A woman who grew up knowing she was adopted from the Dominican Republic reunited with her biological father and, years later, discovered she had a sister also adopted from the same country, after a series of unexpected connections and DNA tests.
Years-Long Search for Family
The woman, who grew up in Connecticut, learned from her mother that she was adopted and had a “tummy mummy” named Julianna. Her biological parents gave her up for adoption due to poverty.
In 2013, while working in a New Haven restaurant, she met a coworker, Julia, who also identified as being from the Dominican Republic. Both women discovered they were adopted from the country, and noted a striking physical resemblance, often joking they must be sisters.
Initial attempts to compare adoption paperwork proved unsuccessful, as their birth mothers’ names and birthplaces differed. They remained friends after working together for six months.
DNA Test Reveals Relatives
In 2018, the woman received a 23andMe DNA kit as a Christmas gift. The results revealed a first cousin once-removed in Connecticut who indicated he might be able to help locate her biological family.
The cousin explained that her birth mother had passed away, but her father was still alive and she had several siblings. She subsequently connected with numerous relatives on Facebook, including seven siblings, and had a video call with a new sister who bore a striking resemblance to herself.
A few days later, she spoke with her biological father for the first time, an emotional conversation where he expressed his lifelong thoughts about her. She traveled to the Dominican Republic in March 2019 to meet her extended family, describing them as incredibly loving.
Unexpected Second Sister
A year later, she was contacted by another woman named Molly, also adopted from the Dominican Republic, whose birth mother shared the same name as hers. A DNA test confirmed they were not sisters, but the interaction sparked a lingering suspicion.
She questioned her father about the possibility of another daughter given up for adoption, and he confirmed he and her mother had another child they placed for adoption. The description matched Julia, her former coworker.
She contacted Julia, encouraging her to take a DNA test. The results, received in January 2021, confirmed they were sisters. The woman described the moment as overwhelming and emotional.
The sisters later met in person, and in October 2022, they traveled together to the Dominican Republic to meet their family, where they were greeted with a warm welcome from relatives wearing shirts with their pictures on them.
The sisters currently live in different states – Virginia and California – but maintain close contact through frequent video calls. The woman expressed disbelief and gratitude for the unexpected reunion with her sister.
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