Receiving saddening news can lead a person to frustration, especially when it’s about the health of someone you love. For instance, getting diagnosed with an incurable disease. Although treatments are available, anxiety and sudden lifestyle change can dishearten a person. However upset you are about the diagnosis, it’s inexcusable to blame others. Expecting that other people should have the disease and you shouldn't is very unseemly. It’s especially bothersome when you wish it for someone close to you like a friend or a family member. Refrain from saying such things because no one deserves to live with a disease and the anxiety that comes along with it.

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And even if you are their brother, such actions are unjustifiable. Legitimate-Sound-719 had to call her brother out because being diagnosed with diabetes doesn’t give him a free pass for offending their sister. OP shared the story on a Reddit post to find people who’ll understand her actions. Apparently, their parents found no fault in a comment that clearly implied their daughter should have type 2 diabetes. The issue happened during their weekly lunch family get-together. Everyone was enjoying each other’s company until OP’s brother “Jay” finally arrived. He was carrying bad news that led to the argument.

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“Jay arrives to lunch about 30ish minutes late, and he is visibly upset. Everyone notices, and we all turn our attention to Jay. He then lets us know that he just found out this morning that he has type 2 diabetes and is extremely upset about it, as anyone would be. At this point, everyone is shocked and is just trying to understand, because our family doesn't have a history of diabetes, and we know that this form of diabetes is normally caused through one's diet,” Legitimate-Sound-719 wrote. Family members offered him comfort and asked him questions about the diagnosis. It was saddening, but OP’s sympathy disappeared after hearing a rude comment from her brother.

“Jay says ‘yeah idk, I just thought if anyone in our family were to get diabetes it would be Alina’ (our sister)," OP shared. The brother explained why he said that and implied that Alina was heavier, making her more susceptible to Type 2 diabetes. Legitimate-Sound-719 had the urge to defend her sister, so she called out Jay for being audacious. “Despite what Jay may think of our sister, she's the most athletic one in our family. Although all of us may work out, my sister was a tennis and wrestling athlete since she was 8 years old, and still to this day, she eats cleaner than anyone, plays tennis almost every morning, and her and her husband are in the gym more than any of us,” she explained.

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However, their parents sided with Jay and excused his manners because he received disheartening news. OP knew that it is inappropriate to throw comments about someone’s health just because they are heavier than others. Also, Jay might be frustrated, but it does not give him the right to expect someone else’s misfortune. It should’ve been summed up as “no one deserves to acquire an incurable disease.” The parents acknowledged that their son was wrong but still scolded OP for starting an argument. For this reason, other Redditors filled the comment section with validating opinions.

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Wise_Department8700 commented, “NTA. Receiving terrible news about one’s own health does NOT give that person the right to take a dig at someone else. They thought you hit below the belt? You just defended your sister. While it’s awful news to receive, it’s no reason to baby someone and let them get away with taking a jab, at his sister, no less. What exactly did you say that they thought was below the belt? I think you defended your sister perfectly in that situation WITHOUT going below the belt.” Then OP replied, “All I said was, 'Jay what the hell is wrong with you?' He then went on to do his babbling, and then I responded with, 'How about instead of worrying about Alina, you worry about your own health now.'"

Legitimate-Sound-719 certainly has a strong point. The brother could’ve just apologized and accepted that he was wrong. Several Redditors also paid attention to the fact that Jay fat-shamed his sister. Overall, his comment was unnecessary, and the parents should’ve held him more accountable. OP was mature enough to make him see sense and put him in his place. If Jay reads the thousands of comments defending his sisters, then he might get into some rethinking and find time to reflect.