Finding Family DNA

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, Jay and Misty sit down with an adoptee who grew up in Texas feeling like the black sheep of her adoptive family, carrying hurtful stories about the birth mother she never knew. After asking to search and being told no, she quietly turned to DNA, only to wait 14 years for a meaningful match. Then a half sibling appeared overnight. Misty explains how she built the family trees on both sides, and our guest shares what it has been like reaching out to new siblings, the side-by-side photo that stopped her in her tracks, and a discovery about how close her birth family may have been all along. Jay and Misty also open with the Michael McDonald adoption story and why 23andMe is surfacing family secrets.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/cA7SNjtHLvo

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:11 Welcome and the Michael McDonald Story

03:18 Introducing Denise

04:12 Growing Up the Black Sheep

07:33 Asking to Search and Testing DNA

09:02 A Half Brother Match After 14 Years

10:59 Finding BirthParentFinder

12:59 Midroll — RootsTech 2027 and BirthParentFinder

14:09 How Misty Connected Both Sides

15:35 The Half Brother Who Said Yes

17:17 Connecting With Her Father's Side

18:56 The Side-by-Side Photo

20:43 Same Town, Same High School

22:04 Wanting Her Mother's Story

23:11 Defending Her Birth Mother

24:51 Plans to Meet Her Siblings

25:42 Working With BirthParentFinder

28:24 Thanks and Close

BirthParentFinder: https://www.birthparentfinder.com/

RootsTech 2027: https://www.rootstech.org/

Michael McDonald story (CNN): https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/02/entertainment/michael-mcdonald-son-michael-goessling

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com/

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

🚀 Edited with PodShuttle by CHOBO 👨‍🚀

Want help building your podcast?

Start at podshuttle.io, or follow along on Instagram.

https://podshuttle.io

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

Finding Family DNA, Adoption, Adoptee, DNA Test, AncestryDNA, 23andMe, Birth Parents, Half Sibling, Genetic Genealogy, Closed Adoption, Family Reunion, Misty Gillis, Jay Rosenzweig, BirthParentFinder, Michael McDonald, RootsTech, Texas Adoption

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, Jay and Misty step away from adoption reunions to revisit a 47-year-old Montana cold case Misty worked during her time at Parabon NanoLabs. In December 1978, 16-year-old Corina Lydia Contreraz was sexually assaulted and murdered outside Billings, and her case sat unsolved for decades. Misty walks through how genetic genealogy opened a path investigators hadn’t had before. Jay also shares how a high school photo signed “Love, Bill” cracked a birth father case, the two talk RootsTech 2027, and Misty explains why families get release rather than closure, and how everyday GEDmatch users can help.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/rI-ahuutLaY

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:11 Welcome and RootsTech 2027

03:29 A "Love, Bill" Photo and Two Reunions

07:07 The Corina Lydia Contreraz Cold Case

08:36 Working the DNA at Parabon

10:05 Building the Trees Toward Montana

12:27 Midroll — RootsTech 2027 and BirthParentFinder

13:37 Landing on Angelo Stallsmith Sr.

16:07 DNA From a 1982 Fingerprint Card

17:33 Confirmation and a Criminal History

19:26 Remembering Corina

20:16 CeCe Moore at the Press Conference

22:25 Misty at the Press Conference

23:36 Boy in the Box and Where This Case Ranks

24:19 How GEDmatch Users Can Help

25:09 What Investigators Can and Cannot Access

26:13 Birth Parent Privacy and Cooperation

27:15 Could an Amateur Have Solved It

27:59 Release, Not Closure

28:46 Thanks and Close

Yellowstone County Cold Case Unit: https://www.yellowstonecoldcase.com/

Parabon NanoLabs: https://parabon-nanolabs.com/

GEDmatch: https://www.gedmatch.com/

RootsTech 2027: https://www.rootstech.org/

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com/

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

🚀 Edited with PodShuttle by CHOBO 👨‍🚀

Want help building your podcast?

