[btilly]

They might be a counter-example to the many experiences that I am aware of. On the other hand, it could also be a case where he misremembers his own past to fit the story he wants to tell. (That is not an accusation, by the way, most of us do that to some degree or another. I certainly have.)

Without more information, it is impossible to tell.

However my opinion remains to trust the many experiences that I have had, and the experiences of people that I have known well. Your parents' story is not what most should expect to have happen.