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?

Episode Overview

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.

My Birth Father Is Either One of Two Twins… or Their DadWhat You’ll Learn

• 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

Episode Chapters

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

Resources and Mentions

• 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.