Welcome to Season 3 of DNA Surprises. In the season premier, Ashley shares her double NPE journey. First, a content warning: due to the circumstances of Ashley’s conception, there is a lengthy discussion of rape and sexual assault. There are also mentions of childhood sexual abuse. If you or anyone you know are a victim of rape or sexual abuse, please call: National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-4673 Ashley took her DNA test for health reasons, and was completely blindsided when she learned h...
Sep 06, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Welcome to the season 2 finale of DNA Surprises. In this week’s episode, Jennifer shares her NPE story. While she was never close to her birth certificate father, she was blindsided when she put the pieces together after taking a DNA test. Jennifer shares how her discovery has made an impact on her relationships and how she’s buildling a relationship with biological father. Thanks to Jennifer for sharing her story. You can hear more from Jennifer at her podcast, Unfinished Truths . Join the DNA ...
Jul 19, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Kristin had no idea her NPE was coming, let alone the secrets she’d uncover because of her DNA surprise. Not only did she discover that she is an NPE – she learned that her sister is, too. In this week’s episode, Kristin explains how she’s worked through rejection from her found family and estrangement from her raised family. She also shares her own regret over taking the test in the first place. Thank you for sharing your story, Kristin. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community !...
Jul 12, 2022•41 min
Welcome to a bonus episode of DNA Surprises, a crossover with Everything’s Relative with Eve Sturges! In this episode, we chat about our own NPE stories, the importance of humor throughout our journeys, and why we started our podcasts. I also share something I’ve never shared before - that I’ve been on the other side of a DNA surprise. Thanks to Eve for collaborating with me on this episode and thank you for listening! Listen to Everything's Relative with Eve Sturges . Buy Who Even Am I Anymore?...
Jul 08, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Layla always knew that she was adopted by family. She also knew both of her birth parents, or so she thought. In this week’s episode, Layla shares how she discovered she is an NPE and what she had to do to identify her biological father. Layla also discusses the many nuances of discovering a new ethnicity. Thank you for sharing your story, Layla. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community !
Jul 05, 2022•48 min
Have you ever wondered about the first NPEs who found out through commercial DNA tests? In this week’s episode, Annie shares how she began her journey a decade ago. She shares how she figured out who her father is and how she has made connections with her found family. She also offers her perspective on her mother’s choice. Thank you to Annie for sharing her story. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community !
Jun 28, 2022•46 min
NPEs, DCPs, and adoptees aren’t the only people who experience DNA Surprises. Found family has them, too. This week, Dori shared her surprise at being contacted by a sibling she never knew existed. Dori also shares her experience growing up with family secrets, especially her life being raised by a lesbian couple. I’m excited to release this episode during pride month because it demonstrates how far we’ve come in destigmatizing LGBTQI families. I look forward to the day when we see families for ...
Jun 21, 2022•51 min
Some DNA surprise stories are harder to unravel than others. When Linda found out about her NPE, she was nearly 60 years old and both her mother and birth certificate father had passed. In this week's episode, Linda shares how she was able to track down the identity of her biological father despite genealogical challenges such as endogamy, (the custom of marrying only within the limits of a local community, clan, or tribe). I also want to add a quick content warning for this episode. Because Lin...
Jun 14, 2022•36 min
When Mark received a call from who he believed was a new-found half-sibling, he wasn't surprised. Little did he know that this revelation would lead him to his own NPE journey. In this week's episode, Mark shares how he uncovered his truth, how he connected with his family, and how he finds peace with his mother, who died before he could speak to her about his DNA surprise. He also offers valuable advice to parents and NPEs, particularly to men. Thanks to Mark for sharing his story. Join the DNA...
Jun 07, 2022•38 min
In this week’s episode, Kara shares her donor conceived journey. Kara’s parents told her and her twin sister that they were conceived with a donor egg when they were 10 years old. The family never really spoke about it again. Kara shares how she connected with her bio mom, how she feels about donor conception, and what steps would make donor conception more ethical today. Thanks for sharing your story, Kara. You can follow Kara on Instagram at @kara_donorconceived Join the DNA Surprises Patreon ...
