She nearly took this secret to their grave.
Annie Niu, a lifestyle influencer who admitted she’d been playing the part of her dead twin to protect her grandparents’ feelings has revealed she finally told some of her in-the-dark family members the truth – and with very little time to spare.
“POV: You finally told your family that your twin sister pass away five years ago, and they took down every single family photo that had her in it,” she wrote on a viral TikTok video posted this week, which has amassed 4.4 million views.
In a subsequent video, she explained that the ghoulish, “Parent Trap”-esque ruse of hiding the news from extended family, was her dad’s idea — and that they managed to keep the guilty secret until her grandma was “on her deathbed” this year.
“I think it’s because he didn’t wanna withhold this information but he also didn’t wanna cause them any heartbreak,” she explained. “And god forbid they are 92 and something happens.”
So, out of fear that the bad news might kill her grandparents, every holiday Niu had pretended to be her twin, who died from viral meningitis years ago, to keep up the ruse.
To this day, her grandpa has no clue. Other family members handled the news rather badly.
“My aunts apparently made the decision to take down every single photo that contained my sister,” Niu continued, explaining that the situation makes her “feel sad.”
“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.”
While many of the viewers showed empathy to Niu’s situation, claiming they kept similar secrets from their loved ones, others were “confused” by the family’s intentions.
“The strangest thing ever is learning ppl don’t tell family/parents of a loved one’s passing,” one gobsmacked viewer commented. “I’ve NEVER heard of that in 27 years.”
“Didn’t they ask where she was for five years? I’m so sorry and so confused,” inquired another.
“Why and HOW could something so important be kept a secret?” a shocked TIkTokker wrote.
“So were you playing both sisters like on ‘The Parent Trap’ for your gramps,” quipped someone else.
“This is strange af,” a viewer said.
“We never told my grandma her sister died so I get it girl. I get it completely,” one person consoled Niu. “In a way I’m glad I didn’t have to tell her.”
“You protected them from pain for a long while. I hope you feel lighter after finally letting go of that heavy emotional load,” another said.
