What happens when a single email from a stranger confirms the secret you have been living with your whole life?

In this episode, Rich Boerner returns to Family Twist to share the second half of his extraordinary story. In Part One, Rich discovered the truth about his father after finding a Polaroid tucked inside his mother’s old address book. That discovery shattered the story he had grown up believing and opened the door to an entirely new family.

In Part Two, Rich picks up the story a decade later, when an unexpected email from a woman claiming to be his half-sister pulls him into the next chapter of his life. What follows is an emotional mix of disbelief, connection, and forgiveness.

Rich talks about how he went from shock to understanding, how he built a new relationship with his sister, and why finally learning the truth changed the way he viewed both of his parents. He also shares how the process of telling his story became a healing experience, first for him and then for his children.

• How one photo uncovered a lifetime of secrets
• The decade between discovery and connection
• What it feels like to finally meet a sibling who already knew the truth
• The complicated emotions of forgiveness after decades of silence
• How Rich turned his discovery into his memoir and audiobook The Not-So Only Child
• Why storytelling can be one of the most powerful forms of healing

Rich Boerner is a veteran radio producer, audio storyteller, and the author of The Not-So Only Child: My True Story. His book began as an experiment in the recording booth, speaking his story aloud rather than writing it, and evolved into an audiobook and memoir that explores identity, loss, and reconnection.

You can find The Not-So Only Child on Amazon in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.

Rich’s journey is about more than DNA surprises. It is about what happens after the truth surfaces, when you have to decide whether to open the door to the people and the pain that come with it. His story reminds us that healing often begins with honesty, and that our voices, even shaky ones, can help others feel less alone.

Subscribe to Family Twist wherever you get your podcasts and hear more stories that prove family secrets are the ultimate plot twist.

As a kid growing up on Long Island in the 1970s, Rich Boerner learned not to ask too many questions. His mother had her version of the truth and repeated it word for word whenever he asked. His father was a man from Milwaukee who left when he found out she was pregnant. That was all she would say.

It was a story that sounded just plausible enough to stop the conversation. For years, Rich focused on his own life instead. He went to college, built a career in radio, started a family, and kept that mystery locked away in a quiet corner of his mind.

But after his mother passed away, everything changed. While cleaning out her apartment, Rich opened an old address book. Inside was a Polaroid photo and a note that would unravel decades of silence. His father wasn’t a stranger from another state. He was someone who had always been there.

In this first half of our two-part conversation, Rich joins Corey and Kendall to talk about growing up with half-truths, the cost of protecting a parent’s secret, and what it feels like when the life you’ve built suddenly shifts under your feet. His story reminds us how deeply love and deception can intertwine and how the search for truth can begin long after we think the story is over.

• Life as an only child raised by a single mother in a working-class New York neighborhood
• The “three-sentence story” his mother told and why he believed it for so long
• What he found among her letters after her death
• The Polaroid that rewrote everything he thought he knew about his father
• How grief can become the moment of truth

Rich Boerner is a longtime radio executive and the author of The Not-So Only Child: My True Story. The memoir chronicles the discovery of his hidden family and his path toward forgiveness, recorded and produced in his own home studio.

Rich reconnects with the sister who knew the secret all along and learns how his father’s final wish tied their two families together. He also shares the late-night creative process that turned his story into an audiobook for his children and for anyone who has ever had to rebuild their sense of self from the truth.

What happens when the podcast that’s helping you make sense of your DNA surprise starts to sound a little too familiar?

For many listeners, Family Twist is more than a podcast, it’s a lifeline. That’s exactly how it felt for Jai, whose own DNA discovery journey unfolded side by side with the stories she was hearing from Corey and Kendall. As an adoptee navigating identity, belonging, and the shock of hidden truths, Jai found comfort and courage in Kendall’s openness about rejection, reconnection, and redefining family.

This episode is for anyone who has listened to a story that suddenly felt like their own. Jai reminds us that healing doesn’t just happen through discovery, it happens through connection.

What Listeners Will Gain

1. A mirror for your own journey.

Jai’s story echoes the emotions so many of us face: curiosity, grief, hope, and the courage to seek truth even when it hurts.

2. A lesson in empathy and resilience.

She talks candidly about how Kendall’s story gave her language for emotions she didn’t yet know how to name and how compassion builds bridges even between strangers.

