Katharina Buczek
Throughout this 38-year-old man’s life, he and his younger brother Jake, who’s 34, have always had a complex relationship. Jake was the favorite, and he was constantly expected to support his brother no matter what horrible decisions Jake made.
“My brother was always the reckless one, dropping out of college, getting into trouble, and having kids he couldn’t really afford with multiple women,” he said.
Then, about five months ago, Jake was in a car accident and actually died. In the wake of the tragedy, his brother left behind three children with two different mothers.
The loss was heartbreaking for his family. However, he admitted to believing that his brother’s own choices played a part in some of his life struggles.
“Jake had no life insurance, no savings, and left his kids in pretty bad shape financially,” he explained.
His parents aren’t really able to help Jake’s children out, either, since they are both currently retired and living on a fixed income. So, yet again, he was asked to basically bail out his late brother.
More specifically, his parents want him to “step up” and financially support his brother’s kids.
To be clear, he is financially stable, and some might even call him “well-off.” He runs his own business, and while he’s married, he and his wife are child-free – which allows them to live very comfortably.
That’s why his parents believe he should be responsible for taking Jake’s place. They keep urging him to set up college funds for the children and contribute to their living expenses.
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