It's super inevitable that some strong friendships from childhood will ultimately find their demise. And as heartbreaking as it may be, people really do just grow apart. But sometimes, a bond is so strong that no matter how far you part or where your lives take you, you know you can always count on that same person you've been counting on since grade school.
So, when u/Luke_The_Random_Dude posed the question, "What happened to your childhood best friend(s), and why are you or are you not friends with them anymore?" I knew the responses would be full of unique stories that explained how strong bonds can be and how easily they can break:
1. "She vanished. Back in 2011, when I was in 4th grade, before Christmas break began, she told the school she would be going back to her home country for three weeks or so. She was supposed to be back after Christmas break. She never returned."
2. "He went ultra-right-wing. It's not even just that his politics are different; it's that they became his entire identity, and you can't have a conversation with him without it being the only thing he talks about."
"I can't even talk to him about events from when we were kids because it always turns into, 'Well, because of Biden, kids now won't be able to do that.' Ok, Chad, because Biden is president, kids can't play in a sandbox...how?? It's so tedious that I just can't even bother to reach out anymore. I miss my friend."
3. "He tried to hook up with my mom in high school."
4. "We are still best friends even though we live in different countries now and lead very different lives. Our friendship bond is really strong."
5. "She knows what she did."
6. "We grew apart. Then, when it came to a major life event we'd discussed as kids, they were invited as a guest rather than being invited to participate as a major player (having not spent time together in years)."
"They sent a rejection letter saying they would not come at all if I wasn't honoring the childhood pact (the role they wanted wasn't even included in this event). So they didn't come. And that was the end. And that was okay."
7. "We still play D&D every Thursday night and play video games together when time allows (we both have families now and young children)."
8. "We stayed friends long after high school, but they would not stop sending me shitty conservative emails during Hurricane Katrina. I had to block and sever."
9. "I moved away from my hometown when I was 18. Around 20 years later, my old best friend got in touch after googling my name and ‘writer,' as he guessed that’s what I’d be doing. And we’ve been in close contact again ever since."
10. "I don’t know what happened to her. I can’t find her on any social media besides Snapchat, where she rarely posts. We went out for dinner once, but that was ages ago. I’ve tried reaching out to her a few times, but my attempts have gone unanswered."
"It really sucks because she’s one of the only physical connections I have to my childhood. We had so many fun experiences and discovered our love for alternative music together. I’ll never forget her, and I’ll always miss her."
11. "He was my best friend since I was 10 years old and was the best man at my wedding. He allowed himself to get brainwashed by the right and started posting about immigrants, building the wall to keep them out, etc. He went from calling COVID a hoax to a conspiracy and was anti-vax. And you guessed it, he got COVID and died."
12. "We've stayed in touch throughout our lives, though we haven't lived near eachother for 50 years. Our moms were/are best friends, so that kept us connected while we were kids."
"We aren't in regular communication, but we very much enjoy each other's company when we see each other. She flew halfway across the country for my father's memorial service last week. That was the first time we'd seen each other in five years. I loved spending time with her."
13. "He started avoiding me when we started high school. I finally got him to talk to me, and we went for lunch just to catch up. He was cold, gave short answers, and didn't do much to keep the conversation going."
14. "We fell out in middle school. It was inevitable; we lived far apart and went to middle and high schools on opposite sides of the city, plus she came from a toxic, abusive home."
"She became a mom at 19 and had another kid about 10 years later. We're Facebook friends, but she doesn't post much. If she treats her kids like she treated me, then I know she's a good mom."
15. "He went to college, got married, had a kid, and moved to California. I know all of this because we still talk four days a week. I saw him two months ago, and I was the best man at his wedding."
And finally, let's end it on the happiest of notes. We love to see that this user and their childhood BFF are still going super strong:
16. "She’s doing great. She got a full-ride scholarship to a prestigious university, and now she’s an environmental engineer with a lovely home. She volunteers with war refugees and runs marathons. If I didn’t know her myself, I would swear she's made up; she’s just too much."
Do you relate to any of these or have your own story to tell about the current status of your childhood best friend? Let us know in the comments!
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.