Young Widow Faces Wrath Of In-Laws After Throwing Shade At Her Abusive Late Husband At His Funeral

“The military turned the man I once loved into a monster!”

Jesse

• Published in Interesting
• January 13, 2024

In a small town where dreams were as scarce as rain in the desert, our narrator (Original Poster) ventured into the unusual by tying the knot m at the tender age of nineteen.

Although labeling it "unusual" might be a stretch. Such early unions were as commonplace as the neighborhood diner in OP’s town.

OP was one of the lucky few who snagged a scholarship to college; her love interest, Jake, opted for the military instead. He planned to serve one term and then secure a GI Bill for college.

Trouble began brewing when the image of the once sweet and humorous Jake underwent a frightening transformation. The man OP loved enrolled in the military, but she couldn’t recognize who came back. 

Anger was now his constant companion; his laughter was replaced by a crude sense of humor, and boy, did he know how to drink! Each bad trait was multiplied a thousandfold when alcohol was added to the equation.

But the real shocker surfaced when he announced he wouldn’t be leaving the military after all. When OP dared to remind him about his promise, things got ugly.

In a twist of fate, earlier this year, Jake met his demise in a tragic car accident. OP was honestly relieved; she only sat quietly during the service.

When Jake’s sister approached her for relationship advice concerning a military boyfriend, OP boldly rebuked it. The military turned the man she once loved into a monster—she did not endorse it.

This advice sparked a firestorm of reactions from Jake’s parents, and surprisingly, OP’s parents weren’t on her side either.

Was she wrong for being candid?

The story in detail

A bit of background

After Jake joined the military, his behavior changed negatively. Worst of all, he reneged on his promise to get out and go to college

Jake eventually died in a car accident. At the funeral, OP was feeling more of “relief” than “pain” at the death of her husband

Interestingly, at dinner, Jake’s younger sister confided in OP that she was preparing to tie the knot with her soldier boyfriend. At this point, OP vehemently warned her against marrying a soldier, while calling Jake out for being an “abusive a**hole”

Not only did Jake’s family erupt in anger, but OP’s parents were on their side

Here’s how the Reddit community reacted to the story:

“She asked for advice, she got it. And you know what? Yeah, it's too broad, but you were abused and freshly out.”

“They didn't have the same experience as you and fall out of love with him, so for them, the comment was cruel.”

“YTA. I agree entirely with your sentiment. Your intentions were good, but wrong place and wrong time.“

“ESH. Your SIL asked a dumb-ass question. That said, your husband's funeral is neither the time nor the place for you to say that.“

“NTA. You were abused, she asked for advice and you gave it. Funeral or not, honesty is always the best choice.”

Redditors acknowledged the complexity of the situation. True, not every military journey mirrors Jake's transformation, but the scars from her own experience couldn't be ignored.

OP might’ve come on too strong, but the sister was free to take or leave the advice. 

Sometimes, the toughest battles are fought on the home front, and we wish OP all the healing she deserves.

What do you think about this story? Let us know in the comments.

Jesse