When a person writes a will, they usually divide their assets among their family members, ensuring their loved ones are taken care of after they pass away. But sometimes, people use this final document to surprise—or even shock—those left behind.
Some do it out of love, others as a form of revenge, and some simply because they have a unique sense of humor. From leaving fortunes to pets to ensuring future archaeologists get the scare of their lives, the world has seen some truly bizarre final wishes.
Here are some of the most unexpected and unusual things people have put in their wills, as shared by netizens on Reddit.
1. A Goldfish with a Trust Fund
u/scarlett_pimpernel:
As a solicitor, I’ve seen my fair share of odd wills, but one lady’s request really stood out. She came to me, completely serious, and asked to set up a trust fund worth £100,000 for her pet goldfish.
“I want my fish to be well taken care of,” she insisted. “It should be fed fresh avocado daily and looked after by my local dog walker.”
I had to ask, “Is this some kind of rare or special breed of fish?”
“No,” she replied, completely straight-faced. “Just a regular goldfish.”
I made sure to document everything properly, but I still wonder if that little fish ever got to enjoy its luxury lifestyle.
2. A Secret Daughter No One Knew About
u/scarlett_pimpernel:
Another woman came to me with a request that took me by surprise. She confessed she had a secret daughter—a child no one in her family, not even her husband, knew about.
“I want to leave her some money and a few photographs,” she said. “But my family must never find out.”
I couldn’t help but think about what would happen after she passed away. How would the family react when they discovered this shocking secret? One thing was certain—there was going to be a very interesting conversation when her will was read.
3. The Bus Driver Who Won the Lottery
u/mommy5dearest:
I used to work at an attorney’s office, and one day, an elderly woman walked in with a surprising request. She wanted to leave her entire house and all her belongings to… her bus driver.
“He’s the only one who’s been kind to me,” she explained. “He helps me with my bags, waits for me when I’m slow, and always greets me with a smile.”
When we drafted the will, we all knew her family would be furious when they found out. And sure enough, they contested it. But I had been a witness to the signing, and the woman was perfectly fine—mentally and physically—when she made her decision.
That bus driver had no idea that one act of kindness would change his life forever.
4. The Coffin That Would Frighten Archaeologists
u/WanderCold:
When I had to write a will for my health insurance at work, I decided to have a little fun. With the lawyer’s approval, I included this special clause:
“I wish to be buried in a coffin that is spring-loaded, so if future archaeologists ever open it, they will get a good scare.”
Of course, I also had a backup plan:
“If this is too expensive, I’d like to be cremated, and my ashes scattered in a place of my choosing.”
Even if my first request doesn’t happen, I hope I at least gave the lawyer a good laugh.
5. The Horse That Almost Didn’t Make It
u/gabberrella24:
Working in probate, I’ve seen some strange things, but this one stuck with me. A woman left strict instructions in her will that her beloved horse had to be euthanized, cremated, and have its ashes mixed with hers.
The only problem? The horse she named in her will had already died before she passed away. So, the new horse she got later in life got to live—and found a new home on another farm instead.
Lucky horse!
6. A Lawyer’s Unusual Competition
u/PirateRobotNinjaofDe:
One of the strangest wills I’ve ever heard of was written by a lawyer who decided to leave millions of dollars to a completely random stranger—but with a catch.
His money would go to whichever woman in Toronto had the most children on a specific date, years after his death.
The winner? A woman with 10 kids.
That’s one way to make sure your money goes to a big family!
7. My Grandfather’s Tie
u/snoboreddotcom:
After my grandfather passed away, my grandmother handed me a ridiculous-looking navy-blue tie covered in pink elephants.
“This was your grandfather’s power tie,” she told me. “He wore it to intimidate people in business. Someone who wears a tie like this doesn’t care what others think—and that scares people. He wanted you to have it.”
It may not be a fortune, but it’s one of the best things I’ve ever inherited.
8. Strange Conditions for an Inheritance
u/ALighterShadeOfPale:
I’ve seen some very specific conditions written into wills. One woman made sure her adult sons would only get their inheritance if they completed certain tasks:
- One son had to visit a dentist before receiving his share.
- The other son wouldn’t get his money unless he lost 70 pounds.
Another woman wanted to be cremated with her cats, but when we told her that human and animal remains can’t be cremated together, she agreed to have them cremated separately and mixed afterward.
People take their final wishes very seriously!
9. A 56-Page Will
u/ALighterShadeOfPale:
Most wills are around 10 pages long, but one woman decided to list every single item in her house in hers.
“Wooden ladle to ____, toilet paper holder to ____, magazine basket to ____…”
She went on for 56 pages, specifying who should get everything—including the smallest, most insignificant objects.
Talk about being thorough!
10. A Secret Burial
u/ALighterShadeOfPale:
One woman insisted that her will include a request to be buried on her rural property next to her husband.
There was just one problem—burying human remains there was completely illegal.
When we asked if her husband had been cremated, she refused to answer. But he had only passed away five or six years before, so it wasn’t ancient history.
To this day, I still wonder—was he really buried there already?
