Hands down the best part of hosting this podcast is the relationships I’ve been able to build with people in this community. From keeping in touch with guests turned friends, to hosting the DNA surprise retreat, to the special group of folks who join our Third Thursday meetups , I’m so grateful for the connections I’ve formed here. In this week’s special episode, I’m joined by Jill, who first appeared on the podcast in February of last year. She has since released her second memoir, focused on h...
Jul 08, 2025•48 min
Oftentimes with DNA surprises, there is so much left unsaid. So many unasked questions. So many feelings are unspoken. In this week’s episode, Jennifer shares what life was like for her growing up without a father figure in her life, a fact she never really questioned throughout her childhood and adolescence. After her mother passed, she decided to start asking questions. The first path to answering them was by taking a DNA test. Jennifer reveals what she uncovered after taking her DNA test, inc...
Jul 01, 2025•42 min
A picture is worth a thousand words - and sometimes, it's the first clue in solving a DNA mystery. In this week’s episode, Kelly shares how a surprising detail in an old photograph of her parents sparked questions about her paternity. Nearly four decades later, Kelly learned the truth about her paternity and her ethnicity. She shares what happened after she made her discovery, how her surprise has affected her relationship with her mother and how she’s navigating her next steps. She also reveals...
Jun 24, 2025•54 min
How often do we hear on this show that people never felt like they fit in with their families growing up? This week’s guest, John, reveals that he felt the same way, and even held onto some guilt around his feelings. Fast forward to a little over two years ago, when his daughter took a DNA test and unearthed a surprise for the entire family: John wasn’t biologically related to any of the family he grew up with, because he was adopted as a newborn. John shares how this discovery has affected him ...
Jun 17, 2025•48 min
Everyone has the right to know where they come from. They deserve to know their family history, stories and traditions. They have the right to know where their features come from and who else shares their aptitudes and interests. And just as importantly, or may most importantly of all, they have the right to know their medical history. In this week’s episode, Courtney shares why her discovery wasn’t a surprise to her. It wasn’t particularly upsetting, either. But what has brought up some frustra...
Jun 10, 2025•36 min
DNA surprises are often devastating to the people who uncover them, but imagine if the truth was a relief? Danielle grew up believing that her mother had four children by four different men, making all of her siblings half-siblings. After taking a DNA test, Danielle learned that she actually shared a father with her younger sister. This news was more than welcomed by Danielle, who had fond memories of who she thought was a step-father. She shares how this information affected her and how she’s b...
Jun 03, 2025•39 min
At the end of every DNA Surprises episode, I ask my guests two questions. I ask for advice for people in our community, and I ask for advice for parents keeping a DNA surprise from their child. Time and time again, guests implore parents to tell the truth. But when is the right time to tell? And are the ramifications different than when a DNA surprise is uncovered with a DNA test? In this week’s episode, Meaghan shares how one day, her parents took for a long walk and revealed the truth - her da...
May 27, 2025•50 min
Hindsight is 20/20. After experiencing a DNA surprise, it’s easy to look back at moments throughout our childhoods and realize that the truth was there all along. Growing up in Indiana, Brittany always felt like an outsider. Her parents were divorced, and when she asked her dad if she could go live with him, he revealed that he wasn’t her biological father, which her mother denied. Years later, Brittany took DNA test, which revealed that her lifelong father was not her biological father. In this...
May 21, 2025•47 min
This is part 3 of a 3-part series. If you haven’t listened to parts 1 and 2, be sure to go back and listen before starting this episode. In Part 3 of Elizabeth’s story, we find out what happened after she visited her family and met her biological father for the first time ever. She shares what those first moments felt like and where things stand after her whirlwind trip. She also gives an update on her relationship with her raised family. One of the things I commented on more than once throughou...
May 13, 2025•36 min
So what happened after Elizabeth sent off those letters to her siblings? In Part 2 of Elizabeth’s DNA surprise story, she reveals how she was able to make contact with several of her newfound siblings - and her biological father. I loved this conversation because we get a glimpse into the other side of the DNA surprise equation - the found family’s point of view. I reconnected with Elizabeth in January 2025 and two of her siblings, Aerin and Emily joined us. Her siblings share what it was like t...