May 31, 2022•33 min
Michael Paul always felt different from his family. He was treated differently than his two younger brothers and went through multiple periods of estrangement from his raised parents. In this week’s episode, he shares how he finally learned the truth through a consumer DNA testing kit. He tells us how he connected with his biological dad and why he made the difficult decision to ultimately go no contact with his raised family. Thanks to Michael Paul for sharing his story. Join the DNA Surprises ...
May 24, 2022•1 hr 3 min
In this week's episode, Charlotte shares her journey as both an adoptee and NPE. Charlotte always knew she was adopted. Her parents were always open with her and she never wanted to seek out her birth parents. After taking a 23&Me test to learn her health history, she was surprised to realize that it also connected her with DNA matches. She shares how she found her birth parents, how this process affected her relationship with her raised parents, and what she's learned about her family and h...
May 17, 2022•1 hr 19 min
In this week's episode, Cara shares an NPE story with lots of twists and turns. She tells us how she found out about her NPE and the journey to finding her biological father. She also shares how her new relationships are forming and how this process has affected her relationship with her BCF (birth certificate father) and mother. Thanks to Cara for sharing her story. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community !
May 10, 2022•1 hr
Welcome to season 2 of DNA Surprises! In this week’s episode, we’ll hear Gretchen’s NPE story. Like many of our stories, Gretchen’s DNA surprise includes many people, and it can be difficult to understand the roles of everyone involved, so before we begin I want to give some background. Before her DNA surprise, Gretchen believed she was the youngest of 3 children. It turns out that Gretchen’s biological father had two children before her - he had a daughter, Barbara, in his first marriage. Then ...
May 03, 2022•39 min
Surprise! It’s a bonus episode. In recognition of DNA Day, on April 25, we’re dropping a special episode with author Leeanne R. Hay, who recently released her book NPE* A story guide for unexpected DNA discoveries . In this episode, we take a deeper dive into some of the things Leeanne wrote about, from why she wrote the book to NPEs in the media to how consumer DNA testing companies should be held accountable to their customers. You can buy her book here: United States Amazon (affiliate link) B...
Apr 25, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Welcome to the season 1 finale of DNA Surprises. In this week’s episode, I am going to share my story. In July, I found out that I am an NPE. I was completely blindsided by not only that discovery but a massive shift in racial identity. I’m going to discuss what my discovery was like and how I’ve processed what happened. I’ll also talk about what has helped me heal so far. Thank you for listening to my story. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community !...
Mar 28, 2022•37 min
While a DNA surprise can be a painful and traumatic experience, some NPEs are able to find a silver lining through beautiful new relationships. In this week's episode Rose shares her journey from feeling disconnected from her raised family to establishing a connection with her biological father. Thanks to Rose for sharing her story. Join the DNA Surprises Patreon community !
Mar 22, 2022•48 min
In this week’s episode, Jessica shares how her NPE discovery unfolded. She discusses how it’s affected her relationship with her raised family and how she is trying to learn about her biological father, a man she was aware of while growing up. One of the things that struck me most about Jessica’s story is how much it reflects the effects COVID 19 on DNA surprises. From delayed opportunities to connect with family to deaths preventing NPEs from getting the answers they so badly want, the pandemic...
Mar 15, 2022•30 min
In this week’s episode, Lisa reveals how her DNA test uncovered not one, not two, but three NPEs in her family. She shares how her NPE status affected her childhood before she even knew it. Lisa also shares the positive aspects of connecting with her newfound family. Thanks to Lisa for sharing her story. Support the Show.
