Every family has things they’d like to keep on the down-low, from hidden debts to that time your sister got caught shoplifting. Still, no matter how embarrassing the skeletons in your family’s closet, we bet they’d have a hard time topping this lot.
It all began when Twitter user Jessi asked her followers to reveal the disturbing family secrets they discovered as adults. She began the thread by sharing one of her own, which was a tale of murder and intrigue.
I deleted mine bc of a typo, but basically that my grandpa was a POS sociopath who had murdered someone (s?) & my dad remembers being a kid & the GBI showing up to question him after a DA was murdered by a car bomb. https://t.co/0vPZQ9mKIb
— Jessi (@lovelyjessij) August 9, 2018
And her followers were surprisingly happy to oblige with their own family secrets, with responses varying from the awkward, to the odd, to the just plain sad.
DM submission for family secrets… pic.twitter.com/ov5dyHacWs
— Jessi (@lovelyjessij) August 9, 2018
— Jessi (@lovelyjessij) August 9, 2018
And another…. pic.twitter.com/ZJGEuGtuR1
— Jessi (@lovelyjessij) August 9, 2018
More from my DMs pic.twitter.com/XAHq0L5SKK
— Jessi (@lovelyjessij) August 9, 2018
— Jessi (@lovelyjessij) August 9, 2018
— Jessi (@lovelyjessij) August 9, 2018
Nevertheless, one man’s wild story trumped them all
At my grandpops funeral, I learned that he was a professional welterweight boxer in NYC in the 40’s. The question was why he never told us & how nobody knew. I continued to dig & discovered the sad reasons why. https://t.co/qwoSgbUQTu
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
To begin with, no one could understand why his time as a boxer was such a big secret
I sat and stared at medals won and articles from my grandpops bouts in NYC in the 40’s. But no one had any intel as to why his boxing career had been such a secret. I only learned the truth about 10 years ago. My grandpops passed in ’88.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
He had fought professionally in NY in the 40’s before being drafted into the Army. He did 2 1/2 years of military service & returned home to continue his pro boxing career.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
Or why he’d leave such an illustrious career behind
In looking up his record online, I saw a string of 11 straight wins. Then suddenly a few losses and a career ending DQ at Madison Square Garden.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
My grandmoms said she had no idea why my grandpops quit boxing. Only to say he told her he wanted to go to culinary school. She said he swore her to never discuss boxing again when he abruptly quit.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
Until one day, the Grandpops brother revealed all
When my uncle (grandpops brother) got sick years ago, he told me we needed to talk. He told me that he knew why his boxing career ended the way it did.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
He got excited as he talked of how my grandpops was “whooping the shit outta them white boys” in the ring. But that in itself was a huge issue for the mob and money lost when my grandpops won.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
It turns out the mob was behind his decision to quit
He spoke of a moment before a fight where members of the mob came into the locker room and told my grandpops that he was going to lose or else his family be in danger.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
I’m not sure what the results of those fights were, but my uncle claims that my grandpops refused to lose. Yet, when the big fight at MSG came up, he abruptly told his trainer that he was retiring.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
So basically, due to pressure from the mob my grandpops gave up his boxing career to protect my grandmoms and my mom who was his only child at the time. He went on to be a chef at Howard Johnson for some 30 years.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
But boxing wasn’t Grandpops only talent
I had only known that grandpops was one hell of a cook and nothing else until he died. About 5 years ago I began searching for more info in hopes I could find something. I found a boxing historian in Washington state who was selling old magazines on eBay.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
In his listing of Referee magazines was one with my grandpops on the cover. I was stunned. I emailed dude with my story and he told me he had other articles and magazines with my grandpops featured.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
I sent him money via PayPal and be sent me the items overnight. I opened up that envelope and listen, I cried like a baby. There he was, my grandpops as a young prizefighter in NYC on the cover of this boxing magazine. I’d never seen this before.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
I spent the next few hours reading through all the articles and feeling proud. This cat was damn good. He had a career stripped away and it made me sad. But I appreciated why he quit.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
The thread’s finale was bittersweet
I made copies of all the newspaper clippings and magazines. I then took all the originals and had them framed. I presented the framed magazines and articles to my mom on her birthday.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
Man, listen. I ain’t never seen my mom cry like that. I’m sure she had a bit of the same emotions that I had. But that was her father. She had never seen those magazines and articles either.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
My grandpops, my hero ?? ? pic.twitter.com/svqJjyloSn
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
I keep framed copies of the articles and magazines on the wall in my man cave, while my mom has the originals in her home. Bittersweet memories of what could have been, but I’m extremely proud of my grandpops, his accomplishments & for loving and protecting for our family.
— ManSitChoAzzDown (@AngryManTV) August 10, 2018
People in Twitter fell in love with the story
Wow. Just wow.
Man, I got a little misty. Dude sacrificed for you, before you were even born.
— Peter Bravestrong ✌ (@ShamuriJack) August 10, 2018
You should write a book. The world should know who your grandfather was, what he did and the sacrifices he made for his family. He was, and is, an unsung American hero. #proud #BlackManMagic
— Sylvia Franklin (@Rwriteur) August 10, 2018
Gotdamn that was touching pic.twitter.com/bCSPumi9KT
— T.J. Detweiler (@ShoNuffTruNdeed) August 10, 2018
That was the best family secret , no abuse or secret families
— Creative creator created creation (@karimaDaCrop) August 10, 2018
I’m a puddle. ???
— Jennifer Gumbel (@jgumbel) August 11, 2018
Some even suggested that it should be made into a movie
Twitter story that should be a film: A Thread https://t.co/x7pWH6U5ot
— Siobhan Marshall (@SiobhanErrey) August 12, 2018
Please PLEASE pitch this for a movie. I want to watch it! This entire thing is just amazing. Your grand pop was a badass!!
— Jennifer Bene (@jbeneauthor) August 11, 2018
@TheSlyStallone pay this man some money and make a film about his granddad
— Liam Kane (@liam_kane1985) August 10, 2018
We’d certainly pay to watch it!
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