Woman Not Sharing Neighbor’s Inheritance With Her Only Daughter Praised – ryan

A woman who inherited everything from her late neighbor has been backed by viewers online after revealing why she feels unsure about sharing the assets with the deceased woman’s estranged daughter.

The postshared to Reddit on February 25 by the woman under u/characterquality5429, has received more than 7,000 upvotes to date, with many Reddit users encouraging her to keep the inheritance instead of dishing out funds to the daughter, who had been cut out of her mother’s life for decades.

The 32-year-old woman, who formed a close friendship with her neighbor, Valorie, 68, over several years, told Newsweek that she was surprised to learn she had been named the sole beneficiary of Valorie’s estate. The revelation came after Valorie’s death in January, and soon after, her long-estranged daughter, Sam, 44, reached out and made a series of accusations.

The woman had moved into her condo in 2018 and quickly became close to Valorie, who lived next door. Their balconies were nearly connected, and they would spend Saturday mornings tending to plants and chatting.

“I had learned that Valorie had been a widow since she was 55,” the woman said in her post. “I got the impression that she had married young and never had a true chance to learn who she was until after (her husband) had died.

“I had always thought that Valorie was alone in the world.”

However, she later learned that Valorie had a daughter, Sam, but that they had not spoken since the early 2000s. According to Valorie, the rift began when Sam came out as gay, prompting her father, Garry, to disown her. Valorie regretted not standing up for her daughter, but said she felt powerless in the moment and during that time.

“When I had first heard the story about Sam, I asked why she had never tried to reconnect,” the woman added. “Valorie told me that she hadn’t because she didn’t know how to even try.”

Determined to help, she tracked Sam down on Facebook and encouraged Valorie to reach out. Together, they composed a heartfelt message in which Valorie apologized and expressed a desire to rebuild their relationship. Sam saw the message, but never responded. A month ago, the woman found Valorie dead on her balcony, the victim of an embolism. She sent the obituary and memorial page to Sam via social media, but Sam did not attend the funeral.

“I thought that I would simply grieve the loss of my friend and eventually have a new neighbor,” the woman said.

Instead, she was stunned to learn that Valorie had left her everything. Days later, Sam contacted her, furious that she had inherited her mother’s estate.

“She was upset and demanded that I give her Valorie’s things…Claiming that I took advantage of an old widow,” she added.

The woman, who would prefer to stay anonymous, told Newsweek: “The Valorie that I knew was not a bigot. I cannot comment on the Valorie that Sam knew, but the one that I knew was a very loving and inclusive person, she had a pride flag hanging from her balcony and used to attend pride parades every year as one of people who give out hugs and support to people who had been cut off from their family.”

The woman also clarified that Valorie had been estranged from Sam for over 20 years. Sam had been kicked out in the early 2000s and Valorie had moved into the condo in 2013, where she and the woman became friends. They had first reached out to Sam in 2022—Valorie’s attempt to reconnect.

“She was genuinely trying to make amends to the universe,” the woman said. “I was surprised when Valorie first told me the story about Sam, when I heard the story I could feel and see the hurt that Valorie had for that whole situation.”

The lawyer handling the estate assured her that Sam had no legal claim to Valorie’s inheritance, but the woman still wondered what the right thing to do was. Viewers on Reddit overwhelmingly supported the decision to keep the inheritance, arguing that Valorie had made a clear choice in her will.

“There’s always three sides to every story. Side A, Side B, and the truth in the middle. You don’t know what happened between the two of them, not really. So, I’d be very careful of vilifying anyone…I don’t think you need to give up any cash, but I WOULD offer her pictures and mementos in the house that she may like,” one viewer said.

Another added: “I like this idea. In addition, I would not engage directly with Sam. Let the lawyer handle all communication.”

“If Sam is interested in something of her mother’s as a keepsake or memento, then that’s a discussion to have, if Sam is only interested in a financial inheritance, that tells you what you need to know,” another viewer said. “Sam might have valid reasons to be no contact with her mother. Valorie could have been looking at her own history with very rose colored glasses.

“But in a very real sense, you have no claim on a person you completely cut ties with, for better or for worse, and so Sam has no claims on her mom.”

Newsweek consulted Malka Shaw, a psychotherapist based in New Jersey, for her professional take on the situation.

“I want to validate that this is a complicated situation, and it is natural to feel conflicted,” Shaw, who is also licensed in New York and Florida, told Newsweek. “On the one hand, legally, the woman does not owe Sam anything; on the other hand, she needs to feel that she made the ethical decision that would follow her late friend’s wishes.”

She noted that grief manifests differently for different people, and for Sam, the will might have felt like a final rejection from her mother. Ultimately, Shaw emphasized that the decision lies with the woman who inherited the estate.

“At the end of the day, Valorie chose her for a reason, she trusted her,” she said. “And part of honoring that trust is making sure she feels at peace with whatever decision she makes.”

If you have a family dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.