-except for my mom, whom she loves dearly.
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    (Side note for the skeptics: My aunt is financially independent and comfortable. She has never asked my mom-or anyone else ―for anything.)
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  • 16
    I had no idea about most of this because my mom didn't want me to see my uncles in a bad light. She still thinks she'll keep some minimal relationship with them, but she's especially close with a few of her nieces and nephews and doesn't want to lose that.
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  • 17
    One of my cousins (Maria's son) even confided in my mom that he wants to cut ties with his father. When my bio-uncle asked my mom for help, this cousin-who's only 25-pulled her aside and
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  • 18
    told her to stay away and not give them anything because they don't deserve it. That really got to me. It showed me that not everyone in this family is selfish or manipulative.
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  • 19
    I actually have a good relationship with this cousin. He gets along great with my fiancé since they work in the same field. After learning all this, I met up with him last night, and we
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  • 20
    talked. He has moved out on his own but still keeps some contact with his dad, mainly because he wants to wait until Maria leaves before cutting ties completely.
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  • 21
    He told me that his father and uncle inherited a lot of wealth and never really had to work. They started some businesses, but when they struggled, they took large sums of money from bio-grandma and other relatives.
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    Cheezburger Image 10469200896
    via JohnCe

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 23
    Now they've recovered and live comfortably—but they never paid back what they owe. My cousin is ashamed of his family's actions and doesn't want to be judged for them. He also believes they are trying to financially exploit my mom. Because he cares about her and really respects my parents, he warned them not to get involved.
    via ThrowRA_Sout9042
  • 24
    After everything, my parents and I made a decision: My mom will give one lump sum of money for her bio-mother's care. Whether they put her in a nursing home or hire a caregiver is their problem. She will also have a final talk with her brothers to make it clear that she is not taking care of their mother because that woman was never a mother to her.
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  • 25
    When Maria manages to get divorced (which my parents want to support her through), we expect the relationship with the brothers to fall apart. My mom is still sad that she never found the ideal family she imagined, but she feels lucky to have her sister, Maria, and her nephew, whom she truly loves.
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  • 26
    As for the wedding, we decided to invite them to avoid unnecessary drama.
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  • 27
    That's the update for now! I truly appreciate all the comments and support. I feel sorry for those who have gone through similar painful experiences, and I hope no one has to go through this again.
    via ThrowRA_Sout9042
  • 28
    Lastly, I feel terrible for ever doubting my grandparents—the ones who actually raised my mom. They were amazing, kind, and compassionate people who helped so many others in the U.S.
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  • 29
    Everything they had was earned through hard work. I'm so grateful they adopted my mom, and I wish they had also taken in my aunt.
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  • 30
    Thank you again, everyone! If I have another update, I'll be back!?
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  • 31
    SnooWords4839 Your mom really shouldn't give anything for the woman, who gave her away.
    via SnooWords4839
  • 32
    If she gives something, it should be small. The uncles benefited from her, they should be the ones responsible.
    via ThrowRA_Sout9042

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family drama inheritance aita AITAH brother mother tradition siblings family feud favoritism wedding aunt sister fiancé grandmother Father
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