🎙️ Tonia – Dirty John’s First Wife

Today on Missing Pieces, I’m joined by Tonia Bales, the first wife of John Meehan, also known as Dirty John. 🧬 At one point in the episode, an unknown sibling comes into the story. 

Tonia has a new book out today — January 13, 2026:

📘 When You See It: How I Outsmarted & Outlasted Dirty John
🛒 Available wherever books are sold
👉 Amazon: https://a.co/d/2v1sdNR

🎧 Listen to Tonia’s podcast
The First Wife: John Meehan’s Reign of Terror
👉 https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-First-Wife-John-Meehans-Reign-of-Terror/B099BYMH4G?srsltid=AfmBOopq4Yu6okol_zuGIMPAG8mqVw3atXfQCK-1i61juepfZS0mJv6I

🧬 Untangling Our Roots
👉 https://untanglingourroots.org/

🧠 Amy Jauman – Projects & Work
👉 https://www.amyjauman.com/projects

📩 Contact the show
Email: [email protected]

📸 Follow on Instagram
👉 https://www.instagram.com/npe_life_podcast/

🎙️ Missing Pieces explores the stories of people who’ve discovered—or are still searching for—their "missing pieces".

In this episode, Don talks with Amanda, who grew up in South Texas always wondering why she didn’t look like her other siblings. Years later, DNA gave her the answer—and with it, she found her missing pieces.

🧢👕 Missing Pieces Merch
👉 https://missingpieces.printify.me/

🌳🧬 Untangling Our Roots Summit
👉 https://untanglingourroots.org/

📧 Email Don: [email protected]

📸 Follow us: https://www.instagram.com/npe_life_podcast/

📸 Find Amanda: https://www.instagram.com/butterflylove1979/

🎄✨ Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays, everyone! ✨🎄

This is a very special episode. I take a moment to share a few things happening in my own life—and one hugecoincidence that stopped me cold. 🧩😳

It was one of those moments that feels too big to be random… the kind that makes you pause and think, “Okay, what is actually going on here?”

I don’t want to spoil it by saying more—so let’s get into the episode. 🎧➡️

🧢👕 Missing Pieces Merch
Support the show (and look good doing it):
👉 https://missingpieces.printify.me/

🌳🧬 Untangling Our Roots Summit
Learn more here:
👉 https://untanglingourroots.org/

📚 Book Recommendation: Buckeye
Find it here:
👉 https://patrickryanbooks.com/

🎧 Missing Pieces – NPE Life

Today I’m joined by Australian actor David Field, whose world was shaken by a deathbed confession and a DNA truth decades in the making. 

🔗 Links Mentioned

• Every Family Has a Secret
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEqpbWR-ydk&t=32s

• The Secret Daughter (Amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B07L4CV52Q/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_r

• Convict
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JLzLZnnO88&t=3706s

• Reel (Commercial – 2014)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEqpbWR-ydk&t=34s

Please download and listen to this podcast I started to produce...this episode is about how AI is helping transform preparedness. 

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-response-force-multiplier/id1686185554?i=1000737543444

📬 Connect with Don
📧 [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @npe_life_podcast

✦ EPISODE: Shelby – Sister of NPEs ✦

Shelby shares the astonishing story of discovering not one, but two NPEs in her immediate family.
Born in Detroit and now settled in Tennessee, she brings warmth, humor, and reflection to a journey that proves DNA can connect — and complicate — in equal measure.

🧬 Secrets, surprises, and the search for truth — this is Missing Pieces.

–––
🎧 Follow on Instagram: @npe_life_podcast

📧 Contact: [email protected]

🎧 Missing Pieces
Welcome to another episode of Missing Pieces – NPE Life.
Today’s anonymous guest takes us from her childhood in Maine to a life-changing discovery just a few months ago. She’s brand-new to the NPE world and bravely shares what it’s like to stand at the very beginning of that journey.

✨ Listen in — it’s raw, real, and relatable.

📬 Connect with Don:
📧 [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @npe_life_podcast

🎧 Missing Pieces
Stephanie shares her remarkable journey from growing up in Detroit to discovering her true identity. She’s a born storyteller, very moving.

📖 A Penny on the Hood (her forthcoming book) — She's looking for representation. inquiries: [email protected]

📺 Watch her Cuba trip series: YouTube Playlist

📬 Connect with Don: [email protected]
| @npe_life_podcast

🎙 Welcome to Another Episode of Missing Pieces!

Today’s guest is Lisa Brenner — actor, writer, and producer — who bravely shares her own NPE/DCP journey through her brand-new film.

🎬 About the Film
Lisa’s movie, One Big Happy Family, explores the twists and turns of discovering unexpected family connections. It opens October 3rd in select AMC theaters nationwide. Get tickets and theater info at www.onebighappyfamilymovie.com
.

You can also watch the trailer on the site — or directly on Vimeo!

📲 Connect with Lisa & the Film

• Instagram: @thelisabrenner
  
  
• Instagram: @onebighappyfamilymovie
  
  

💌 Connect with Don
I’d love to hear from you — whether you just want to say hi or pitch your own story!

• Email: [email protected]
  
  
• Instagram: @NPE_LIFE_PODCAST

Welcome to another amazing episode of Missing Pieces – NPE Life

In this episode, Jake shares an incredible life story that’s equal parts jaw-dropping and inspiring — from growing up in a cult to discovering his biological father was a real-life private investigator.

We also feature archival footage used under the Fair Use doctrine as defined by U.S. copyright law. The footage comes from the documentary Vain Glory by Tony Cox. You can watch it here on YouTube.

Please feel free to contact Don

email: [email protected]

instagram: NPE_LIFE_PODCAST

Hi

Welcome to an amazing episode of Missing Pieces. This one is amazing for multiple reasons. 

A) Donna's story is amazing and she tells is so well

B) Tracy interviewed Donna and co-produced the episode with me. And she also was amazing!!

If you would like to email don DonNPE at iCloud dot com 

Catch me on instagram at npe_life_podcast 

If you would like to support the show we have some kick ass t-shirts for sell on printify. Order a size up, they run small. www.missingpieces.printify.me/

If you wish to get in touch with Donna you can email her at [email protected]