‘Some families are built for grief’: He lost his father and brother, now battles the same rare illness. Man shares his love story amid loss and the risk for his daughter

Grief does not always arrive as a single moment. Sometimes, it becomes a pattern that quietly shapes an entire life. For Siddhant Jain, loss was never unfamiliar. It was something he grew up watching unfold within his own home, taking away the people he loved, one by one. Years later, just when life seemed to offer a different chapter filled with love and hope, that same shadow returned, this time with his own name written into it.

In an interview with Humans of Bombay, Siddhant Jain shared how his childhood was marked by illness rather than choice. His father passed away first, followed by his brother, both due to Gardner’s syndrome, a rare genetic condition. What made it harder was the way it was often described as rare, as though that label could somehow soften the reality. Over time, it was just him and his mother, and somewhere along the way, he stopped questioning why this was happening to his family. Instead, he accepted that some families seem to carry more grief than others.

His love story

Amid this backdrop of loss, life introduced him to Saloni in 2008, when he was 21. Their meeting was simple and unremarkable on the surface. They were both pursuing Chartered Accountancy, and he began helping her with her studies as a senior. There was no dramatic beginning, just a quiet companionship that grew over time. Back then, he did not have much to offer in conventional terms. There was no financial stability, and her family had their concerns. He understood their hesitation because he carried his own doubts too.


Their relationship stretched across a decade before marriage, and during those years, one question lingered unspoken within him. Having already lost so much, he feared history repeating itself. One evening, he finally voiced that fear, asking her if she, too, would leave him like everyone else had. She did not respond with reassurances or grand promises. Instead, she held his hand in silence, choosing presence over words. They married in 2018, marking the beginning of what he hoped would be a different kind of story.

His diagnosis

In 2021, the couple welcomed their daughter, bringing with her a sense of renewal Siddhant had never felt before. For the first time, he allowed himself to believe that life might not follow the same painful script. But in January 2025, that hope was shaken when he was diagnosed with the same condition that had taken his father and brother. The reality he had once observed from a distance was now his own.

The physical toll has been immense. He has lost 20 kilograms and is undergoing chemotherapy. There are days when simply getting through the hours feels overwhelming. Yet, there are also moments of quiet defiance. At home, he and Saloni sometimes dance together, choosing joy even when circumstances suggest otherwise. In those fleeting moments, the weight of illness fades, replaced by a sense of gratitude for what still remains.

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Worry for his daughter

There is another layer to his fight that never leaves his mind. Doctors have told them that their daughter carries a 50 per cent chance of inheriting the same gene. It is a number that lingers constantly, shaping both fear and determination. For Siddhant, that risk has become a reason to keep going. He wants to be the one who changes the narrative, the one who breaks a cycle that has defined his family for generations.

When he reflects on love, it is not through grand gestures or elaborate definitions. It comes back to a simple moment in the dark, when he asked a question rooted in fear and received an answer through quiet presence. In a life shaped by loss, that act of staying became the most powerful promise of all.

Internet reacts

Social media users responded with an outpouring of empathy and encouragement. Many pointed out how fortunate he is to have a supportive partner by his side and urged him to keep fighting the disease for his loved ones. Others wished him strength and recovery while also expressing concern about his daughter’s health, noting the risks associated with genetic conditions. Some shared how deeply his journey resonated with them, especially the emotional shift from hope to accepting grief, calling it a painful yet relatable experience.