When a 26-year-old Redditor lost their brother (47M) to a terminal illness, they never expected to face an awkward and intrusive request from their aunt just two days later. This aunt—who had a history of mistreating the family—asked for some of their brother’s ashes to “comfort her family.” Unsurprisingly, this didn’t sit well.
The Backstory
The Redditor shared how their aunt and her sisters had a long history of hostility toward them and their brother, fueled by resentment toward their mother. Despite this, their brother, ever hopeful for acceptance, kept ties with these aunts until his illness forced him to rely on them for care—only for them to abandon him repeatedly when he recovered enough to manage on his own.
When the aunt’s text came, it lacked genuine condolence or remorse, focusing instead on her own family’s comfort. The Redditor refused, calling the request disrespectful and telling the aunt to stop contacting their mother. This sparked backlash, with other relatives siding with the aunt.