DNA Surprises

Not many of us experience our DNA surprises on television, but this week’s guest did exactly that. Patrice is a foundling adoptee, adopted at just a few months old after being abandoned in a garbage bin. She always knew she was adopted, but as an adult, she decided she wanted to look for her biological family. The TLC show  Long Lost Family  shows her finding her biological sister, but much more h...

Welcome to a bonus episode of DNA Surprises.  Michael Paul first joined me in Season 2 , shortly after his discovery. In this bonus episode, Michael shares an update on what's happened in his life since we last spoke. He shares his journey of discovering the importance of self-care and setting boundaries after a DNA surprise. He also discusses his evolving relationship with his bio dad and the...

If you’re familiar with other DNA surprise podcasts, this week’s guest needs no introduction. And if you aren’t allow me to introduce you to Lily Wood, host of NPE Stories. Lily started NPE Stories after experiencing her own NPE in 2019. She is a strong presence in our community, a bonafide truth-teller, and I call her one of the OGs in this space.  She joined me to talk about her DNA surprise and...

Something we unfortunately hear too often in our community is that NPEs were treated differently as children. In this week’s story, Nina shares how her DNA surprise explained why her mother treated her poorly her entire life.  She also discusses how her newfound connections are going and how she is working to accept that she may never find answers.  Thank you for sharing your story, Nina. Join the...

This week’s DNA surprise story is told from a side we haven’t heard from yet - a found father. When Gerard received an email from a man claiming to be his son, he wasn’t sure what to think. He soon discovered that unbeknownst to him, he was the father of a 30-something-year-old man who had been adopted as an infant. Gerard shares how he pieced together who the mother of his son was and how he reco...

What is more shocking than one NPE discovery? Two NPE discoveries. In this week’s episode, Pam shares how she spent 20 years believing that her biological father wasn’t her “dad,"  but another man with whom she had a strained relationship. Imagine her surprise when, after the invention of commercial DNA tests, she uncovered another truth - that her biological father was someone else entirely....

When Michelle took her DNA test, she wasn’t looking for her own biological father. In fact, she hoped to answer some questions about her mother’s NPE. You can imagine her shock when she discovered that her mother wasn’t the only NPE - Michelle was too. She also learned that her biological father is a man she fondly remembered from her childhood. Michelle discusses how her DNA surprise has affected...

DNA tests. NPE. Donor conception. Politics. In this week’s episode of DNA Surprises, I’m joined by Eric, who learned that he was donor-conceived after taking a 23andMe test. He shares why he decided to take the test, why he waited three years before doing anything with his surprising results, and how his discovery impacted his relationship with his parents. He also shares how he has connected with...

Welcome to Season 6 of DNA Surprises. We’re kicking off this season with a quadruple DNA surprise story as told by triplets. Rikki, Julianne, and Kendall are donor-conceived triplets who were separated at birth. Rikki was raised by her biological mother and who she believed was her biological father. Jules and Kendall were raised together by their adoptive parents. Rikki knew about her sisters but...

Welcome to the Season 5 finale of DNA Surprises.  In this week’s episode, Josie shares a DNA surprise that doesn’t come as the result of a test she took, but of her own revelation well into her twenties. She always knew that she was donor conceived and raised by a single mother, but it wasn’t until she had her son that she wanted to find her sperm donor. Josie shares why she wanted to seek out her...

Sometimes the connections that we make on our DNA surprise journeys extend beyond immediate family - and sometimes, they’re beyond ourselves. In this week’s episode, Chris shares how his quest to find his biological father connected other family members with each other. He discusses how he finally found out who his biological father is and how never knowing his father as a child affected him. Than...

Before we begin this episode, a content warning: there is a brief mention of suicidal ideation in this story. Parenting while navigating a DNA surprise journey can be an extremely difficult task. In this week’s episode, Shelly shares how she not only uncovered that her raised dad was not her biological father, but that she is also ethnically Jewish.  She discusses many challenges we haven’t dived...

