Family Discovers a Lost Relative Through DNA Test
Parenting
Being a parent is one of the hardest jobs in the world, but also the most rewarding. It isn’t for everyone, though. The timing has to be right and finances need to be in place. When parents realize they can’t care for their child, they turn to adoption.
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Adoption
Christine Kiefer’s mother had to put her up for adoption so she would have a better life. Her adoptive parents lived in Kansas and gave her the best possible life. As Christine grew older, she started to wonder about her birth father.
Looking for the Truth
The only thing Christine had to go off of was her birth father’s name. It was going to be close to impossible to find him.
The Message That Changed Everything
One day, Christine received a message that changed her life drastically.
Christine’s Mother
Christine’s mother, Donna, was a waitress struggling to make ends meet when she discovered she was pregnant in the 1960’s. She worked extremely hard to provide for Christine, but kept coming up short.
A Better Life
Donna knew that Christine should have a better life than the one she currently had. So, she had to make the hardest decision of her life.
Criticisms
Donna knew that the only option was to put Christine up for adoption. Her parents criticized her and objected to the decision.
Adoptive Parents
Donna’s parents, Christine’s grandparents, officially adopted Christine. They would rather take care of her than a stranger.
No Real Mother
Even though Christine was kept in the family, her birthmother was never part of her life.
Missing Piece
Christine always understood Donna’s decision to put her up for adoption. However, she always questioned why her father never wanted to play a role in her life.
Father, Where Are You?
Her father never stepped forward. Throughout her childhood and into young adulthood, Christine always wondered about who he was and what he was like.
Determined
Even though she knew that it was close to impossible, Christine was determined to find her birth father.
Birth Certificate
Christine went to town hall to see her official birth certificate. Hopefully, she would find her father’s name at least.
Blank
Without any luck, Christine saw that there was a simple “unknown father” written in the space where his name should have been on the birth certificate. Surely her grandparents know who he is, but would she dare ask them?
New Information
The only information her grandparents provided was that her father’s name was Dorie and he lived in Pennsylvania as a child. Though the information was vague, Christine knew she could get somewhere with it.
Moving On
Christine tried to forget about her birthfather and focus on her life now . Eventually she met a great guy, got married, and had her own children.
Ancestry.com
Years after her initial search for her father, she learned of the DNA service Ancestry.com provided to learn about your lineage and family. She decided it was worth a shot.
Surprising Message
After sending in her DNA sample, Christine received a message from a woman named Cindy Mostrom. Cindy lived in Pennsylvania. Her message to Christine informed her that they were related.
Curious
Cindy had contacted Christine because she wanted to know just how they were related. “I messaged her and said, ‘Hey, this is Cindy,’ because she’s a Weaver, I can tell by the DNA,” Cindy said.
Closing the Case
Christine wrote back to Cindy informing her that she had no idea who she was. Then Cindy remembered her grandparents said her birthfather lived in Pennsylvania at one point. She told Cindy about her search.
Putting the Pieces Together
Cindy asked for more information about Christine’s birthparents and adoptive parents. She was going to look into her family and see if she could help locate her birthfather.
The Call
Cindy decided to give her Uncle Dorie a call. She said, “Uncle Dorie, you know I love you. Now, did you ever live in Fort Riley, Kansas?”
Many Years Ago
Dorie confirmed that he lived in Kansas and that he had dated a waitress named Donna.
Shocking News
Cindy broke the news to Dorie that he had a daughter out in Kansas who was given up for adoption. Dorie was silent.
Updating the Birth Certificate
Dorie was so shocked. Donna had never told him that she was pregnant. He was excited to meet his daughter, so much so that he wanted her to call him “dad” and put his name on her birth certificate.
DNA Match
Christine wanted some confirmation before calling him “dad.” They both took DNA tests to confirm that he was actually her father.
Finally Meeting
Dorie and Christine met after many years of not knowing one another. They grew close and formed an incredible bond.
Family
The birth certificate was updated with Dorie’s name after they met. Now for the hard part: meeting the rest of the family.
Visiting Her New Family
Christine traveled 1,160 miles to meet the rest of her new family. It was an extremely emotional moment to meet them for Christine.
What’s Next?
Christine decided it wasn’t good to focus on the past, but to look towards the future. She wants to enjoy her time with her father and new family now. They speak daily and are slowly becoming part of each other’s lives finally.