Start at podshuttle.io, or follow along on Instagram.

https://podshuttle.io

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

Finding Family DNA, Cold Case, Genetic Genealogy, Investigative Genetic Genealogy, Corina Lydia Contreraz, Misty Gillis, CeCe Moore, Parabon NanoLabs, GEDmatch, Family Tree DNA, BirthParentFinder, True Crime, Yellowstone County, RootsTech

When we recorded this episode of Finding Family DNA, we had no idea that CeCe Moore was about to be announced as a RootsTech 2027 keynote speaker. Now, with that announcement official, the timing of this conversation couldn’t be better.

Internationally renowned genetic genealogist CeCe Moore joins host Jay Rosenzweig, licensed private investigator and founder of BirthParentFinder.com, and co-host Misty Gillis, genetic genealogist and CeCe’s longtime friend and colleague, for a candid and personal conversation that goes far beyond the usual Q&A.

CeCe takes us through the unexpected path that led her to genetic genealogy — including how a Michael Jackson video shoot at USC and a career in the music world helped prepare her for life in front of the camera. She explains how DNA kept pulling her back until the early days of public testing at FamilyTreeDNA gave her a path into what would eventually become a groundbreaking career.

CeCe and Misty also dig into the investigative side of genetic genealogy and the difficult “brute-force” cases where distant DNA matches, unusual ancestry and incomplete family trees require creativity and persistence. CeCe discusses the nearly 50-year-old Nancy Anderson murder case in Honolulu, where researching city directories and Romanian and Italian surnames eventually led her to Tudor Chirila, as well as the Lindy Sue Biechler case in Lancaster, where an ancestral migration pattern from Gasperina, Italy, helped point the investigation in the right direction.

The conversation also goes beyond the cases. CeCe talks about discovering the connection between Madison Hemings, Thomas Jefferson and DNA while researching her brother-in-law’s family tree, answers some fun rapid-fire questions — from coffee to late-night casework — and shares her thoughts on Misty as both a genealogist and a friend, including why she describes Misty’s work as “magic.”

CeCe Moore has become one of the most recognizable figures in genetic genealogy through her groundbreaking work solving unknown-parentage and law-enforcement cases and through television appearances including Finding Your Roots and The Genetic Detective.

And now, CeCe will take the stage as a keynote speaker at RootsTech 2027, taking place March 4–6, 2027, at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. RootsTech is the world’s largest family history and genealogy conference, bringing together genealogy enthusiasts, industry experts, technology innovators and people from around the world who share a passion for discovering their heritage and connecting with their family history.

Episode 52 of Finding Family DNA is sponsored by FamilyTreeDNA.

We’d be grateful if you subscribe to Finding Family DNA. Every subscription helps us grow the show and supports our ability to take on more pro bono DNA and family-search cases.

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/8yFKt23IJs8

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:11 Welcome, Sponsor, and a Guatemalan Father Case

03:05 Introducing CeCe Moore

03:37 Michael Jackson, USC, and a Music-World Sister

07:32 How CeCe Moved From Music Into DNA

11:23 Alternate Careers and Brute-Force Genealogy

16:14 Celebrity Cases and Growing Up Hip Hop

19:03 Broadway Dreams and Coming Full Circle on Camera

22:02 Midroll — Family Tree DNA and BirthParentFinder

23:37 Nancy Anderson and Tudor Chirila

28:23 Distant Matches, Gasperina, and Lindy Sue Biechler

29:58 Madison Hemings and Jefferson DNA

32:24 Jay's Spingarn Cousin and a Poland Trip

35:09 What If Not Genetic Genealogy

37:04 RootsTech and Southern California Genealogy Jamboree

39:44 Rapid Fire

45:14 Thanks and Close

Family Tree DNA: https://www.findingfamilydna.com/?utm_source=redcircle&utm_medium=social&utm_content=com+des&utm_campaign=finding+family+dna+ep+52

CeCe Moore: https://www.cecemoore.com/

Finding Your Roots (PBS): https://www.pbs.org/show/finding-your-roots/

RootsTech: https://www.rootstech.org

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com/

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

🚀 Edited with PodShuttle by CHOBO 👨‍🚀

Want help building your podcast?

