TikTok creator Annie Niu (@annie_niu) went massively viral on the platform when she posted a video on Dec. 13, 2024, insinuating she had spent the last five years pretending to be her deceased twin sister to spare her family heartbreak.
The video, which amassed over 413K likes, 1210 comments, and nearly 7 million views in three days, featured Niu crying while giving a tour of her grandfather’s home. The caption of the video reads: “POV: You finally told your family that your twin sister passed away five years ago and they took down every single photo that had her in it (which is pretty much every photo in the house).”
@annie_niu I counted 17 photos last time
♬ original sound – Annie Niu
The following day, Niu clarified in an additional post that it was just her grandmother who was on her “deathbed” and her extended family who were told of Niu’s twin sister’s death.
Those who hadn’t been following Niu’s older posts were surprised by the video’s revelation, and—along with users showing support and love—there were many comments with questions about the logistical, interpersonal, and emotional details of her omission.
@annie_niu Replying to @user2946459897670 ♬ original sound – Annie Niu
Niu’s disjointed communication of information had TikTok users confused, wanting clarity on how Niu was able to keep up the facade, her extended family’s reaction, and what other family members were complicit in this lie.
“I didn’t tell my grandparents and my extended family that my sister passed away,” she said. “It was my dad’s decision. This past July, my grandma passed away and on her deathbed, my dad told her that my sister passed away and that she’s waiting for her on the other side.” Niu went on to say that her father didn’t want to withhold information, but that he also didn’t want to cause his parents any “heartbreak.”
Niu’s grandfather is still unaware of his granddaughter’s death
Despite finally breaking the news to her 92-year-old grandmother and extended family (including Niu’s aunt), as of Dec. 16, 2024, Niu’s grandfather is still unaware of her sister’s death.
Why did all the photos disappear from Niu’s grandparent’s home?
When Niu addressed a question from her prior post about her sister’s photos disappearing from her grandparent’s home, she admitted she still doesn’t know why her aunts ultimately decided to “take down every single photo” in her grandfather’s house that contained her late sister. “So imagine my surprise when I take my kids to go visit my grandpa and I look on the walls and none of our photos are there,” she said.
@annie_niu Replying to @kirstymcleanx #greenscreen ♬ Better in Time – Leona Lewis
TikTok reacts to Niu’s story
For some, this follow-up video created even more questions than answers; even accounts who merely followed and covered the saga were subject to an onslaught of additional questions, including comments like “Why would they remove the photos?” and “Didn’t they ask where she was for five years? “
What happened to Niu’s twin sister?
In 2022, Niu began sharing personal information about her sister’s death and the familial circumstances surrounding it. In a video from Dec 24, 2022, she explained that after her twin sister died from meningitis, her family decided against telling her grandparents, as shielding the elderly from “terrible news” was “really common in Asian culture.” For Niu, this meant that the influencer would call them every holiday, pretending to be her late twin sister.
@annie_niu ♬ Anti-Hero – Taylor Swift
Niu detailed her experience around the death of her sister in the TikTok highlight “Twin,” which includes 25 posts about her grief, loss, and complicated family situation. According to Niu’s TikTok page, there are no future plans to tell her grandfather about the death of her twin sister.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Niu via TikTok direct message. Niu did not immediately respond to the request for comment.