Many folks who experience a DNA surprise share a feeling of being the black sheep of their family - of never quite fitting in, and in some cases, being actively ostracized by their family of origin. In this week’s episode, Penny shares her complicated family history and why her NPE validated her outsider status within the family. She reflects on the gaslighting and neglect she experienced as a chi...

Before we begin this week’s episode, we have a content warning. There are multiple references to child abuse, including sexual abuse, in this story.  When some people experience DNA surprises, the initial shock and grief just scratch the surface of the emotions that arise. In this week’s episode, Caroline shares how she discovered that her birth certificate father is not her biological father. Thi...

When the parents in a DNA surprise story are no longer alive to answer questions, their children are left to investigate. In this week’s episode Shari discusses her NPE discovery, including the months of painstaking research she did while trying to identify her biological father. Shari talks about how she put the pieces together, why she views her surprise as a blessing, and why she has empathy fo...

In many cultures, kinship adoption is commonplace. Sometimes children grow up knowing they were adopted by a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other extended family members. For people like Mark, this information comes as a surprise. In this week’s episode, Mark shares how he discovered that his mother is actually his grandmother and his sister is actually his mother. While he doesn’t describe his surp...

DNA surprises are, by definition, surprises, but sometimes there are murmurs and suspicions long before a DNA test confirms the truth. In this week’s episode, Liann shares how she uncovered her mother’s secret long before she took a test. She talks about how she’s navigated her journey so far, including rejection from her biological father. She also reflects on how her admiration for her raised fa...

What’s in a name? For people who have experienced a DNA surprise, a whole lot. In this week's episode, Morgan shares his DNA surprise story as the child of an adoptee. He describes how he first found his biological grandmother before the days of the internet and later found his biological grandfather’s family with the help of commercial DNA testing. He also explains why changing his name to th...

When an NPE connects with newfound family and begins building positive relationships, many people consider it to be a success story. Sometimes, though, relationships take a turn, and rejection happens further into the relationship. In this week’s episode, Kimberly shares how she uncovered her DNA surprise and connected with her biological father. She also discusses her surprise when, 18 months int...

Content Warning:  Please note that there are references to suicide in this story. If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm, please contact an emergency or mental health professional. If you’re in the US, you can call or text 988. Sometimes DNA discoveries occur without the aid of a DNA test. In this week’s episode, Jen shares how her mother revealed the truth about her paternity after a near-...

Welcome to Season 5 of DNA Surprises. In the first episode of the season, Christa shares her NPE story.  Christa always knew that something wasn’t quite right because she looked different from her family.  When she got the results of her 23&Me test, she learned that her biological father wasn’t who she expected, and neither was her ethnicity. Christa talks about how she’s navigated building re...

Welcome to a bonus episode of DNA Surprises! Today I am joined by my good friend and co-founder of the  DNA Surprise Retreat,  Debbie Olson. Debbie is a Certified Life Coach and founder of  DNA Surprise Network.  She helps others navigate life’s path after having a DNA Surprise, having experienced one of her own. She enjoys using her skills of empathy, understanding, and communication with her coa...

Welcome to the season 4 finale of DNA Surprises.  One of the things I’ve observed throughout my conversations within this community is that NPEs often explain away confusing details about their conception or births because we trust our parents. We believe what we’re told. In this week’s episode, Sam explains how she always felt different from her sisters and raised her father but trusted what her...

Welcome to a bonus episode of DNA Surprises. Christine Wolf is a  Chicago-based author and writing coach  whose focus is on memoir and biography. Her award-winning work is regularly featured in national newspapers, magazines, and on live storytelling stages.  Through her compassionate and trauma-informed approach, Wolf empowers writers and non-writers alike to find their authentic voices. In 2018,...

Sometimes DNA surprises lead to flourishing relationships with newfound family, but sometimes they do not. In this week’s episode, Angie shares how a comment from her birth certificate father’s wife revealed a non-paternal event.  She discusses how she identified her biological father with the help of  DNAngels  and her disappointment at his unwillingness to build a relationship. Angie also shares...