Start at podshuttle.io, or follow along on Instagram.

https://podshuttle.io

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

Finding Family DNA, CeCe Moore, Genetic Genealogy, Cold Case DNA, Family Tree DNA, BirthParentFinder, Finding Your Roots, DNA Detective, Brute Force Genealogy, RootsTech

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, we follow the story of a woman who set out to find the birth father she never knew, hoping for closure but bracing herself for anything. Using DNA and genetic genealogy, our investigator uncovers his identity in just 48 hours — only to reveal a devastating truth about his past. Despite the shock, the search doesn't end there: newly discovered siblings step forward, offering unexpected connection and healing. From heartbreaking revelations to the surprising bonds that follow, this episode explores how identity is shaped by more than biology alone. It's a raw, honest conversation about resilience, family, and choosing connection even after the hardest news imaginable.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/6LHGd6FPuHw

00:00 Intro

00:51 Misty's reunion story

02:05 Introducing Kayley's case

03:23 Meeting the guest

04:07 Searching for her birth father

05:09 The DNA discovery revealed

07:06 Processing the shocking news

10:33 Ad break

11:18 Learning about her birth father's family

12:49 Meeting her sister in person

14:00 Meeting other siblings

16:20 The victim and circumstances

19:01 What defines her

20:00 Her birth mother's reaction

21:20 Reflecting on therapy and closure

26:13 Advice for others

27:46 Teaser for episode 52

28:10 Closing

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna/

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder/

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

Finding Family DNA, Adoption Reunion, DNA Genealogy, Birth Father Search, Adoptee Story, Emotional Reunion, Closed Adoption Search, Family Discovery, BirthParentFinder, Genetic Genealogy

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, we're celebrating a major milestone with a special look back at the journey so far. Host Jay Rosenzweig sits down with longtime co-host Misty, plus the studio team behind the scenes, to reflect on how far the show has come and the moments that made it unforgettable. Along the way, we revisit three past reunion stories, hearing directly from former guests about where their journeys have led since their episodes first aired — from relationships that healed beautifully to ones still finding their footing. We also share heartfelt congratulations from friends of the show along the way. It's an emotional, behind-the-scenes celebration of the reunions, the heartbreak, and the hope that have defined this show from the very beginning.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/Xt4M4mOd74k

00:00 Intro

00:11 Celebrating 50 episodes with Misty

01:18 Indy and Tori join the celebration

02:44 Reflecting on the show's evolution

06:06 Favorite episodes and memorable moments

10:13 What it's like working with Jay

11:23 The story behind the pro bono program

15:57 Congratulations from Linda Pevac

17:44 Update: Lakita Green's story

35:39 Update: Bethany Innocenti's story

51:03 Congratulations from Linda Rasmussen

52:02 Update: Kim Carrington's story

58:34 Teasing upcoming episodes

1:00:24 Congratulations from CeCe Moore and Chris Schauble

1:01:34 Closing thoughts

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna/

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder/

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

Finding Family DNA, 50th Episode Celebration, Adoption Reunion, Birth Parent Search, DNA Genealogy, Adoptee Story, Family Discovery, BirthParentFinder, Adoption Podcast, Emotional Reunion

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, filmmaker Rebecca Autumn Sansom joins Jay to share the story behind her acclaimed documentary, Reckoning with the Primal Wound, and the winding path that led her back to both of her birth parents. Rebecca opens up about the years-long process of earning renowned author Nancy Verrier's trust for the film, the emotional risk of reconnecting with her birth father after a chance discovery sent her searching, and the complicated, sometimes fragile nature of reunion relationships. She also shares an early look at her upcoming sequel, Reckoning with the Paternal Wound, and the real-life tension around what to include when someone else's story becomes part of yours. The conversation turns candid as Rebecca and Jay dig into the recent Hulu documentary My Grandfather Charles Manson, weighing what belongs in a documentary and what doesn't. Along the way, Jay shares a moving pro bono case that reveals just how personal the choice to reconnect with a birth parent can be.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/fj5oQcp9WxM

00:00 Intro

00:38 Welcoming Rebecca Autumn Sansom

02:06 Why base the film on The Primal Wound

04:25 Reconnecting with her birth mother

06:12 Earning Nancy Verrier's trust

09:14 Her relationship with her birth mother today

11:02 Birth mom vs. "first mother"

