In-laws are supposed to help and support you, right? Well, not in my case. This is the story of how I got my revenge on Linda, who thought she could mistreat my oldest daughter, Tessa.
I have two daughters. Tessa is 10 years old and comes from my first marriage. She is kind, quiet, and always wants to make everyone happy. Sadie is 4 years old and is from my current marriage to Grant. Sadie is very different—she’s full of energy and always asking questions. Grant loves both girls, but his mother, Linda, has a different attitude toward Tessa.
Linda is… how do I say this? She’s the kind of woman who wants everything to look perfect on the outside. But if you look a little deeper, you’ll find someone who is judgmental and cold, especially toward Tessa. The worst part? It’s all because Tessa isn’t Grant’s “real” daughter.
For years, I tried to keep things calm. “She’s just old-fashioned,” Grant would say. “She’ll come around.” But she never did. Linda made little digs at Tessa.
Tessa, bless her heart, never complained. She just stayed quiet, maybe thinking it was her fault. But I saw it and heard it, and it made me furious every time. Grant? He didn’t see it like I did. He loved his mom and thought she was just being her quirky self. But I knew better.
Sometimes it was a rude comment about Tessa’s looks. “Oh, Tessa, that dress is a bit too grown-up for you, don’t you think?” Or she’d pretend to forget Tessa’s birthday and give Sadie lots of gifts instead.
Things started to fall apart after my mother passed away, and it felt like my world was turned upside down. There was no warning, no chance to say goodbye. My heart felt shattered in a way I can’t explain. I could hardly breathe through the grief.
We had to fly out of state for the funeral, which was the last thing I wanted to deal with. Every minute was a blur of sadness, but we had to think about the girls. My mind was so clouded with pain that even small choices felt impossible.
Linda, of all people, offered to watch the girls while we were gone. It was the last thing I wanted. I knew Tessa wouldn’t feel comfortable with her, and I hated leaving her with someone who never treated her well.
But what choice did I have? I was drowning in grief, and all our close friends were busy with their own lives. I felt so alone and helpless. It was either leave the girls with Linda or find another option, which felt impossible at that moment. Against my instincts, I agreed.
Three exhausting days later, we pulled into the driveway. The house was eerily quiet, almost too quiet. I felt a heavy weight in my chest as I got out of the car. Linda had left a note on the counter: “Took Sadie to the park. Be back later.”
A knot formed in my stomach. Something felt off. “Where’s Tessa?” I muttered, searching the house. I called her name, but there was no answer. My heart raced, and a chill ran down my spine.
That’s when I noticed it. A faint light flickering from the basement window. I stopped, confused. No one goes down there. The basement was old, dusty, and full of junk, and we barely used it. For a moment, panic set in. Had someone broken in? Did burglars get in while we were gone?
My heart pounded as I reached for my phone, turning on the camera just in case I needed proof. If someone was down there, I wanted to document it. I could feel my breath catching as I slowly opened the basement door, the musty smell hitting me.
My hands shook as I hit record and began carefully walking down the stairs, trying to calm my nerves. The wooden steps creaked under my feet, and every sound echoed in the quiet.
As the light got brighter, I finally saw her—Tessa. My sweet girl, curled up on the cold floor, wrapped in an old blanket, fast asleep as if she had been forgotten. Her little body was still, her face pale, and her cheeks were streaked with dried tears.
“Tessa?” I whispered, rushing to her side. I gently shook her, my heart breaking. “Sweetheart, what are you doing down here?”
Her eyes opened, and she sat up, looking small and defeated. “Grandma Linda told me to sleep here,” she said softly. “She said Sadie is her real granddaughter, and I shouldn’t get in the way.”
I froze. The room spun around me. “She what?” I asked, my voice shaking with disbelief and anger.
“She didn’t want me around,” Tessa said, her bottom lip trembling. “She said I could sleep down here, and she didn’t let me eat dinner with Sadie. She said they needed ‘special time.’”
I felt my blood boiling, anger rushing through me. My hands clenched into fists as I tried to keep my voice calm. How could she? How could Linda do this to my child?
But I didn’t explode. I swallowed my rage, knowing that confronting Linda wouldn’t fix this right now. I wrapped my arms around Tessa, pulling her close. “Tessa,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion, “I’m so, so sorry. This will never happen again.”
Linda had crossed a line, and she had no idea what was coming.
I wanted to drive over to Linda’s house and tell her off. But I held back. I realized that confronting her wouldn’t be enough. I needed to make sure she felt the weight of what she did. I knew just how to do it.
Linda’s annual family reunion was her pride and joy. Every year, she gathered the whole family and a few close friends in her beautiful backyard. It was her chance to show off and act like the perfect matriarch.