May 13, 2025•39 min
Welcome to a new season of DNA Surprises. We’re kicking this season off with a triple-episode premiere as we follow Elizabeth on her DNA surprise journey. Elizabeth grew up knowing that the man she called “Dad” wasn’t her biological father, but she also grew up believing that the man she believed was, didn’t want to be part of her life. Her childhood was fraught with abuse and neglect and by the time she discovered the truth, she already had strained relationships with her parents and siblings. ...
May 13, 2025•59 min
Welcome to the season 10 finale of DNA Surprises. Buy one, get two. No, this isn’t an ad for the latest testing kit sale. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Dave and Denise, a married couple who discovered that they were both NPEs after their grandson took a DNA test. Before you listen to this episode, I want to take a moment to remind listeners that family secrets like these don’t stay hidden in the modern age of DNA testing, and Dave and Denise are a great example of this. They didn’t uncov...
Apr 01, 2025•57 min
When someone uncovers a DNA surprise, their family tree changes. That sounds simple, but the reality is that our roots, so many of the things that make us, us, come from generations before us. In this week’s episode Melissa shares her profound journey after discovering that the man who raised her is not her biological father. From uncovering clues in her late grandmother's writings to learning about her biological father's tumultuous past and building new relationships with half-siblings, Meliss...
Mar 24, 2025•54 min
If we don’t laugh, we’ll cry. DNA surprises can be gut-wrenching and difficult experiences, but some of us can find humor in almost any situation. In this week’s laughter-filled episode, Lauren LoGuidice tells the story of how she learned she was donor conceived. Lauren discusses how she never fit in with her raised family but was regularly dismissed and gaslit when she questioned why she looked so different. She shares how she connected with her donor-conceived siblings, her genetic father, and...
Mar 17, 2025•48 min
When someone opens up their DNA test results, the outcome isn’t always an explosive surprise. Sometimes, it takes a while of pulling at a thread before a truth is unraveled. In this week’s episode, Christine shares how her curiosity about one of her ethnicity results led to her shocking discovery that her dad isn’t her biological father. But in another twist, even after finding out the truth about her paternity, the mystery about her ethnicity remained. Christine discusses both of these DNA surp...
Mar 11, 2025•54 min
Imagine uncovering your DNA surprise, experiencing the shock and devastation that comes with it, and then learning that the surprise wasn’t a total surprise after all? Earlier this season, we heard a story like this, and in this week’s episode, you’ll hear another. When Tamara confronted her mom about her DNA surprise, she was shocked to learn that they’d already discussed it when she was younger. For some reason the memory didn’t stick with her, and when she learned the truth,it came back to he...
Mar 04, 2025•35 min
After a DNA surprise is uncovered, many moments from the past come into focus. Especially moments that, in hindsight, were missed opportunities for parents to tell the truth. In this week’s episode, Christina shares how she uncovered her DNA surprise and how she’s feeling about seven months into her discovery. She discusses how she’s struggling with feelings of anger at her mother, especially when she reflects on times when her mom could have disclosed the truth about who her biological father w...
Feb 25, 2025•39 min
As we’ve heard earlier this season, many people within the DNA surprise community saw their test results as mere confirmation of something they’d long suspected. But as heard in this week’s episode, not everyone was able to put their finger on just why they felt different. Chaya never felt like she fit in with her family. She found solace in music and the friendships she formed in the metal scene during her rebellious teen years. Then one day, during a heated exchange with her parents, her mothe...
Feb 18, 2025•48 min•Season 10Ep. 7
After three years of making this podcast and speaking to people who’ve experienced life-altering DNA surprises, I’ve noticed several trends. One trend is that oftentimes, the biological father is someone a guest knew from childhood. Another trend is a tumultuous relationship with the mother. In this week’s episode, Kim shares her emotional journey after discovering a family secret through genealogical research. She discusses the shock and clarity that came with this revelation, her strained rela...
Feb 11, 2025•37 min
If you’ve had a DNA surprise, how many times have you been told you should write a book? This week’s episode is a story that is truly stranger than fiction. Traci shares how, at 19, her mother revealed the truth about her paternity. This truth sent Traci reeling, but her mother insisted that she always knew the truth. Her mom went on to explain the events that led them to that moment. It’s a story straight out of a true crime novel, and Traci didn’t remember any of it. Traci goes on to share wha...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 1 min
"I knew it!" Or, "I had no idea." When it comes to DNA surprises, some people are completely blindsided. Others felt like they knew it all along. Danielle never felt like she fit in with her family. Her mother died when she was just three years old, and for the rest of her childhood, she was raised by her dad, who travelled often for work, and her aunt, her mother’s sister. Danielle knew that her dad had difficulty conceiving her older half-sister with his first wife, and she questioned if they ...