15:36 Documentary trailer

16:47 Deciding to search for her birth father

19:28 The obituary that sparked urgency

20:50 The KTLA clip: finding Perry

23:14 Waiting to hear back from Perry

24:07 Her relationship with Perry now

26:36 Reunion success rates

28:12 A pro bono case and a hard recommendation

30:27 Segue to the Charles Manson documentary

31:47 Rebecca's take on My Grandfather Charles Manson

37:08 The father's untold story

37:34 The Manson estate lawsuit twist

40:27 What belongs in a family documentary

41:44 Announcing the sequel's title

43:30 Where the pushback is coming from

44:12 Where to watch the documentary

45:48 Wrap-up

🎬 Rebecca's documentary — Reckoning with the Primal Wound

Official site: https://www.reckoningwiththeprimalwound.com/

Watch on YouTube (official channel): https://www.youtube.com/@RWTPW/videos

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna/

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder/

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

Adoption Reunion, Birth Father Search, Adoptee Story, Primal Wound, DNA Genealogy, Finding Birth Family, Adoption Podcast, Documentary Filmmaker, BirthParentFinder, Family Discovery

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, we sit down with an author and adoptee who turned a decades-long search for her birth family into three deeply personal books. Adopted in Denver in the early 1960s, she spent years chasing fragments of her past before taking a daring, real-life risk to uncover her birth mother's identity. What followed was a reunion that didn't unfold the way she'd imagined, a startling twist involving the man she thought was her birth father, and a DNA confirmation that didn't arrive until decades later. Along the way, she discovered how trauma can freeze a birth parent in time, and how healing often means letting your story become your strength instead of your wound. Her journey took her from a broken lock and a library microfiche machine to a small-town diner phone call that changed everything. Now she's using her voice to help other adoptees find their own truth — and their own community.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/1uaZ6wvlo0o

00:00 Intro

00:45 Case Update: A Birth Father Reconnects After Decades

01:35 Meet Linda Pevac, Author of Three Adoption Memoirs

02:45 Growing Up Knowing She Was Adopted

04:00 Deciding to Search for Her Birth Mother

04:45 Starting the Search in Secret, 1987

06:00 Non-Identifying Information from the Agency

07:00 Planning to Break Into the Adoption Agency

07:45 The Break-In

09:15 Racing the Library's Closing Time

10:20 Returning the Records Undetected

11:30 Her Brother's Very Different Reaction

12:45 No Two Adoption Stories Are the Same

14:00 A Blurry Signature and a Handwriting Analyst

15:20 Searching Before the Internet Existed

16:00 A Small-Town Diner Leads to Her Aunt

17:45 Mug Giveaway and Show Updates

18:30 Calling Her Birth Mother for the First Time

19:45 Flying to California to Meet Her

21:30 The Reality Behind Her Mother's Story

23:00 Chasing a Name on Her Birth Certificate

25:30 Meeting the Man Who Denied Being Her Father

27:00 A DNA Test Confirms the Truth, Years Later

28:45 Writing The Gathering Place

29:45 Writing A Fire is Coming

30:40 Writing Choosing to Breathe

31:50 Misty's Reflection on Linda's Journey

32:30 Quickfire Questions with Linda

33:55 A Message for Struggling Adoptees

34:45 Where to Find Linda's Books and Social Media

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna/

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder/

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

Adoption Reunion, Closed Adoption Search, Adoptee Story, Birth Mother Found, DNA Genealogy, Finding Birth Family, Adoption Podcast, Emotional Reunion, BirthParentFinder, Family Discovery

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, we meet a California adoptee who grew up knowing she was adopted but never imagined how her story would unfold. After decades of quiet curiosity, a chance moment during the pandemic sparked her decision to finally search for her birth family. What followed was a whirlwind two-week journey that led her to not just one, but two loving families she never knew she had. She shares the emotional first meeting with her birth mother on her 52nd birthday, the surprising ease of connecting with her birth father and his family, and the powerful realization that biology and love can run deeper than anyone expects. It's a story about second chances, unexpected belonging, and the courage it takes to open a door you thought was closed forever.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/5WyQ0VqlFJA

