DNA Surprises

Not every DNA surprise is filled with trauma and upset. In this week’s episode, Guy joins me for a delightful conversation about his NPE discovery. He discusses why he always felt like he didn’t fit in and the other reasons he attributed to his outsider status in his family. He shares why he feels vindicated and relieved to learn that he is an NPE and how he’s tackling his case like a detective. ...

In this week’s episode of DNA Surprises, Karen shares what’s happened since she last shared her DNA surprise story. You can hear the first part of her story on Lily Wood’s podcast,  NPE Stories - Karen C’s story .  As a quick content warning, there is a brief mention of suicide and some discussion about heavy alcohol use. Karen shares how she found her biological father, someone she actually remem...

DNA surprises are often bittersweet. The results we receive via consumer DNA testing can lead to upset and confusion, but they also can answer long-held questions and lay the foundation for new relationships. In this week’s episode, Bonnie shares how she always knew that she didn’t know her father, but once she started searching, she found answers she didn’t expect. Her journey to identifying her...

One of the things we talk about often within the DNA Surprise community is the ripple effect. Surprises don't only affect NPEs, donor-conceived people, and adoptees - they affect their parents, their children, friends, spouses, and other family members. In this week’s episode, Kim shares how she helped uncover the complicated story of her Granda Mary, who had several NPE children. She discusse...

Welcome to a bonus episode of DNA Surprises! I had the privilege of speaking with Kara and Alesia from  Right to Know  about all of the amazing work they do for the MPE, DCP, and adoptee communities.  They also share some exciting news about their upcoming Untangling Our Roots Summit. The event is scheduled for March 30-April 1 and tickets are on sale now! I’ll be there for the podcasters meet and...

The DNA Surprise community is very familiar with shame and stigma. this week’s episode tackles a taboo subject. Shardae took her DNA test for the same reason many Americans do - out of curiosity about her family’s indigenous ties. What she uncovered is that her birth certificate father is not her biological father - she is the product of a one-time encounter between her mother and her mother’s fir...

DNA Surprises aren’t limited to NPEs. In this week’s episode, Debbie shares how she always knew she was adopted, and later learned her biological father was dead. Little did she know that a consumer DNA test would change everything. Debbie shares what’s been helpful to her throughout her journey and how she’s used her own experience to help others. On that note, please stay tuned until the very en...

NPEs come from all backgrounds, but all too often, the stories we hear involve childhood abuse. In this week’s episode, Bianca shares her difficult journey to finding out that she is an NPE. First, a content warning: Bianca’s story includes discussion of drug use, rape, and abuse, and is not suitable for all listeners. If you or anyone you know are a victim of rape or sexual assault, please call t...

One of the most interesting things about the DNA surprise community is how much intersection there is between adoptees, donor-conceived people, and NPEs. In this week’s episode, Hayley, who was one of the first people conceived through IVF in the UK, shares her NPE story. While she knew from a young age that she was conceived through IVF, it wasn’t until she was in her 30s that she learned her rai...

Sometimes DNA surprises reveal that bio fathers are people known to the NPE, however unexpected. In this week's episode, Devin shares how a DNA test revealed that he is one of more than a dozen children - some of his siblings old enough to be his grandparent. He shares how he’s connected with those siblings, and how his discovery has affected his relationship with his mother. Thanks for sharin...

Welcome to Season 3 of DNA Surprises. In the season premier, Ashley shares her double NPE journey.  First, a content warning: due to the circumstances of Ashley’s conception, there is a lengthy discussion of rape and sexual assault. There are also mentions of childhood sexual abuse. If you or anyone you know are a victim of rape or sexual abuse, please call: National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-6...

Welcome to the season 2 finale of DNA Surprises. In this week’s episode, Jennifer shares her NPE story. While she was never close to her birth certificate father, she was blindsided when she put the pieces together after taking a DNA test. Jennifer shares how her discovery has made an impact on her relationships and how she’s buildling a relationship with biological father. Thanks to Jennifer for...

