If you could remove one event from your life, what would it be?

My dad had a workplace accident.

He tripped over a power cord running across a walkway at the refinery he worked at, breaking his ankle.

Over the course of many years, he had multiple surgeries and was stuck in bed for months on end with a halo around his ankle. Required walking aids and a calliper boot to get around once recovered. It hit him hard as he was previously very active. Became dependent on prescription drugs and mixed them with alcohol, turning him into a very angry person who lashed out. Really took it out on my sister for some reason. She attempted suicide as it all became too much over the years. I found her in time luckily and she recovered after being placed in an induced coma, but still struggles to this day. Mum became very depressed and withdrawn. Dad dealt with it by having an affair. Everything seemed to keep crumbling, one thing leading to another.

I often wonder how different things would be if dad didn't trip over that damn cord.

I truly believe that one simple, unfortunate event changed everything and affected our whole family dynamic.

/r/AskReddit Thread