I didn’t let on that anything was wrong when Linda brought Sadie back later that day. I smiled and thanked her for watching the girls, even though my blood boiled inside. “I’ve been thinking,” I said, keeping my tone light, “Maybe I could help you with the reunion this year. I know how much work it is.”
Her face lit up. “That would be wonderful! It’s so much to handle, and the more help, the better.”
Perfect. She had no idea what I was planning.
Over the next few weeks, I worked closely with Linda to plan the reunion. I acted like everything was fine between us, all while planting seeds with family members. In casual conversations, I mentioned how Tessa had been feeling left out lately.
“It was tough while we were at the funeral,” I’d say, “especially when Tessa had to sleep in the basement. It’s a shame, but Linda wanted some alone time with Sadie.”
The responses were just what I hoped for—shock, concern, and some raised eyebrows. “The basement?” they’d ask, their voices full of disbelief. “That’s awful.” The gossip spread quickly, and by reunion day, people were already talking about Linda’s treatment of Tessa.
The day of the reunion came, and Linda was in full host mode. The backyard looked perfect, the tables set with her best dishes, and the smell of grilled food filled the air. Family and friends arrived, hugging and smiling. Linda soaked in the compliments, playing her role as the perfect host.
Then came the highlight of the day—the slideshow. I had put together a series of photos from recent family trips, showing the girls laughing and having fun. But in between those happy moments, I added clips of Tessa curled up on the basement floor.
The atmosphere shifted immediately. People went from admiring the cute photos to gasping in shock. I heard whispers spread through the crowd like wildfire. “Is that Tessa in the basement?” someone asked. “Why would she be down there?”
I didn’t need to say a word. The photos spoke for themselves.
Linda’s smile faded as she realized what was happening. I could see her eyes darting around, trying to gauge the crowd’s reaction. Her hands fidgeted nervously as people began approaching her, asking questions and demanding explanations. She stammered, trying to brush it off as a misunderstanding, but it was too late. The damage was done.
Linda tried to defend herself, but no one believed her. Her reputation as the perfect grandmother and hostess was in ruins, and she knew it. The rest of the family saw her for who she really was now.
I stood back, watching it all unfold with satisfaction. Tessa was by my side, holding my hand, and I whispered to her again, “No one will ever treat you like that.”
As for Linda, she hasn’t spoken to me since that day, but honestly? That’s just the cherry on top.
Christopher Reeve’s son lost both his parents by age 13
Numerous accounts exist of children who have grown up to resemble their famous parents.
A number of famous children make us gasp in disbelief when we look at them, including the twin daughters of Michael J. Fox, the teenage daughter of Julia Roberts who looks just like her, and even the grandson of Elvis Presley.
Will, the 29-year-old son of Christopher Reeve, is striving to carry on his father’s inspirational legacy in addition to being a near-perfect replica of his father.
Sadly, at the age of thirteen, Christopher Reeve’s youngest son had to cope with the loss of both of his parents.
A scene from the 1978 movie “Superman,” starring Christopher Reeve as Superman. (Photo via Getty Images))
How does a hero appear?
Growing up in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Christopher Reeve was a hero to millions of people.
When the DC comic book character Superman first appeared on television in 1978, he won a BAFTA for Most Promising Male Newcomer.
Superman II, Superman III, and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace are the three further superhero films in which the endearing and attractive actor starred.
We will always remember the well-known superhero that goes by his name.
But in addition to being an actor, Christopher Reeve (born in New York in 1952) was also a screenwriter, producer, director of films, campaigner, and horseback rider.
Accident involving Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve’s life would forever alter on May 27, 1995.
The well-liked actor suffered a spinal cord injury after falling off his horse Buck at an equestrian competition in Culpeper, Virginia.
The Hollywood actor became wheelchair-bound and paralyzed from the neck down, shocking millions of fans and his family.
Christopher’s mother pleaded with the medical staff to discontinue his mechanical ventilation and allow him pass away, according to the actor’s foundation.
The actor would have died instantly if he had fallen one centimeter farther to the left, according to information subsequently disclosed by the New York Times. In contrast, Christopher would have most likely only sustained a concussion if he had landed slightly to the right.
Christopher became quadriplegic while he was just 42 years old. For the remainder of his life, he needed a portable ventilator and was confined to a wheelchair.
Physicians promptly announced that there was little chance of recovery, telling Reeve in particular that it would be “impossible” for him to regain any movement.
In the early days of his hospital stay, Christopher Reeve was incoherent and highly drugged. He was going through hell. He believed his life had been ruined after learning the terrible diagnosis from the doctor.
In an attempt to spare his family from further hardship, he suggested to his wife Dana Morosini that they might as well end the relationship.
“I will support whatever you want to do because this is your life and your decision,” she said, her eyes welling with sorrow. But I want you to know that no matter what, I’ll be by your side for the entire journey. You remain who you are. I also adore you.