3. A reminder that you’re not alone.

Through podcasts, online communities, and real-life connections, Jai found strength in realizing that others have walked this road and survived it.

This episode feels like the heart of Family Twist. It’s about what happens when we stop hiding, start talking, and realize we’re all part of a much bigger family than we thought.

Corey shares the mic with other board members from Right to Know, the organization making sure everyone has access to their own origin story. These conversations aren’t polished or easy, but they’re full of heart, honesty, and hope.

Debbie Olson talks about the strange beauty of finding family while also finding your purpose. She turned her DNA discovery into a mission to make sure no one goes through it alone.

Kara Rubinstein Deyerin and Brad Ewell share the story behind the name Right to Know and how they built a space for people who are still reeling from the shock of new truths. Their message is simple: healing doesn’t come from pretending it didn’t happen. It comes from community.

And Steven Osborne reminds us what real courage sounds like when he tells the story of confronting his mother after decades of secrets. It’s raw, it’s human, and it’s a reminder that honesty doesn’t always heal overnight, but it’s always the first step.

This episode also celebrates the Untangling Our Roots Summit, where adoptees, donor-conceived folks, NPEs, and their families come together to laugh, cry, and find connection in the chaos. It’s proof that healing can be loud, messy, and even joyful.

Family secrets might be the hardest stories to tell, but when we tell them together, they turn into something bigger, understanding, compassion, and sometimes even a little karaoke.

This episode nearly vanished. Literally. When Corey bumped into fellow podcaster Jeremy Bryant at a New England podcast event, he recognized his voice before placing his face. Then it hit him, they had already recorded an episode of Family Twist with Jeremy, but somehow, that recording got lost.

So here it is. Jeremy’s story is about learning he was donor-conceived, discovering a growing list of half-siblings, and reconciling that truth after the father who raised him had already passed. It’s also about navigating what happens when the story you’ve always been told turns out to be wrong. Also, Jeremy hosts a paranormal podcast, so yes, you may hear something strange in the background.

The second half of the episode features an update with Jeremy’s half-sister Amber. Her discovery led to a national media moment. Amber is the creator of Biohacked, both a podcast and a documentary project about donor conception, secrecy, and the need for reform in the fertility industry. She also created a welcome packet for new half-siblings, because when your biological father helped conceive dozens of people, there is some onboarding involved.

Together, Jeremy and Amber offer two very different reactions to the same truth. One chose peace. One chose action. Both are unforgettable.

The Fertility Industry’s Dark Secret, Told by Two of Its Kids

• Jeremy’s discovery story and the moment his mom told him the truth
• Grieving a lost parent while uncovering a second one
• What happens when you meet your biological father after a DNA surprise
• Amber’s origin story, and how it unraveled completely
• From being called a “miracle baby” to finding out the truth
• Creating a welcome packet for incoming half-siblings
• How donor-conceived people are fighting for regulation, recognition, and rights
• The emotional fallout of secrecy in the fertility industry

• Jeremy’s podcast, Paranormal the New Normal
• Amber’s podcast and documentary project, Biohacked
• Donor Conceived Community (donorconceivedcommunity.org)
• NPR and other national media coverage of Amber’s story

Have you uncovered a secret through a DNA test or a forgotten conversation?

Contact us at [email protected]. We’re always looking for the next twist.

What if the first clue to your DNA surprise was hidden in your parents’ wedding video — and years later, the search pointed to identical twins?

In this episode of the Family Twist podcast, Corey and Kendall talk with Emily, a fellow New England podcaster who uncovered her DNA surprise in an unforgettable way. As a child, she noticed she was in her parents’ wedding video, and that observation launched decades of questions about her identity.

Emily’s journey stretched from childhood curiosity to a paternity test at Dunkin Donuts, to the unique complication of identical twins in DNA testing, and the heartbreak of a mother who could not talk about the past. Along the way, she faced silence, secrecy, and the reality that reunion is rarely the fantasy we imagine.

This is a story of identity, resilience, and what happens when nature and nurture collide in unexpected ways.

