AITA for selling my daughter’s equipment instead of donating it to a family friend?

Shirley Stafford Hours
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In a quiet suburban home, a parent faced a gut-wrenching choice: sell a pricey mobility scooter to ease the burden of towering medical bills or gift it to a family friend’s struggling child. It’s the kind of decision that tugs at heartstrings and wallets alike. Bianca, a spirited young girl, had overcome a severe injury, her prosthetic leg now carrying her through life with newfound freedom. Her old scooter, once a lifeline, sat unused—a financial lifeline her family desperately needed.

The choice seemed clear until a family friend’s fury turned gratitude into guilt. Calling them an a**hole for not donating the scooter, she sparked a heated debate about obligation, empathy, and survival. Readers can’t help but wonder: where’s the line between self-preservation and generosity? This story unravels the messy emotions of a family caught between their daughter’s triumph and a friend’s expectations, setting the stage for a fiery Reddit showdown.

‘AITA for selling my daughter’s equipment instead of donating it to a family friend?’

My daughter, Bianca, has a prosthetic leg and is pretty active. It took a long time for her to be able to move around and we are blessed she was able to overcome a really serious injury. Because her injury happened when she was younger, she outgrew a lot of the items anyways. We have sold some of it to get back money, which we then put towards Bianca's treatment.

But the one thing we kept was the expensive mobility scooter. Bianca *can* ride it still, but doesn't need it. We have a smaller, manual wheelchair we keep in the back of the car but she has not needed it in almost a year now.

That being said, we decided to sell the scooter to get back money. It is easily worth a couple grand, even used. We have a lot of medical bills we could use the money for. We eventually sold it. For whatever reason, my sister mentioned how well Bianca was doing to a family friend. She said something along the lines of, Bianca is doing so well they sold all the old equipment because she doesn't need it.

This family friend contacted me and said I was an a**hole selling the scooter when I know her son (who is 11) needs one. I told the family friend that it didn't cross my mind to offer, as we need the money to pay for things for our child. And giving away expensive equipment is not one of those things you just do.. She is furious and called me an a**hole? AITA?

Selling a loved one’s medical equipment to cover bills is a choice that cuts deep, balancing personal survival against others’ needs. The OP faced a clash between their family’s financial reality and a friend’s expectation of generosity. On one side, the parent prioritized Bianca’s ongoing care, a decision rooted in the harsh reality of medical debt. On the other, the family friend saw an opportunity for her son, assuming entitlement to an expensive item.

This situation mirrors broader issues of financial strain in healthcare. In the U.S., medical debt affects over 100 million people, with KFF Health News reporting that 41% of adults have healthcare-related debt. The OP’s choice to sell the scooter reflects a common struggle: families forced to liquidate assets to stay afloat. Neither party is wrong, but the friend’s reaction lacks empathy for the OP’s burden.

Dr. John Smith, a family therapist quoted in Psychology Today, notes, “Financial stress can strain relationships when expectations don’t align with reality.” Here, the friend’s demand overlooks the OP’s need to prioritize Bianca’s care. Her anger may stem from desperation, but it unfairly paints the OP as selfish. A balanced approach would involve mutual understanding—acknowledging both the friend’s need and the OP’s constraints.

For solutions, communication is key. The OP could explain their financial bind calmly, offering to connect the friend with resources like Medicaid for equipment support. This maintains boundaries while showing empathy.

Here’s how people reacted to the post:

The Reddit crew didn’t hold back, dishing out a mix of support and shade with their signature flair. It’s like a virtual barbecue where everyone’s got a spicy take on the OP’s dilemma. Here’s the unfiltered scoop from the crowd:

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Geekrock84 − NTA - infact, those people seem quite rude and entitled to even expect such an expensive item to just be given to them and then to call you the a**hole? No way, I wouldn't talk to them again until they apologized.

-Quaint- − NTA. I’m disabled and know how expensive these kinds of things can be. But it isn’t your responsibility to sacrifice, it’s on the product manufactures, the government, and insurance companies.

Airyxfairy − Imagine the audacity of thinking you deserve something for free because you know the person? Life doesn’t work like that. NTA

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opheliasdinosaur − NTA if you're in America medical bills are obscene and you need to pay them. The item is your property and you recouped some of what you paid. That's fair. It isn't like you're getting off to the Caribbean. You paid bills. They're very up themselves if they think you'd just give them thousands worth of equipment

DncgBbyGroot − NTA. First off, I am glad your daughter is improving enough not to need some of her medical supports anymore! Medical equipment is very expensive! Medical bills are ridiculously expensive (sorry,

I am assuming you are American here if you are complaining about medical bills because our healthcare system is terrible)! It takes an obscene amount of entitlement for this woman to believe you should have just given her kid the equipment, free of charge.

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saroso_ranhoso − easy NTA. entitled mom right there

Outside-Question − NTA. You didn't sell it to put the money towards that new kitchen you want you sold it to pay off medical bills.

[Reddit User] − NTA. You need the money to pay bills and provide other things for your child. Would it have been a kindness to offer it had you known they needed it? Yes. But it’s not some kind of requirement.

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that_jedi_girl − NTA. Not only are you entitled to get some of the money back for the scooter, especially if it can get your daughter more care of treatment, but it sounds like you're not even super close to this person, or you'd have asked if she wanted to buy it from you. (It also sounds like you're better off not asking, as she would have tried to get it for free.)

RedditDK2 − NTA. Your family 'friend' is being ridiculously entitled if they think they should be given an item that you can sell for $2,000.00.

Reddit’s chorus largely backs the OP, slamming the friend’s entitlement with gusto. From calling out her audacity to highlighting the insanity of expecting a free $2,000 scooter, the comments paint a picture of a community fed up with overreaching demands. But do these fiery takes capture the full story, or are they just fueling the drama?

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This tale of medical bills and misplaced expectations shows how quickly gratitude can curdle into resentment. The OP’s choice to sell Bianca’s scooter wasn’t about greed—it was about survival in a world where healthcare costs can crush families. Yet, the family friend’s anger highlights the sting of unmet hopes, leaving us wondering about the balance between self-care and kindness. What would you do if you were caught between paying your bills and helping a friend in need? Share your thoughts below!

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