Jan 28, 2025•40 min
Black sheep. Golden child. In the DNA surprise community, these are labels we hear a lot. In this week’s episode, Sarah shares her emotional journey before, during, and after, her DNA discovery. Growing up, she never felt like she fit in, but her concerns were often dismissed. Many years later, her suspicions were confirmed–her dad, Joe was not her biological father. But she didn’t know for sure who was. Sarah’s story also touches on the role that alcohol played within her family and in her own ...
Jan 21, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Welcome to season 10 of DNA Surprises. This season is jampacked with incredible stories that explore the emotional journeys of DNA discoveries. If you’ve had a DNA surprise, you’ll hear stories that you may relate to and gain inspiration from. If you haven’t had a DNA surprise, this season will continue to give you insight into the complexities of identity, family, and the human experience. In this week’s episode, Krissy shares her long journey to uncovering her DNA surprise, when she learned th...
Jan 14, 2025•47 min
Intergenerational trauma. It’s something we talk about a lot here. The most common cycles we discuss are the patterns of keeping secrets and the patterns of shame. In this week’s episode, you will hear a story about a cycle of NPEs. When Bobbi became pregnant with her third child, she knew that was not in a position to care for another baby. She relinquished her child to a family member, but kept the specific circumstances around the birth a secret - most people thought she was a surrogate. Just...
Nov 26, 2024•50 min
Who would I have become if I had known the truth? How were the interactions I had throughout my life colored by an unknown truth? These are questions so many of us ask ourselves, over and over and over again. The reality is, we will never know, no more than we would know who we would have become if we’d been born in another country. Part of the DNA surprise experience is coming to terms with this. In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Guy, who I first interviewed back in Season 3. When we first ...
Nov 19, 2024•39 min
If you’ve had a DNA surprise, you might listen to this podcast from the perspective of someone who just uncovered their results. Or did it happen years ago, when consumer DNA testing became popular? What has changed for you since the day you opened your test results? In this week’s episode, I’m joined by a guest from Season 1, Crystal. Crystal had her DNA surprise the same month and year that I did. When we first spoke, it had only been a few months since she received her results. So much has ha...
Nov 12, 2024•51 min
When people uncover DNA surprises, they are often left to unpack the mysteries themselves. From the who, what, when and where around their births to where their newly identified family members are today, we spend hours searching newspapers, online archives, and obituaries. Many times, we find what we’re looking for. Sometimes, we don’t. In this week’s episode, BettyJo shares how any of her questions remain unanswered. Her mother wouldn’t share many details and their relationship, along with her ...
Nov 05, 2024•28 min
Did you know that the DNA Surprises podcast community meets in a virtual support group every month? We started the Third Thursday Meetup in 2023 to serve as an additional resource for NPEs, late-discovery donor-conceived people, and late-discovery adoptees to find community and support. Third Thursdays have quickly become one of my favorite nights of the month, due in no small part to the two people who are sharing updates in this special double update episode. Liann and Pat uncovered their DNA ...
Oct 29, 2024•57 min
Not every DNA surprise has a happy ending. And sometimes, what seems like a happy ending takes a turn. But the opposite is also true. In this week’s episode, Shannon shares how she learned the truth about her paternity and had to wait several years before she could identify her biological father. When she finally found him, he was receptive, before quickly closing off any hope of a relationship…until he had another change of heart. Thank you for sharing your story, Shannon. If you’d like to lear...
Oct 22, 2024•47 min
Many people in the DNA surprise community grew up with dads, or birth certificate fathers, BCFs as they’re often called. We are raised by these men and then one day, through a DNA test or other means, we learn that they are not our biological fathers. But what if you never really felt like you had a dad? How does a DNA surprise affect you? In this week’s episode, Alissa shares how her free-spirited mother had her and her twin brother on her own, before marrying their stepfather. Alissa remembers...
Oct 15, 2024•49 min
