An influencer posted a video on TikTok of a shocking family revelation that had taken place recently. Annie Niu, 34, according to her, posed as her dead twin, who passed away five years ago, to her family. It was only at her grandmother's deathbed that Annie revealed that she was not her twin, shocking her and other members of her extended family.
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"POV: You finally told your family that your twin sister passed away five years ago, and they took down every single family photo that had her in it (which is pretty much every photo in their home)," reads the caption of the TikTok video, posted on December. Understandably, the post became viral, garnering millions of views, hundreds of thousands of likes, and more than a thousand comments.
However, the whole "ruse" was not Annie Niu's idea. Niu's father was the one behind the lie. Annie's sister, according to the Daily Mail, died five years ago from viral meningitis. According to the CDC, viral meningitis causes the inflammation of the membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord. While this type of meningitis is not particularly fatal, it still can cause death if other underlying medical issues exist.
"I think it's because he didn't want to withhold this information but he also didn't want to cause them anymore heartbreak," Annie Niu explained in a previous video. "And God forbid they are 92 and something happens."
Reaction
The reveal shocked Niu's family, which would come as no surprise given the implications of finding out a family member was long gone. "My aunts apparently made the decision to take down every single photo that contained my sister," Niu said. Reportedly, Niu's aunts took down a total of 17 pictures. "Imagine my surprise when I took my kids to go visit my grandpa and I look on the walls and none of our photos are there," she continued.
And just like Niu's family, many users reacted in many different ways. Some were understanding, but many others were left flabbergasted. "How did they not know for 5 years!?!?!?!?!?" one user wrote. Another one wrote: "I had to read this 7 times, what you mean 5yrs ago."
At the same time, some users shared similar stories of not telling family members about someone's passing. "My grandma in China still doesn't know my dad has been dead for 6 years," one user wrote. "We say he's living in a remote town it's so awful I feel like mine and my families grief is on hold." Similarly, another user said: "My baby sister passed away 3 years ago, and we haven't told our grandma either."
