In this powerful Season 6 finale, author J. Steven Osborne shares his remarkable DNA surprise journey—from a casual ancestry test to discovering he was not biologically related to the father he adored. What began as a search for Native American heritage unraveled decades of hidden family truths, emotional trauma, and unexpected healing. With humor, honesty, and raw vulnerability, Steve recounts how love, support, and forgiveness helped him rebuild his identity and redefine the meaning of family....
Jun 16, 2025•54 min•Season 6Ep. 220
Trigger warning: This episode contains discussions of child abuse, including physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Deb recounts a sad childhood with abuse and multiple years in foster care. After finding out she was an NPE through a DNA test Deb shares her story of meeting and building strong bonds with her biological paternal family while dealing with legal matters at the same time. Deb can be reached via email debscales25@gmail.com NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.fac...
May 14, 2025•45 min•Season 6Ep. 219
Rashanda opens up about growing up without a mom or dad and the emotional toll of navigating life without a traditional family structure. From childhood instability to finding her own voice, her story is one of raw honesty, growth, and empowerment. This episode offers a moving look into what it means to rise above your beginnings. Rashanda can be reached via email rashandalawyer@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: DNAngels NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstor...
May 04, 2025•46 min•Season 6Ep. 218
Raised in a devout Catholic family, Annette grew up believing her father had died before she was born. Decades later, a series of emotional discoveries unraveled everything she thought she knew about her identity. Her journey explores loss, secrecy, and the power of living one’s truth Annette's memoir is called Living Into the Truth . You can learn more about Annette and her story at the following links: annettemarquis.com wordswomenpress.com Resources Mentioned: Untangling Our Roots Summit High...
Apr 21, 2025•58 min•Season 6Ep. 217
In Episode 216, Melanie recounts the emotional journey of reconnecting with the father who raised her, only to lose him and then learn he wasn’t her biological dad. Her story unfolds with raw honesty as she navigates the shock of a DNA discovery, a hidden past, and the bittersweet truth of finding her biological father. Melanie can be reached via email mel251116@yahoo.com Resources Mentioned: Linked here is Melanie's warm letter to her BF NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www...
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Season 6Ep. 216
Devorah Lee, author of Taken from the Cradle , shares her journey of discovering she was a late-discovery adoptee (LDA) from a Jacksonville, FL, black market baby ring. She opens up about the shock, secrecy, and search for truth in her NPE experience. Devorah Lee can be reached via email takenfromthecradle@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: Taken From The Cradle: Unveiling a Black-Market Baby Ring; Conquering Walls to Unearth the Truth by Devorah Lee Taken From The Cradle Website Fraud in the Courts...
Mar 18, 2025•41 min•Season 6Ep. 215
Lauren returns to the podcast five years after first sharing her story in Season 1, hoping others can learn from her journey as she reflects on what has unfolded since. Lauren can be reached via email laurencookphoto@gmail.com To hear Lauren's origin story Episode 28 of NPE Stories listen here. NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 6Ep. 214
Episode 213: Challenging Medical Guidelines on Misattributed Paternity In this special episode, host Richard Wenzel leads a compelling discussion with fellow NPEs Gina Daniel, Jodi Girard, Lily Wood, and Eve Sturges. Together, they dive into their recent article, Misattributed Paternity Discovery: A Critique of Medical Organizations' Recommendations , published in the American Journal of Human Genetics . The conversation explores the implications of current medical guidelines, personal experienc...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Season 6Ep. 213
Amy S's story is a journey of identity, family deception, and self-discovery. A DNA test revealed her biological father was not the man she adored but someone from her father’s social circle, shattering her sense of belonging. After grappling with grief and betrayal, she found healing through therapy, genealogy, and embracing her Irish heritage, ultimately reclaiming her identity and freedom. Amy can be reached via email aslingsby@tds.net Resources Mentioned: Lily Wood: NPE Stories Special Cross...