Mar 08, 2022•33 min
In this episode, Kristin shares her NPE journey after discovering the truth just four months prior to our conversation. She was completely blindsided by the discovery and shares her shock and confusion over what to do next. She also discusses the new family connections she's made so far while expressing some concern about her raised father's feelings. Thanks to Kristin for sharing her story. Support the Show....
Mar 01, 2022•41 min
Whitney's mom told her the truth about her biological father long before she took a DNA test. She learned the truth at 14, 6 years after the tragic loss of the man she believed was her father. In this episode, Whitney shares the long and winding road to connect to her biological father. She offers a compassionate view on the choices the adults in her life made and how those choices affected her. Thank you to Whitney for sharing her story. Support the Show....
Feb 22, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Michael had been told he didn't look related to his family his entire life, so when his sisters asked him to take a DNA test for fun, he knew the truth was going to be revealed. In this episode, Michael shares his quest for answers despite both of his biological parents having Alzheimer's. He is also candid about his struggles with mental health in general and in light of his discovery. Thanks to Michael for sharing his story. Support the Show....
Feb 15, 2022•46 min
Summer’s mother told her about her NPE status when she was 13–a secret she kept for decades. It wasn’t until she took a DNA test that she connected with her half-siblings, some of whom (to her shock) already knew about her, too. Summer shares how her relationships are developing despite not living in the same state. She also discusses some of the questions she has for her mother, who has since passed. Finally, Summer shares a unique, compassionate perspective of her mother and the difficult choi...
Feb 08, 2022•46 min
Wendy’s path to finding her biological father is a long and winding road. As a double NPE, she has twice learned that the man she believed was her bio dad was not. Now that Wendy knows the truth about her parentage, she discusses the challenges of building a relationship with her new family, which include a lack of time and differing religious values. Thanks to Wendy for sharing her story. Support the Show.
Feb 01, 2022•48 min
When Diana learned that her biological father is an old family friend, she was completely shocked. But soon after her discovery, many things started making more sense. With the help of a newly found cousin, Diana began making connections with her family members, including an aunt. Unfortunately, Diana’s biological father and brothers haven’t reciprocated her efforts to connect. She shares how she’s moving forward despite not being able to speak directly to her father. Thanks to Diana for sharing...
Jan 25, 2022•32 min
Crystal's DNA surprise came as a total shock, years after she took her Ancestry DNA test. When her older sister showed up as a half-sibling, Crystal discovered that she is an NPE. She shares the intense emotions that people who experience non-paternal events feel, from sadness to hope. She talks about how connecting with her newfound family is going so far. Finally, Crystal offers some great advice for anyone who has just discovered that they are an NPE. Thanks to Crystal for sharing her story. ...
Jan 18, 2022•54 min
Kerry's suspicions about her NPE status have come and gone throughout the years. As a child, she always felt different from her siblings, but a unique medical condition caused her to push aside any doubts she had about her paternity. By the time she learned the truth about her biological father from a DNA testing kit, her mother had passed, leaving her unable to ask many questions. Kerry offers a beautiful perspective on life and forgiveness. She talks about the stigma of being a conceived as th...
Jan 11, 2022•56 min
Yvette shares a story of intergenerational secrets that she unearthed after discovering her DNA surprise in December 2020. ⠀ She learns that not only is she an NPE, but so is her biological father. Yvette also shares what it’s like to realize that she has a very different ethnic background than she previously believed. ⠀ In addition to sharing the range of emotions she’s felt during her NPE journey, Yvette talks about ways that she’s connected with her birth father and ethnic background even aft...
Jan 04, 2022•59 min
Imagine spitting into a tube, sending off your DNA, and unknowingly turning your life upside down. For me and thousands of others, this is our reality. I'm your host, Alexis Hourselt. In July of 2021, I discovered that I am an NPE - someone who has experienced a non-paternal event. In other words, my biological father isn't who I thought he was. This podcast shares the journeys of people who were shocked by a DNA discovery, mostly through modern DNA testing. We're telling the stories of NPEs, ad...
Dec 02, 2021•1 min