Kristin had no idea her NPE was coming, let alone the secrets she’d uncover because of her DNA surprise. Not only did she discover that she is an NPE – she learned that her sister is, too. In this week’s episode, Kristin explains how she’s worked through rejection from her found family and estrangement from her raised family. She also shares her own regret over taking the test in the first place....

Welcome to a bonus episode of DNA Surprises, a crossover with Everything’s Relative with Eve Sturges! In this episode, we chat about our own NPE stories, the importance of humor throughout our journeys, and why we started our podcasts. I also share something I’ve never shared before - that I’ve been on the other side of a DNA surprise. Thanks to Eve for collaborating with me on this episode and th...

Layla always knew that she was adopted by family. She also knew both of her birth parents, or so she thought. In this week’s episode, Layla shares how she discovered she is an NPE and what she had to do to identify her biological father. Layla also discusses the many nuances of discovering a new ethnicity. Thank you for sharing your story, Layla. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community !

Have you ever wondered about the first NPEs who found out through commercial DNA tests? In this week’s episode, Annie shares how she began her journey a decade ago. She shares how she figured out who her father is and how she has made connections with her found family. She also offers her perspective on her mother’s choice. Thank you to Annie for sharing her story. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon c...

NPEs, DCPs, and adoptees aren’t the only people who experience DNA Surprises. Found family has them, too. This week, Dori shared her surprise at being contacted by a sibling she never knew existed. Dori also shares her experience growing up with family secrets, especially her life being raised by a lesbian couple.  I’m excited to release this episode during pride month because it demonstrates how...

Some DNA surprise stories are harder to unravel than others. When Linda found out about her NPE, she was nearly 60 years old and both her mother and birth certificate father had passed. In this week's episode, Linda shares how she was able to track down the identity of her biological father despite genealogical challenges such as endogamy, (the custom of marrying only within the limits of a lo...

When Mark received a call from who he believed was a new-found half-sibling, he wasn't surprised. Little did he know that this revelation would lead him to his own NPE journey. In this week's episode, Mark shares how he uncovered his truth, how he connected with his family, and how he finds peace with his mother, who died before he could speak to her about his DNA surprise. He also offers...

In this week’s episode, Kara shares her donor conceived journey. Kara’s parents told her and her twin sister that they were conceived with a donor egg when they were 10 years old. The family never really spoke about it again. Kara shares how she connected with her bio mom, how she feels about donor conception, and what steps would make donor conception more ethical today. Thanks for sharing your s...

Michael Paul always felt different from his family. He was treated differently than his two younger brothers and went through multiple periods of estrangement from his raised parents. In this week’s episode, he shares how he finally learned the truth through a consumer DNA testing kit. He tells us how he connected with his biological dad and why he made the difficult decision to ultimately go no c...

In this week's episode, Charlotte shares her journey as both an adoptee and NPE. Charlotte always knew she was adopted. Her parents were always open with her and she never wanted to seek out her birth parents. After taking a 23&Me test to learn her health history, she was surprised to realize that it also connected her with DNA matches. She shares how she found her birth parents, how this...

In this week's episode, Cara shares an NPE story with lots of twists and turns. She tells us how she found out about her NPE and the journey to finding her biological father. She also shares how her new relationships are forming and how this process has affected her relationship with her BCF (birth certificate father) and mother. Thanks to Cara for sharing her story. Join the DNA Surprises Pat...

Welcome to season 2 of DNA Surprises! In this week’s episode, we’ll hear Gretchen’s NPE story. Like many of our stories, Gretchen’s DNA surprise includes many people, and it can be difficult to understand the roles of everyone involved, so before we begin I want to give some background. Before her DNA surprise, Gretchen believed she was the youngest of 3 children. It turns out that Gretchen’s biol...

Surprise! It’s a bonus episode. In recognition of DNA Day, on April 25, we’re dropping a special episode with author Leeanne R. Hay, who recently released her book  NPE* A story guide for unexpected DNA discoveries . In this episode, we take a deeper dive into some of the things Leeanne wrote about, from why she wrote the book to NPEs in the media to how consumer DNA testing companies should be he...