00:00 Intro and show updates

02:00 California Adoption Bill update

03:01 Welcoming this episode's guest

03:24 Growing up knowing she was adopted

04:50 Deciding to search for her birth family

09:04 The 23andMe discovery that cracked the case

15:56 Tracing her birth name and birth family

18:40 Ad break — BirthParentFinder.com

19:32 Life in Portland, Oregon

20:09 Meeting her birth mother

25:15 Connecting with her birth father's family

34:49 Reflecting on luck, love, and closure

38:03 Adoptive father vs. biological father

40:05 Advice for other adoptees

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna/

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder/

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

Adoption Reunion, Birth Mother Found, Adoptee Story, California Adoption, DNA Genealogy, Finding Birth Family, Emotional Reunion, BirthParentFinder, Family Discovery, Adoption Podcast

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, Jason didn't learn he was adopted until his late 40s — and a simple request for his original birth certificate cracked open decades of family secrets. After a DNA test revealed zero biological connection to the woman who raised him, Jason turned to genetic genealogy and, within weeks, was face to face with the truth about where he came from. What followed was an emotional reunion with a birth mother living abroad, a newfound sister he'd dreamed of having since childhood, and a paternal twist that stunned even our DNA expert. We break down how unusual centimorgan numbers led to a discovery no one expected, and how Jason chose compassion and discretion over confrontation. It's a story about identity, forgiveness, and finding family in the most unexpected place.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/EhP70ShvZZc

00:00 Intro & welcome to episode 46

00:42 Celebrating 10,000 subscribers

01:04 State laws on birth record access

02:34 California's stalled Senate Bill 381

04:09 Why original birth certificates matter

05:55 Introducing Jason

06:20 Discovering he was adopted at 48

08:39 Requesting his original birth certificate

10:24 DNA test reveals a zero percent match

13:28 Calling Jay and starting the investigation

14:23 Locating his birth mother's family

20:00 Break

20:45 The paternal twist Misty uncovered

21:47 Breaking down the DNA evidence

24:13 Jason's reaction to the birth father news

26:02 Traveling to Italy to meet his birth mother

28:08 Meeting his sister for the first time

33:02 A family dinner to remember

35:16 Jason's relationship with his birth mother today

36:38 Closing thoughts

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna/

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder/

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

Adoption Reunion, Closed Adoption Search, DNA Genealogy, Adoptee Story, Italian Heritage, Birth Mother Found, Genetic Genealogy, Family Discovery, BirthParentFinder, New York Adoption

In this episode of Finding Family DNA, Jay sits down with Linda Burleson, a woman who spent over five years searching for the identity of her birth father after learning at age sixty-plus that the man who raised her was not her biological dad. What made Linda's case one of the longest in BirthParentFinder.com's history was the absence of any close DNA matches — just a wall of third, fourth, and fifth cousins that no genealogist could break through. Then, just two to three weeks after Linda had decided to give up entirely, a woman named Diane Bennett took an Ancestry DNA test on a whim — and changed everything. Linda and Diane are paternal half-sisters, and their first phone call felt completely natural, like they had known each other their whole lives. From a beach walk in North Carolina to a cruise already booked together, this is a story about the power of patience, the miracle of timing, and two women who found in each other exactly what they didn't know they were missing.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — your support helps fund our pro bono DNA cases. Also, if you want to support our mission more directly, join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/findingfamilydna

Watch this podcast right now on YouTube!

https://youtu.be/h-4RcTl60o0

00:00 Introduction & Show Update

01:31 Meet Linda Burleson

01:58 Learning the Truth

04:00 The Long DNA Search

05:41 Family Background & Houston Connection

07:27 Meet Diane Bennett

08:06 Why Diane Took the DNA Test

08:53 The Match & First Contact

17:37 The Meeting in Supply, NC

25:11 Medical History & Future Plans

29:31 Reflections & Closing Message

Follow the show here:

https://www.instagram.com/findingfamilydna/

https://www.instagram.com/lasleuth

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder/

Are you looking to find your birth parents? Get in touch with Jay and his team!

https://www.birthparentfinder.com

https://www.instagram.com/birthparentfinder

This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.

https://www.instagram.com/chobostudios

https://www.instagram.com/podshuttle

Finding Family DNA, Half Sister Found, Birth Parent Search, DNA Reunion, Closed Adoption Story, Adoptee Story, Family Discovery, BirthParentFinder, Emotional Reunion, DNA Genealogy