Feb 06, 2025•56 min•Season 6Ep. 212
Jennifer is a first generation Colombian-American who describes her family as warm, loving, and hard-working. She had the shock of her life when her DNA results showed one of her best friends was actually her half-sibling. Jennifer can be reached via email jayca519@aol.com NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
Jan 28, 2025•55 min•Season 6Ep. 211
Julie S is the result of a wife-swapping situation that turned into a love affair. She was conceived with intention, but no one was ever planning to tell Julie the truth about her biological father. Julie can be reached on instagram @katmondieu NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
Jan 20, 2025•40 min•Season 6Ep. 210
Bill grew up looking different than his brothers and was often asked if he was Italian or Spanish. Although he never suspected it as a child, turns out his DNA results show good reason for this line of questioning. NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories
Jan 08, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 209
Robin was never told who her father was, only that he was in the airline industry with her mother. As she came of age, Robin started searching and writing to who she believed her father to be, even though she saw no resemblance. It wasn’t until a 2019 Ancestry DNA test that Robin started to receive DNA results. She has written a book called Finding My Way; details below. Robin can be reached through her website https://robinfschepperauthor.com/ on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id...
Dec 22, 2024•43 min•Season 6Ep. 208
David started to question who his birth father was many years ago, and was never given a straight answer. He even went as far as getting his birth records unsealed and was still unsuccessful until he finally took a DNA test and with help, narrowed down his birth father. David can be reached via email at davidsulak01@yahoo.com Resources Mentioned: Previous guest Ep. 194 Margo's Story has just released her sequel memoir, When You Shake the Family Tree by Margo Reilly available on justbeingjill.com...
Dec 17, 2024•42 min•Season 6Ep. 207
Growing up Heather was always given the confusing narrative that her dad didn’t want her. She recently changed her last name to her proper surname, after finding and establishing a relationship with her biological father. Heather can be reached via email Heathercarrie1000@gmail.com NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
Nov 19, 2024•58 min•Season 6Ep. 206
Gina's (Gigi’s) parents were beloved and she didn’t understand a lot of her parents' behavior until later in life. Many secrets were kept by her family members and the DNA Angels were able to help her figure out more about her paternal family. Gina can be reached by email ginalsobania@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: DNA Angels - a nonprofit search angel organization dedicated to the assistance of individuals seeking to identify their biological parent(s) using DNA interpretation. NPE Stories Patr...
Nov 09, 2024•52 min•Season 6Ep. 205
Stella had to deal with her NPE revelation and a horrible death all while trying to keep it a secret from her biological father. Four years later Stella shares where she is currently at in her NPE story today. Resources Mentioned: Dr. Michele Grethel looking to interview NPEs, LDAs, DCPs and their family members. For more information, contact Dr. Grethel at mgrethel@usc.edu or 917-797-5608. NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr•Season 6Ep. 204
Content Warning: This episode contains accounts of child abuse and violence. Caroline was essentially an orphan at a young age and always felt ostracized by her sisters. Many of her family members knew the secret of her true paternity and participated in keeping this information from her. Caroline is still struggling with this betrayal as she starts to learn more about her biological father's side of the family. Caroline can be reached on facebook at Caroline Sorg Vance Champion NPE Stories Patr...
Oct 21, 2024•50 min•Season 6Ep. 203
Bertrice took a DNA test to help a family member, and ended up finding a close family friend in her DNA matches. Since finding out she was an NPE during Covid to losing her husband this last year Bertrice's life has changed drastically. Bertrice chooses to remain anonymous but wanted to share her NPE story. NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
Oct 05, 2024•26 min•Season 6Ep. 202
Nicole lost both her parents in a short period of time, and then after getting into genealogy to honor her father's passing, she found out she was an NPE in the worst way. Nicole went through a few therapists until she found one that she really resonated and felt safe with. Nicole can be reached via email at nwebs24@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: DNA Painter Who Even Am I Anymore: A Process Journal For the Adoptee, Late Discovery Adoptee, Donor Conceived, NPE, and MPE Community a process journal...
