DNA Surprises

Welcome to the season 1 finale of DNA Surprises. In this week’s episode, I am going to share my story. In July, I found out that I am an NPE. I was completely blindsided by not only that discovery but a massive shift in racial identity. I’m going to discuss what my discovery was like and how I’ve processed what happened. I’ll also talk about what has helped me heal so far. Thank you for listening...

While a DNA surprise can be a painful and traumatic experience, some NPEs are able to find a silver lining through beautiful new relationships. In this week's episode Rose shares her journey from feeling disconnected from her raised family to establishing a connection with her biological father. Thanks to Rose for sharing her story. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community !

In this week’s episode, Jessica shares how her NPE discovery unfolded. She discusses how it’s affected her relationship with her raised family and how she is trying to learn about her biological father, a man she was aware of while growing up. One of the things that struck me most about Jessica’s story is how much it reflects the effects COVID 19 on DNA surprises. From delayed opportunities to con...

In this week’s episode, Lisa reveals how her DNA test uncovered not one, not two, but three NPEs in her family. She shares how her NPE status affected her childhood before she even knew it. Lisa also shares the positive aspects of connecting with her newfound family. Thanks to Lisa for sharing her story.  Support the Show.

In this episode, Kristin shares her NPE journey after discovering the truth just four months prior to our conversation. She was completely blindsided by the discovery and shares her shock and confusion over what to do next. She also discusses the new family connections she's made so far while expressing some concern about her raised father's feelings. Thanks to Kristin for sharing her stor...

Whitney's mom told her the truth about her biological father long before she took a DNA test. She learned the truth at 14, 6 years after the tragic loss of the man she believed was her father. In this episode, Whitney shares the long and winding road to connect to her biological father. She offers a compassionate view on the choices the adults in her life made and how those choices affected he...

Michael had been told he didn't look related to his family his entire life, so when his sisters asked him to take a DNA test for fun, he knew the truth was going to be revealed. In this episode, Michael shares his quest for answers despite both of his biological parents having Alzheimer's. He is also candid about his struggles with mental health in general and in light of his discovery. Th...

Summer’s mother told her about her NPE status when she was 13–a secret she kept for decades. It wasn’t until she took a DNA test that she connected with her half-siblings, some of whom (to her shock) already knew about her, too. Summer shares how her relationships are developing despite not living in the same state. She also discusses some of the questions she has for her mother, who has since pas...

Wendy’s path to finding her biological father is a long and winding road. As a double NPE, she has twice learned that the man she believed was her bio dad was not. Now that Wendy knows the truth about her parentage, she discusses the challenges of building a relationship with her new family, which include a lack of time and differing religious values. Thanks to Wendy for sharing her story. Support...

When Diana learned that her biological father is an old family friend, she was completely shocked. But soon after her discovery, many things started making more sense. With the help of a newly found cousin, Diana began making connections with her family members, including an aunt. Unfortunately, Diana’s biological father and brothers haven’t reciprocated her efforts to connect. She shares how she’...

Crystal's DNA surprise came as a total shock, years after she took her Ancestry DNA test. When her older sister showed up as a half-sibling, Crystal discovered that she is an NPE. She shares the intense emotions that people who experience non-paternal events feel, from sadness to hope. She talks about how connecting with her newfound family is going so far. Finally, Crystal offers some great a...

Kerry's suspicions about her NPE status have come and gone throughout the years. As a child, she always felt different from her siblings, but a unique medical condition caused her to push aside any doubts she had about her paternity. By the time she learned the truth about her biological father from a DNA testing kit, her mother had passed, leaving her unable to ask many questions. Kerry offer...

Yvette shares a story of intergenerational secrets that she unearthed after discovering her DNA surprise in December 2020. ⠀ She learns that not only is she an NPE, but so is her biological father. Yvette also shares what it’s like to realize that she has a very different ethnic background than she previously believed. ⠀ In addition to sharing the range of emotions she’s felt during her NPE journe...

Imagine spitting into a tube, sending off your DNA, and unknowingly turning your life upside down. For me and thousands of others, this is our reality.  I'm your host, Alexis Hourselt. In July of 2021, I discovered that I am an NPE - someone who has experienced a non-paternal event. In other words, my biological father isn't who I thought he was. This podcast shares the journeys of people...