DNA Surprises

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 sharing your story, Devin.
Thank you for sharing your story, Devin.

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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

1-800-656-4673

Ashley took her DNA test for health reasons, and was completely blindsided when she learned her raised father is not her bio dad. In this episode, she shares how she is processing two different versions of how she was conceived. Her mother says that she was raped - her father says it was a night of passion. She also shares how her discovery has affected her immediate family.

I also want to note that these conversations are difficult, especially in the DNA surprise community. 

Thank you for sharing your story, Ashley.

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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 sharing her story. You can hear more from Jennifer at her podcast, Unfinished Truths. 

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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.

Thank you for sharing your story, Kristin.

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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 thank you for listening!
Listen to Everything's Relative with Eve Sturges.
Buy Who Even Am I Anymore?

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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.

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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.

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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 far we’ve come in destigmatizing LGBTQI families. I look forward to the day when we see families for what they are - families, each with as much nuance as anyone else’s.

Thanks to Dori for sharing her story.

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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 local community, clan, or tribe).

I also want to add a quick content warning for this episode. Because Linda can't ask any of her parents about her conception, she does not know if she was the result of a consensual relationship or sexual assault, and she mentions this. If you have experienced sexual abuse, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for support.
Thanks to Linda for sharing her story. 

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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 valuable advice to parents and NPEs, particularly to men.
Thanks to Mark for sharing his story.

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