Abby Connolly
“I had no idea that my dad had married his girlfriend and had two other kids or that my mom had gotten married and had twins until my grandmother told me. I started to resent both of them, but my sweet grandmother kept me grounded. She provided for me, ensured I graduated, and helped me get into a good college.”
His parents visited for milestone events like birthdays and would send him essentials, but that only lasted a few years.
When he turned 18, he wanted to honor his grandmother by changing his last name to her maiden name, and ever since he did that, he has heard even less from his parents.
At 29, he graduated college, got a great job, got engaged, and has been living a fairly happy life. When his grandmother passed away four years ago, he couldn’t even get in touch with his dad to make arrangements, and he was the only family member at her funeral service.
However, everything changed when, recently, he got an email from both of his estranged parents.
“My dad said he wants to apologize and attend my wedding, and his kids want to meet their big brother,” he recalled.
“He also mentioned that my mom wanted to meet me and apologize. He even had the audacity to write that he was disappointed in me changing my last name but ‘understood [why].’ I’ve already moved on without them, and [I’ve] multiple milestones in my life and career without their support, so I replied, stating I don’t know him or my mom, added a few other harsh words, and told them never to contact me again.”
When he mentioned this email and his response to his fiancée, who is a very family-oriented person, she was disappointed in him. His fiancée believes that family is family and his parents deserve a second chance, which has made him feel cruddy.
Do you think he should give his parents a second chance to get to know him or leave things the way they are?
You can read the original post on Reddit here.