• How a wedding video sparked Emily’s search for her biological father
• Why secrecy and shame around conception left lasting scars
• How identical twins complicate DNA test results in family discovery
• Why a parent’s lack of curiosity can be as painful as rejection
• How adoptees and NPEs balance gratitude for their raising families with the right to know their origins

00:00 – Welcome and introduction to Emily

01:00 – Discovering she was in her parents’ wedding video

02:00 – Learning she was adopted by her raising father

03:00 – Secrecy and shame around her conception

04:00 – Tracking down her first possible father

05:00 – Paternity test at Dunkin Donuts

06:00 – DNA testing with 23andMe, Ancestry, and GEDmatch

08:00 – The identical twins twist

10:00 – Meeting her biological father for the first time

12:00 – Family synchronicities and high school connections

14:00 – Building a relationship with her biological father and siblings

16:00 – Navigating her mother’s silence

18:00 – The weight of “you should be grateful” in adoptee experiences

20:00 – Kendall’s parallels in adoption reunion

24:00 – Managing reunion expectations versus reality

26:00 – Finding connection through music

28:00 – Closing reflections and resources

• New England Podcasters Group: Join here
• Right to Know: righttoknow.us
• NPE Friends Fellowship: npefellowship.org
• Donor Sibling Registry: donorsiblingregistry.com

If Emily’s DNA surprise story resonated with you, share this episode with someone navigating adoption, donor conception, or an NPE discovery. Subscribe to Family Twist on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. Leaving a review helps more people discover stories of adoption reunions, family secrets, and DNA testing.

Family Twist is a podcast about DNA surprises, NPE experiences, adoption journeys, and donor conception stories. Hosted by Corey and Kendall Stulce, the show features real conversations about identity, family, and belonging. In this episode, Emily shares how she uncovered her DNA surprise through a wedding video, the unique challenge of identical twin DNA results, and the impact of family secrecy on her search for truth.

Can we ever truly feel safe if we don’t know where we came from?

In this deeply emotional episode of Family Twist, we welcome Bryan Post, world-renowned therapist, author, and adoptee, for a conversation that feels more like a healing session than an interview.

Bryan speaks directly to the heart of what many adoptees feel but struggle to articulate: the hidden trauma, the nervous system overload, the sense of disconnection that lingers, even in the midst of reunion.

For co-host Kendall, this conversation became personal fast. Bryan didn’t just talk theory, he listened, responded, and gently guided Kendall through some of his deepest emotional truths. It was a moment of unexpected vulnerability, and it reminded us why these stories matter so much.

If you’re adopted, donor-conceived, part of the foster care system, or love someone who is, this episode offers real insight, real compassion, and a roadmap for healing.

• Trauma lives in the body: Even with a loving adoptive family, separation at birth creates nervous system disruptions.
• Adoptees often regulate by pleasing: Bryan breaks down the “good kid” survival strategy and why it’s exhausting.
• Healing starts with understanding: Bryan explains the difference between punishment and regulation and why love always works better than fear.
• This was a real therapy moment for Kendall: Bryan’s response to Kendall’s story was one of patience, empathy, and genuine support.

• Bondify (therapy app)
• From Fear to Love: Your Essential Guide to Parenting Adopted and Foster Children
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk (book recommendation)
• Family Twist episode: Wendy Kramer on Donor-Conceived Identity

What happens when a DNA test flips your world upside down and you decide to make a comedy about it? Actor, writer, and producer Lisa Brenner joins Corey and Kendall to talk about her new film One Big Happy Family, opening in AMC Theatres on October 3, 2025.

Inspired by her own discovery at age 40 that the dad who raised her wasn’t her biological father, Lisa transformed a life-altering revelation into a heartfelt comedy. In this episode, she shares how she worked through shock and grief, why she wanted to honor her mother instead of vilifying her, and how humor became her way of finding perspective.

The conversation also celebrates the late Linda Lavin, star of Alice, who delivers her final screen performance in One Big Happy Family. As lifelong fans, Corey and Kendall reflect on Linda’s impact, her strength as a trailblazing actor, and the legacy she leaves behind.

This episode is a reminder that family is complicated, comedy can heal, and DNA discoveries don’t always have to end in tragedy, sometimes they spark laughter, connection, and a brand-new story.