11. A Final Wish at the Zoo
There was once a man who had a very special request in his will. He wanted his family to go to the zoo immediately after his burial—on the very same day. The people handling his will thought this was heartwarming.
It wasn’t a typical last wish, but it was clear that he wanted his family to remember him in a place of joy rather than sorrow. Maybe he had fond memories at the zoo, or maybe he just wanted to make sure his loved ones found comfort among the animals instead of drowning in grief. Either way, it was a touching request.
Beyond this, the law firm handling his will had seen many interesting cases. One trend stood out—many of their clients, belonging to a particular religion, often left at least 90% of their wealth to their church instead of their families. It was a striking example of deep faith and dedication, putting their religious beliefs above personal ties, even in death.
12. The Elvis Impersonator’s Lucky Day
This isn’t a lawyer’s story, but it’s a wild one. A man had a very rich uncle—though “family man” wasn’t exactly his style. He only visited once every ten years, and when he did, he wasn’t rolling out the red carpet. The last time he visited, he took the kids to a Denny’s. That was the extent of his generosity.
When he passed away, he had no friends left. His wife had tragically died from substance abuse, and according to family whispers, he was a big reason why her life had spiraled downward. You’d think with no close family and no real friends, his money would go to charity or distant relatives. But no—he left his entire estate to an Elvis impersonator. Every last penny.
Why? No one knew. Maybe he was a die-hard Elvis fan. Maybe this impersonator had done something that touched his heart. Or maybe, in one final act of eccentricity, he just wanted to shock everyone. Whatever the reason, an Elvis lookalike hit the jackpot that day.
13. The Millionaire Behind Bars
At a bank’s estate department, an administrator once handled a particularly strange case. A huge multi-million-dollar trust was set up for a single beneficiary—the son of the deceased. Everything seemed standard until the administrator learned a disturbing truth: the son was the one responsible for his parents’ deaths. He had pleaded insanity and was locked away in a mental hospital.
Despite being incredibly wealthy, his only contact with the bank was once a year when he called to request just $50 for the commissary—just enough to buy chips and gum. The calls were eerie. He was always polite, but the quality of the call made it sound like he was speaking from far, far away, as if trapped in another world. Millions of dollars sat untouched, but all he ever wanted was a small taste of the outside world, in the form of cheap snacks.
14. The Ultimate Revenge—A Gift of Cats
Last week, a lawyer handled a case where wealthy parents had left millions in artwork to various people and huge sums of cash to charities. But their own children? They were left with the family cats.
It wasn’t an oversight. It was revenge. The kids had given their aging parents these cats, insisting they’d provide comfort in their old age. But the parents despised the cats. They wanted to get rid of them, but the children refused to let that happen. So, in their final act, the parents turned the tables—ensuring that those very same children would be responsible for the cats for years to come.
It was the kind of will that said, loud and clear: “You thought you were clever? Well, so were we.”
15. A Gift to Remember
A man spent years battling the local government, fighting to keep his land after they tried to seize it to build a water treatment plant. When he finally won, he didn’t forget their attempts to take what was his. So, in his will, he left them something special—the contents of his outhouse.
Legally, they had to accept his “gift.” His children, fully aware of their father’s long-standing grudge, made sure the joke lived on. They carefully boxed up all the books and magazines from the outhouse and personally delivered them to City Hall.
16. The Clueless Taxi Driver
An elderly woman left nearly everything she owned—including a sizable estate—to her regular taxi driver. She also named him as the executor of her will. The problem? He had no idea.
The previous executor, a close friend of the woman, was completely stunned. She had been the main beneficiary in two previous wills and was left only £5,000 in this final version. Feeling betrayed, she contested the will.
When the taxi driver was informed, he was equally shocked. He didn’t even know the woman had passed away. But after legal procedures, the will was upheld, leaving him with an unexpected windfall. It just goes to show—you never know who might appreciate your kindness.
17. Grandma’s Hidden Fortune
Grandma lived in a run-down trailer her entire life, barely scraping by. But my husband was convinced she was hiding a fortune. He was certain that when she passed, he’d be rolling in money. “Sugar,” he whispered to me before the will reading, “put on a smile. We’re about to be rich.”
Then, the lawyer spoke. “The last will states that there is a hidden fortune. However, the husband must fulfill three conditions to inherit it. Otherwise, it will go to the local animal shelter.”
My husband sat up straight, suddenly interested.
“First, he must live in her old trailer for a year—no upgrades, no outside help. Second, he must volunteer at the animal shelter every weekend for two years. And finally, he must write an essay on the value of humility and compassion and read it publicly at the shelter’s annual fundraiser.”
My husband’s face transformed from excitement to pure disbelief. He had spent years waiting for this moment, and now he was faced with a choice—wealth, but at the cost of hard lessons in humility. Grandma sure knew how to teach a lesson from beyond the grave!
These stories prove one thing: being included in a will can be a blessing or a curse. A few words on a piece of paper can change a person’s life forever. Whether it’s revenge, generosity, or one final lesson, the last wishes of the deceased have the power to reshape the lives of the living.
