So, I did a DNA test through Ancestry.com and discovered a half-brother...

[cynatnite]

I only knew my father through a few times he came over. I always wondered if he fathered another child in a wistful kind of way, but not taking it really seriously.

In an effort to uncover more information about my father who came to the US with his mother after WWII, I did a DNA test.

To say I was floored is an understatement. It was a punch to the gut.

I have reached out to him and we've talked on the phone once. We've texted back and forth a couple of times. He and his wife sound wonderful. They are very active in the LGBTQ community where they live. I hope we call all meet very soon.

This ended in a good way it seems and I feel very lucky.

[blm]

1. Wow.

Millions of families are coming to realize that the owls aren’t always what they seem.

Happy you found a sibling. It sounds promising.

[Croney]

2. Good for you! The half-brother I discovered in the same way

turned out to be a Drumpf-hugger. I want nothing to do with him.

[CanonRay]

3. This is happening a lot.

[Skittles]

4. my cousin found out his half brother was his full brother

pretty cool

[mercuryblues]

5. A good friend of mine

found her birth family. She always knew she was adopted and has tried over the years to unseal the papers with zero luck. A judge told her that whoever did the adoption made sure that the papers could never be opened.

A year ago she did ancestry to find out more about her heritage, giving up on ever finding her birth family. She got the results and found out she had 2 sibling matches. After finding out their mother had a baby she put up for adoption, they had done Ancestry in hopes of finding her. While trying to figure out what to do, they called her. She is over the moon.

[pnwmom]

8. I'm so glad for your friend. We have an adopted friend, who found her birth parents

through court records, but they've told her they DON'T want their children -- her siblings -- to know. Apparently they're still ashamed of giving up a baby before they got married.

I hope the siblings decide to go on Ancestry someday.

[LisaL]

12. That sucks.

To find birth parents only to be rejected again.

[pnwmom]

14. Exactly. n/t

[abakan]

6. As someone who also found family on Ancestry

I can only tell you to go for it but take it slow don't try to make up for time, just enjoy the time you have.
One day I had no family and the next day I have a son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren.
Please enjoy your new family, I hope your story is full of happiness and love.

[pnwmom]

7. I am very happy for you! That seems like the main benefit

of Ancestry to me -- finding living relatives. (Someone gave me the kit for my birthday. I probably wouldn't have done it otherwise.) In my case, I've found some nice cousins. It's too bad my mom isn't still alive; she wouldn't have gotten a kick out of it, since they are the children of her favorite cousin.

[luvallpeeps]

9. I've heard quite a few stories like this of late.

I'm a hair stylist, and one of the ladies I work with just discovered she has an older sister. (her father had her before he was married to her mom) Another fella told me about his philandering father. He had 3 half siblings!! He told me his Dad was a carpenter and he was nailing everyone. I thought he was joking, but he was not. I just get a kick outta the commercials for 23 & me. I call it 24 and me. It's just weird how many people have family they don't even know exist.

[luvallpeeps]

10. sorry, meant to tell you

the woman I work with is going to Florida to stay with her newly found sister. I guess her father met this lady at a dance hall in Detroit, and had the girl before he was married. (horizontal bop ) Her mother and father have passed, but according to the girl I work with, her Dad knew about the girl, but her Mom never found out.

[zanana1]

11. I'd love to find out I had a half brother!

But with my luck, he'd probably be a serial killer.

[Floyd R. Turbo]

13. Very cool!

[HeiressofBickworth]

15. I've thought about this.

My father was not only not faithful to my mother but he actually committed. Bigamy and married one of his women without first dussolving his marriage to my mother. Ive wondered if any offspring was the result of this.

[whistler162]

16. Right half or left half or

top or bottom half?

[getagrip_already]

18. I have a relative who....

found out the man she thought was her father wasn't. He wasn't the father of any of her siblings either.

Needless to say, HUGE shock.

Be careful what you look for, you might find something else.....