When we’re kids, friendships form naturally and without much effort. Your best friends are often the people you spend most of your time with: neighbors, classmates, your parents’ friends’ kids, etc. But as we grow up, we realize that having a friend for life is no walk in the park: friendship is like a flower you have to tend, water, and protect from pests.
In a 2021 CBS News poll, one in 10 Americans said they have known their best friend for 50 or more years, so those kinds of friendships do exist, albeit rarely. In many cases, though, our friendships end, and many different things can cause that rift.
In one recent online thread, a netizen asked people to share their stories, writing, “What happened to the friend you thought you'd have for the rest of your life?” Get ready for some heartbreaking stories involving ghosting, betrayal, and hardships that led to best friends growing apart.
#61
We just drifted apart very slowly. It wasn't nasty, although it is sad.
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3points
#62
She went from being an emo kid not caring what other people thought of her and making cool diy clothes to the most christian tradwife I've ever seen on facebook. pretty sure she denounced her bisexuality too.
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3points
#63
He was predestined to inherit his family's temple. He hated the idea until one day during college he had a spiritual awakening. Now he's a devout Buddhist priest in Japan. I'm sure he's doing great.
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3points
#64
He was always a Christian, but then he became a cop and it IMMEDIATELY went to his head and he became a self righteous jerk who now has power to hurt others.
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3points
#65
Passed away at 17 from heart attack in his sleep. We were playing League and chatting on Skype that same night. I'm 28 and it still hurts. It gets better, but since then I have had this little sadness in me I can't really shake off. Just learnt to live with it and appreciate that he's still in my memory.
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3points
#66
There were two.
First was never able to get out of his own head, mental issues with illegal substances dependence. We used to share a crib when we were born but by 18 it fell apart. There was some ups and downs for him, but two weeks before I left CA at 24 I found him dazed and homeless in the street with some older dude taking advantage of him. That really broke me up.
Second was my guy from 17-27, but he fell apart around 21 when his first girlfriend left him. Took years, thought I could save him from himself; but at the end he was just a massive spiraling alcoholic leaving cry’s for help that he wouldn’t use or want. He started stealing from me, and being weird around my wife ( I moved him in the last six months, got him a job paying 3x what he used to make; but he was screwing it all up) and I had to literally kick him out…last day involved dragging him out actually. His car broke down near where I had been married (he was the best man actually and he tried to sabotage my wedding) and he called me for help. I wished him the best and hung up on him.
I checked in on him a year or so later, it got worse.
Both really hurt to lose.
First was never able to get out of his own head, mental issues with illegal substances dependence. We used to share a crib when we were born but by 18 it fell apart. There was some ups and downs for him, but two weeks before I left CA at 24 I found him dazed and homeless in the street with some older dude taking advantage of him. That really broke me up.
Second was my guy from 17-27, but he fell apart around 21 when his first girlfriend left him. Took years, thought I could save him from himself; but at the end he was just a massive spiraling alcoholic leaving cry’s for help that he wouldn’t use or want. He started stealing from me, and being weird around my wife ( I moved him in the last six months, got him a job paying 3x what he used to make; but he was screwing it all up) and I had to literally kick him out…last day involved dragging him out actually. His car broke down near where I had been married (he was the best man actually and he tried to sabotage my wedding) and he called me for help. I wished him the best and hung up on him.
I checked in on him a year or so later, it got worse.
Both really hurt to lose.
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3points
#67
We went to live together , first year all good ,second year suddenly bills started going up and she had all the invoices ,when i would ask her to show me she would send me the calculator and would say in the winter prices are high , i stayed with the doubt, third year we got a rommate that happened to be an old friend of mine, during winter he would pay the rent and i was thinking his rent would go directly into the bills. but the rent was split clean in 2 for me and her ,after some months my roomie saw that i was suspicious and at the end of the winter he used an excuse about his car expenses and asked if there is anything extra we need to pay. she said we get 2 big bills just in october and may.
she stole me 200 euro extra monthly for 6 months the second year.
needless to say we are moving separate ways in couple of months and shes always somehow away since she understood that i know.
biggest heartbreak ever.
she stole me 200 euro extra monthly for 6 months the second year.
needless to say we are moving separate ways in couple of months and shes always somehow away since she understood that i know.
biggest heartbreak ever.
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3points
#68
IDK. He got married. I went to his wedding and then CUT. He ghosted me and I haven't talked to him since. That was 20 years ago.
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3points
#69
She just, never spoke to me ever again.
We had been friends since we were 3 years old, lived together the last 4 years or so that we were in contact. We had our ups and downs as flatmates and she was very controlling but otherwise nothing friendship-ending. I had to move out because I couldn't afford the rent and had to move in with my parents. She was sad I was going but understood and we planned to meet up soon. I texted her a few times over the next few months and she never responded, still hasn't and its been almost 2 years now. I dont know if i'll ever know what happened.
We had been friends since we were 3 years old, lived together the last 4 years or so that we were in contact. We had our ups and downs as flatmates and she was very controlling but otherwise nothing friendship-ending. I had to move out because I couldn't afford the rent and had to move in with my parents. She was sad I was going but understood and we planned to meet up soon. I texted her a few times over the next few months and she never responded, still hasn't and its been almost 2 years now. I dont know if i'll ever know what happened.
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3points
#70
Growing up I had a core group of friends that lived in my neighborhood and thought we would all be friends for life. The first to drop out of the group lost his father to a heart attack while we were still in middle school. I tried to be there for him and still hangout but he took it really hard and went into a Goth phase. Then in high school he completely changed to a football jock. We just drifted apart. 2nd friend became friends with a rather trashy person who stole from me and one of our other friends. We gave them an ultimatum of the new friend or us and he chose the new friend so we stopped hanging out. Then his family moved to the other side of town and we stopped seeing each other completely. 3rd friend graduated and went to college across the country and broke all contact with everyone. Haven't heard from him since. I even tried going to his house to find out from his mom when he'd be home but he avoided contact so I let it go. 4th friend graduated and went in the military. We met up one time after his basic training and then he got married and had kids. Everything he visited he didnt have time to meet up with friends only family and havent seen him since. We used to occasionally catch up on Facebook but havent spoken to him in years.
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3points
#71
First one was in high school. I moved away, tried to keep in touch, we're both just busy I guess.
Since then, I keep making friends and they keep having kids and I keep not wanting kids or really to be around kids. I make friends with people who don't have kids, they tell me they don't want kids, I know I wont be having any, and then they have kids. Like, come on, we talked about this!
Since then, I keep making friends and they keep having kids and I keep not wanting kids or really to be around kids. I make friends with people who don't have kids, they tell me they don't want kids, I know I wont be having any, and then they have kids. Like, come on, we talked about this!
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2points
#72
First day of sophomore year after hanging out all summer, she told me she couldn't spend time with me anymore and never spoke to me again.
It did sting.
It did sting.
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2points