Reeve had the option to give up, but he chose to dedicate himself to activism and founded the Christopher Reeve Foundation with his loving wife Dana. Later on, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation became its new name.
Additionally, the pair co-founded the Reeve-Irvine Research Center, which advocates for stem cell research and patients of spinal cord injuries.
To ensure his son had a happy childhood, Christopher Reeve also made the decision to do everything in his power.
In a 2016 interview with PEOPLE, Will talked candidly about his incredible upbringing, which he described as “completely typical.”
Will recalled them with affection, saying, “They were the ones who told me to go to bed, eat my broccoli, and turn off the TV.” “It was a totally normal childhood, but I understand that not every child experiences seeing their dad on the magazine at the checkout aisle when they go to the grocery store.”
Will also recalled the day his father showed him how to use a wheelchair to ride a bike. “I didn’t think it would succeed. “I’m scared, but I can hear my dad saying, ‘Steady, steady, left, right, left, right,’” he remarked. “By the third lap, I’m grinning and waving at my dad, and he’s grinning, too.” That had great meaning for him. I would race in a wheelchair later on. He would permit me to triumph.
Regretfully, just as they were reassembling everything, Will’s father passed away.
Death of Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve has numerous health issues even as a small child. His breathing was hampered by allergies and asthma.
He also discovered at the age of sixteen that he had alopecia areata, which was the reason of his hair loss. During his acting career, Christopher managed to manage the condition; nevertheless, upon becoming disabled, he made the decision to completely cut off all of his hair.
Christopher had multiple infections treated in the early 2000s. He was receiving treatment for an infected pressure ulcer that was resulting in sepsis in October 2004. While he was watching his son Will play hockey on October 9, Christopher had a heart attack that same evening as a result of receiving medication for his sickness.
The physicians were at a loss for what to do once he went into a coma.
At 52 years old, Christopher Reeve passed away on October 10, 2004.
Reeve’s death was attributed to a medication response, according to both Mrs. Dana and the doctors.
At Hartsdale, New York’s Ferncliff Cemetery, his corpse was cremated, and his ashes were dispersed.
Death of the wife
Despite never having smoked, Dana, Christopher’s spouse and caretaker, was also diagnosed with lung cancer only ten months after her husband’s passing. But in the early years of her career, Dana used to sing and perform in smokey pubs and hotel lobbies, claims Christopher P. Andersen.
On April 11, 1992, American singer and actress Dana wed actor Christopher Reeve in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
Dana, 44, passed away on March 6, 2006, following several months of fighting a malignant lung malignancy.
Willard Reeve
William Elliot “Will” Reeve, the son of Christopher and Dana, was born on June 7, 1992. Regretfully, Will was abandoned as an orphan when he was just 13 years old.
Nevertheless, Will has grown up to resemble his father, even though he has mostly avoided the spotlight up to this point.
After completing his schooling, Will is pursuing a successful career in the sports press profession.
Will, who is now 29 years old and has been handsomely bequeathed by his father, looks just like him more than ten years later.
However, what really stands out about this young man is that he is carrying on the excellent work that his parents began.
Despite the possibility of a downward spiral or mental instability following such a traumatic experience at such a young age, Will was able to avoid going down this path because of his strong moral principles and the support of his parents.
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles,” my father once said. I use this quote often to honor his legacy and instill his timeless spirit in a new generation,” he added in a Daily Mail article.
Will told his parents he would succeed in his career and now contributes to ESPN’s SportsCenter. He and his father both enjoy sports.
After serving as a production assistant and intern at “Good Morning America” while attending Middlebury College, he was hired.
He carries on the job his parents began, searching for novel treatments and spearheading the foundation’s fundraising efforts for additional technological advancements that will benefit individuals with spinal injuries.
In an interview with CBS News in 2018, Will discussed a letter he had written to himself following the death of his parents.
“I have both bad and good news to share. I’ll start with the negative because, no matter what, you always need to be aware of the full picture. And no, it won’t change. You’re at the lowest moment in your life, which is the bad news. You’ve just said your last goodbye to Mom and you’re in a hospital room in New York City,” he wrote. “You’re thirteen years old.” She is forty-four. carcinoma of the lung. Never indulged in smoking. Gone, like Dad, who passed away a year and a half ago, when you were at your lowest point. You’ve reached a new low, where you feel scared, perplexed, and incredibly depressed. However! The good news is that this is the bottom. You’re heading straight up, which is the only direction there is.
How motivating is Will Reeve, a young man?
Even though he lost both of his parents when he was quite young, he honors their memories every day with his accomplishments and attitude.
I’m sure his parents were quite proud of the progress this young man has made. He truly is an inspiration.
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