[Guest_Dinah_Harris_*]

This week, after doing a little family research, I stumbled across a distant relative who had secretly married another woman and had a secret family that the rest of my family knew nothing about until he died.
It got me thinking about people leading double lives, and people who have secrets that only come out once they've died.
What do you think would be the worst thing to discover about a loved one upon their death? Has this ever happened to you?

[Maple Leaf]

Not me personally, but a family friend. Her father disappeared and presumed dead (fishing boat accident). Years later he was spotted in another state with another family. He had faked his death.

So, kind of not what you were asking, but it was really awful for her to find out someone wanted to get away so badly that they faked their death (and had loved ones mourn them and left their children/wife) and just started over.

She never got over it actually.

[librablonde]

I know someone whose DH died and after he died she discovered he had squandered absolutely every cent of their money without her knowledge. She was left grief stricken and penniless.

[aidensmum]

I be annoyed to find out that they had left their estate to charity instead of little old me.

[Peppery]

My great great grandfather left my great great grandmother and 5 kids. Went on to have another family, the second family had no idea until my dad started doing family history and contacted them

[galba]

My grandfather, a highly-respected businessman had an affair with my mum's best friend and fathered a baby with her in the early 1960s. She disappeared for 6 months, had the baby adopted and then came back. My grandmother and mum knew nothing about it. The secret only came out about 5 years ago after my grandmother died - they are still best friends to this day. Her friend was only 18, he was 46. My mum's regret is that she wasn't there to support her friend - we all suspect that he forced her to give up the baby.

[meggs1]

I know of someone who attempted to fake his own death by leaving his clothes and wallet on a beach, but was found a week or so later. It them came out that he was about to be charged with a very nasty crime.

[countrymel]

It wasn't 'the worst' and I actually found out before she died but it was just so sad, and explained so much about how she lived her life - but an elderly beloved spinster relative of mine admitted (through tears) that she had had an abortion in the 1930s.

This event shaped the whole rest of her life and it broke my heart to think that she had felt she had to keep that secret alone for more than 70 years.

[bluecardigans]

This would have to be the worst

Nephew of Sir Jimmy Saville disgusted at allegations of sexual abuse

[RealityBites]

Paedophilia eg Jimmy Saville would be pretty bad.

Eta Snap DisplayAnemone.

This post has been edited by RealityBites: 24/01/2013, 05:39 PM