When Your DNA Test Turns Into a Movie Script

Topics We Cover

• How a “just for fun” DNA test led to Lisa’s shocking discovery at 40
• Why she chose comedy instead of melodrama to tell her story
• The secrecy and shame around early IVF and donor conception in the 1960s
• Honoring her mom’s role in her life and avoiding the blame game
• The wild experience of finding multiple donor-conceived siblings
• Working with the legendary Linda Lavin in her final film role
• Why community and connection are so vital after a DNA surprise

Resources & Links

• 🎬 One Big Happy Family — Official Website
• ❤️ More Family Twist episodes at familytwistpodcast.com

This is the rescued first conversation with author Shirley Muñoz Newsom, whose memoir The Little Dark One: A True Story of Switched at Birth chronicles discovering—at age 43—that she was switched at birth. She grew up in Gillette, Wyoming, knowing she didn’t fit, searching through library microfiche long before Google, and navigating an emotionally unavailable home where affection and belonging were withheld. In this raw, intimate talk, Shirley shares how a National Enquirer ambush multiplied the trauma, why writing opened the floodgates after decades of suppression, and how finding Aunt Mary and a constellation of cousins helped her reclaim her Mexican heritage—down to learning tortillas and recognizing a face she finally resembled.

We thought this recording was gone due to severe audio issues. Thanks to new editing tools, we recovered enough to share it. It’s not perfect, but the immediacy is powerful.

• A firsthand account of being switched at birth, told after decades of silence
• The cost of secrecy, shame, and small-town gossip on a child’s identity
• Surviving not one, but two dysfunctional families, and choosing healing anyway
• Reclaiming erased culture and kinship, from Aunt Mary to a growing cousin network
• How a grandson’s challenge—“What if you help just one person?”—sparked a book

• Finding out at 43: DNA confirmation of what had been whispered for years
• Media exploitation: A blindsiding National Enquirer spread, consent ignored
• Family dynamics: “I was never hugged, never told I love you,” blamed as “not his”
• Counseling and craft: Writing unlocked feelings after a lifetime of pushing them down
• Community as medicine: UTOR summit resonance, podcasting as shared healing
• Heritage reclaimed: Meeting Aunt Mary, cooking lessons, and cultural belonging
• Recognition and reception: Positive reviews, and becoming a National Indie Excellence Awards finalist (as Shirley shares)

• “I did all my research through microfiche at the library.”
• “The first time in 43 years anyone said, You look just like your mother.”
• “I was never hugged, never told ‘I love you.’”
• “I opened the Enquirer and there was my high-school photo for the world to see.”
• “Writing the book—after two chapters, the dam finally broke.”
• “My grandson said, What if you help one person?”

Shirley Muñoz Newsom is the author of The Little Dark One: A True Story of Switched at Birth. After a lifetime of not belonging, she reclaimed her identity, faith, and heritage, and now speaks to help others move from silence to voice.

• A quick dog roll call breaks the ice—six tiny pups on Corey and Kendall’s side, dachshunds on Shirley’s, and a six-pound “watchdog” cameo
• A shout-out to Aunt Mary’s tortillas and the tender reminder that practice, practice, practice is its own love language

Rescued recording. This episode was salvaged from a damaged session using new editing tools. You may hear glitches and level shifts, but the story’s heart is intact.

• Read The Little Dark One
• Share this episode with anyone navigating DNA surprises, adoption, or family secrecy
• If this resonates, consider attending Untangling Our Roots, or reach out to your local support community

In this episode of Family Twist, Corey and Kendall sit down with Mary, adoptive mom to previous guest Chris Martin. If you haven’t already, we recommend listening to Chris’ two episodes first — his story as an adoptee lays the groundwork for the conversation you’re about to hear with his mom.

Mary opens up about the unexpected beginnings of Chris’ adoption and how what started as a plan for a closed adoption blossomed into a fully open one. She shares candidly about the joys, challenges, and deep connections that grew as two families came together out of love for one child.

Together, Corey, Kendall, and Mary explore:

• The surprising way Mary and her husband learned they’d become parents
• How their adoption plan evolved into an open adoption — and why that mattered for Chris
• The importance of seeing adoption through both parent and child perspectives
• The blend of nature and nurture in Chris’ growth and personality
• The role of extended families, birth parents’ spouses, and even grandparents in sustaining openness
• Why Mary encourages others not to fear open adoption, but to center every decision on what’s best for the child

Mary’s voice adds a rich and heartfelt counterpoint to Chris’ earlier episodes, giving listeners a rare chance to hear both sides of an adoption story in depth.