Life can become really tough sometimes, and we might find it truly challenging to gather our strength and find a reason to carry on. Today, our stories range from devastating turns of events to horribly tragic situations. But what is hopeful is that these brave people have risen from these sorrows and decided to share their stories online, and their resilience is a true inspiration.
- I knew a woman whose comfortable life took a dark turn, and she ended up working as a cleaner.
Years ago, she had planned to move to Spain with her husband and young daughter and had a great job lined up there. The plan was for her husband and daughter to fly over first, and she would follow a week or two later due to finishing her old job a little later than planned.
Her husband rang her on the day they arrived and said the house was lovely, and the furniture had arrived by ferry, etc. That was the last time she ever heard from them.
Her husband and daughter were found dead by authorities a few days after she rang, explaining she was concerned for their welfare as she had had no contact with them, and she was extremely worried. It was carbon monoxide poisoning. It is scary to think how fast your life can change. © Chlooeeeee / Reddit
- She wanted to take our relationship slowly, so I let her dictate the pace of things. Then she wasn’t sure she wanted to be in a relationship. Respectfully, I allowed her wishes, and we had a mutual breakup, though I still loved her.
The next day, she got involved with my best mate, and they had a long, long relationship. It still hurts. I’m not sure if she ever liked me at all, or if it was all to get closer to my now ex-friend. © MrFerkles / Reddit
- I have a friend who recently went to visit her family because she heard her stepdad (who was suffering from terminal cancer) wasn’t doing so well and would not last much longer. The day she arrived, there was an ambulance at her house taking away her grandfather, who had just fallen down the stairs and died.
A few hours later, her stepfather died in the hospital. Her mother’s birthday was the next day. © vincitquisevincit / Reddit
- When I was 7, I was playing at recess, and one of my classmates told me, «Your mom’s not your real mom.» She found out I was adopted and decided to tease me about it.
My parents had told me I was adopted, but I didn’t really understand it. But it suddenly clicked, right at that moment. Everything changed. © mollymuppet78 / Reddit
- Very old, financially struggling parents from a third-world country accrued severe debts to educate their only son. They took on even more debt to send him abroad to start his first job. The emotional send-off was filled with hope and dreams for his future. Tragically, the 22-year-old passed away in an accident on his way to work on his first day. © isovue / Reddit
- When I was around 16, I experienced pretty severe depression. My dad and stepmom got me a puppy to take care of, which really helped and gave me a reason to get out of my room. I was responsible for buying anything he needed and would take him out on walks and play with him frequently.
One night, I got home from work, and he was gone. I asked where he was, and my parents said they gave him to my stepmom’s uncle. When I asked why, they wouldn’t give me a straight answer. I imagine what happened was one of my stepmom’s nieces or nephews said they wanted a puppy, and she decided to give them mine, since she normally gave her family preferential treatment over me. © Jarek-of-Earth / Reddit
- From 2007 to 2012, I was with a really great guy. I didn’t grasp how great he was until he broke up with me.
And now my best friend is with him. Losing her was a thousand times more heartbreaking than losing him. I miss her. Every. Single. Day. © jedimeg / Reddit
- My dad’s coworker and his wife really wanted a family but weren’t able to conceive. After years of trying and fertility treatments, she finally got pregnant with twins. They were over the moon and so happy, since they knew the odds were good this would be their only chance and, hey, two for one!
The woman went into labor a month early, which is totally normal for twins, but something went wrong during delivery and both babies and the mother died. I can’t even imagine what that guy went through. © Unknown author / Reddit
- I was the cleverest kid in my class. It was all too easy. I’ve been told I have a high IQ. So it was a given that I would pass the 11+ exam, which in the U.K. was your passport to succeed in life. The problem was, I was a highly strung anxious person, and I missed the exam due to an accident.
I had to sit it in a real rough school with a bunch of kids I’d never seen before. I completely blew it and failed. I can still remember the shame all these years on. All my friends passed. I was devastated. © gegorb / Reddit
- I was engaged and planned to move to another city for new jobs. I was going to go first, and he was going to follow as soon as he could find a position in that city.
When I got to the new city, I already knew something was weird. Over Skype, he told me he wasn’t coming. I haven’t seen him since. It took me 2.5 years to even attempt to date again. I’m still hurt by it. © oxides_only / Reddit
- My wife and I tried to get pregnant for a while, and finally, we did. At about 12 weeks or so, she started experiencing lots of pain and weird sensations. At 14 weeks, an ultrasound revealed that the heart had stopped beating.
She had to undergo a D&C. It was scheduled about three days from the ultrasound, on the day of my birthday. A day before the procedure, I lost my job. On the day of the procedure, our car broke down in the hospital parking lot. The day after, I came down with some sort of flu. So, yeah, it was the happiest birthday week ever.
Although we did try again about a year later, and now we have a happy, healthy, belligerent one-year-old little boy. © Arkansan13 / Reddit
- I was fired from a job because the staff made false accusations and claims about me, simply because I held them accountable compared to the person before me. This happened even though the company brought in a professional who verified that the claims were not true. They decided it was easier to replace me than the workforce. It messed up the entire start of my career, and I’m still recovering from it. © Unknown author / Reddit
Another devastating situation is uncovering a dark secret many years later. The astonishing stories we have gathered in this compilation are guaranteed to leave you speechless.