Post by jcm28 on Jun 3, 2018 20:59:22 GMT
So, I had my DNA done several years ago and found nothing too exciting, mostly Irish/Scottish/English. Really no surprise. BUT...last week I rec'd a message through Ancestry saying this person and I were a "match". She says we are "close" family. Now my understanding that "close" means parent, sibling, aunt/uncle, niece/nephew. My niece, Robin, is listed as "close". So I go over to Ancestry and check it out. Indeed, she is listed (along with Robin) as "close". She sends me some bare details (her birth year, place of birth) and wonders how we can be connected. Oh, and by the way, she tells me she was adopted and knows almost nothing about her birth parents. So I wonder if, perhaps, she could be a child of my brother. He was 19 when she was born. I know it wasn't my sisters as they were both married with children of their own. This would have been the time between his high school graduation and his going into the Army at age 19.
My brother died in 2002. He has one son who is also in the Army. So, I'm thinking, I should let him know about this person and what would he like me to do? He is actually excited to learn he might have another 1/2 sister (he has 1/2 sister already). He says, yes, contact her and try to get more information.
Next, I do e-mail her back and say I *think* she could be my brother's daughter as the timing is right. He had a girlfriend all through high school who abruptly cut it off with him and left town. But being 14 I didn't give it a second thought. I tell her my brother's name and that she might have a 1/2 brother if I am right. I open my tree to her so that she can see it. She sends me some photos of her through the years. WE COULD BE SISTERS! The photo of her at about age 19 could be me! I called my husband to come look at this photo, who do you think that is? He said, that's you. Nope, my brand new niece. I was thrilled to "kind of" confirm this for her. We e-mailed a bit back and forth. She is delightful, a teacher. Her grown up self looks exactly like my family.
I send her my nephew's email and they start conversing. It was like a family reunion! I warned her she didn't know what she was getting into, hooking up with the likes of us!
I call my oldest sister (she is 74) and let her know. She is not surprised at all. She never knew exactly what happened between my brother and his girlfriend but now it all makes sense. My niece, Robin, goes to Ancestry. She has not looked at her DNA profile in several months and, lo and behold, this person is listed as her FIRST COUSIN!!!! Confirmed!
My new niece does some logical thinking...if she eliminates all of us and just leaves those on her DNA tree that are *not* related to me, she will find her birth mothers line. I remembered the girlfriend's first name but not her last. I have one photo of her and my brother together and send it to my new niece.
She emails me that she found a bunch of relatives on her mothers side and her mother is still alive! They have been looking for her for a few years and did their DNA, trying to find her. Now she has both sides of this huge, crazy family!
She told me that she never had children of her own, only adopted, and had no blood relatives. Now she has a bunch! We are going to plan on a get together soon. I can't wait to meet her. She only lives 3 hours away.
I sometimes wondered if doing my DNA was a smart thing, as it has been in the news lately, but, in this instance, it created an entire family for someone who didn't have anyone!
So, that's my story. I will post pictures when we actually get together. I wish everyone's story has this fairy-tale ending. I know they don't and people get hurt but just wanted to tell a wonderful story. I just wish my brother was still alive and could meet her and see what a wonderful person she turned out to be.
Sorry it's so long!!!
Janet