Sep 25, 2024•50 min•Season 6Ep. 201
Lauren LoGiudice is a comedian that identifies as a misfit, and is also a donor-conceived person with a couple hundred estimated siblings. Lauren can be reached at laurenlogi.com Lauren's Podcast Misfits Makin' It Resources Mentioned: Untangling Our Roots NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
Jun 17, 2024•39 min•Season 5Ep. 200
Shirley discovered through DNA tests that her entire biological family was different from the one she had known all her life, leading her to become a private detective so that she could uncover her true origins. Shirley can be reached via email smunoznewsonauthor@gmail.com Instagram: shirleymunoznewson_author Facebook: shirleymunoznewson.com Resources Mentioned: Untangling Our Roots Don Anderson's Missing Pieces - NPE Life The Little Dark One: A True Story of Switched at Birth by Shirley Munoz-N...
Jun 03, 2024•41 min•Season 5Ep. 199
Shelly is part of a great little NPE community called the NoMi Girls who meet in Northern Michigan regularly. She had a traumatic childhood and has put a lot of work into healing, including EMDR and support groups, but Shelly says this experience has changed her a lot. Shelly can be reached via email shellywellsnpe@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: Untangling Our Roots Lauren LoGiudice Don Anderson's Missing Pieces - NPE Life Hiraeth Hope & Healing Retreats NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories faceb...
May 24, 2024•39 min•Season 5Ep. 198
Kris took a DNA test along with many of her family members and saw that she did not have DNA in common with her birth certificate father. She hid her profile online and has chosen, at this point, not to discuss this with her dad. Kris can be reached via email kristinekellympls@gmail.com Resources Mentioned: Untangling Our Roots Summit High Conflict Institute Hiraeth Hope & Healing Eve Sturges NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
May 11, 2024•32 min•Season 5Ep. 197
This was a very long emotional episode that has been divided into 2 parts. This is part 2. This was part of a panel held at the Untangling Our Roots Summit 2024 in Denver, CO. The panel was moderated by Don Anderson of Missing Pieces - NPE Life and featured Eve Sturges of Everything's Relative and Lily Wood of NPE Stories. Eve shared for 10 minutes on changing family narratives followed by others in the audience. Then Lily shared for 10 minutes on Estrangement and Rejection followed by others in...
May 03, 2024•41 min•Season 5Ep. 196
This was a very long emotional episode that has been divided into 2 parts. This is part 1. This was part of a panel held at the Untangling Our Roots Summit 2024 in Denver, CO. The panel was moderated by Don Anderson of Missing Pieces - NPE Life and featured Eve Sturges of Everything's Relative and Lily Wood of NPE Stories. Eve shared for 10 minutes on changing family narratives followed by others in the audience. Then Lily shared for 10 minutes on Estrangement and Rejection followed by others in...
May 03, 2024•39 min•Season 5Ep. 195
Margo discovered her NPE status when she purchased an Ancestry kit to kill a lifelong curiosity. She learned her younger brother was not the only NPE in the family and suddenly her chaotic childhood began to make sense. Resources Mentioned: When the Apple Falls Far from the Tree: Discovering the Gifts within the Chaos by Margo Reilly Upcoming Memoir due out summer 2024: When you Shake the Family Tree by Margo Reilly Who Even Am I Anymore: A Process Journal by Eve Sturges Jill Krzyzanowicz's webs...
Apr 15, 2024•47 min•Season 5Ep. 194
Terra was raised in Texas by her single father and asked for a 23andMe for Christmas to see how much Native American she had on her maternal side. Terra ended up having quite an ethnicity shift after her NPE. NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories
Apr 05, 2024•49 min•Season 5Ep. 193
Dorene’s NPE discovery in 2022 at the age of 60 inspired her to become a trauma recovery coach, specializing in helping NPEs. As she began to study intergenerational trauma and apply what she learned to her experience, the events of Dorene's life finally began to make sense. Dorene can be reached via email at dorene@thetruthofme.com Resources Mentioned: Tickets available for the Untangling our Roots Summit Apr 25-28, 2024 in Denver, CO NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.fa...
Mar 30, 2024•44 min•Season 5Ep. 192
Laura found out her half-siblings are her full siblings, and since finding out she was an NPE her family members have become distant. Resources Mentioned: Tickets still available for the Untangling our Roots Summit Apr 25-28, 2024 in Denver, CO NPE Stories Patreon NPE Stories facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NPEstories...
Mar 21, 2024•48 min•Season 5Ep. 191
