Bianca’s DNA Surprise
NPEs come from all backgrounds, but all too often, the stories we hear involve childhood abuse. In this week’s episode, Bianca shares her difficult journey to finding out that she is an NPE. First, a content warning: Bianca’s story includes discussion of drug use, rape, and abuse, and is not suitable for all listeners.
Hayley’s DNA Surprise
One of the most interesting things about the DNA surprise community is how much intersection there is between adoptees, donor-conceived people, and NPEs. In this week’s episode, Hayley, who was one of the first people conceived through IVF in the UK, shares her NPE story. While she knew from a young age that she was conceived through IVF, it wasn’t until she was in her 30s that she learned her raised father is not her genetic parent. As a DCP, Hayley has a unique perspective as she embarked on her own parenting journey with her wife. She shares how being donor-conceived affects how she discusses the topic with her twins and what regulations are and should be in place for DCPs worldwide.
Devin’s DNA Surprise
Sometimes DNA surprises reveal that bio fathers are people known to the NPE, however unexpected. In this week’s episode, Devin shares how a DNA test revealed that he is one of more than a dozen children – some of his siblings old enough to be his grandparent. He shares how he’s connected with those siblings, and how his discovery has affected his relationship with his mother.
Ashley’s DNA Surprise
First, a content warning: due to the circumstances of Ashley’s conception, there is a lengthy discussion of rape and sexual assault. Ashley took her DNA test for health reasons, and was completely blindsided when she learned her raised father is not her bio dad. In this episode, she shares how she is processing two different versions of how she was conceived. Her mother says that she was raped – her father says it was a night of passion. She also shares how her discovery has affected her immediate family.
Jennifer’s DNA Surprise
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 building a relationship with her biological father.
Kristin H’s DNA Surprise
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.
Bonus Episode | Crossover with ERWES
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.
Layla’s DNA Surprise
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.
Annie’s DNA Surprise
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.
Linda’s DNA Surprise
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).