28 January 2024 , 12:00
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Sometimes it's better to just stick to socks or slippers for family gifts, as one unfortunate individual came to learn the hard way.
Unfortunately, well-intentioned gifts aren't always well received, especially if they accidentally expose a hidden secret that had been taken to the grave. One family lost their mum back in 2017, leaving them with a growing curiosity about their family history. They were told they had European, English and Irish ancestry on their mum's side and German on their dad's.
They had always joked about their dark brown eyes, as both their parents had 'bright blue' - which is possible but usually very unlikely. Eager to learn more about their roots, they purchased two ancestry kits (one for themselves and one for their dad) and the results left them gobsmacked.
"Once I saw our results had come back, I went in and checked out our comparisons and my heart just dropped. 'YOUR GENETIC RELATIONSHIP: We do not detect shared DNA between you and [the dad]'," they wrote in 2020. "'This means you likely do not share ancestors in the last four generations.
"My parents were married for 17 years before they had me. They were married for over 40 years before my mum passed. They had a wonderfully beautiful marriage, and to this day my dad still brags that they never fought over anything." When they rang their dad in tears to tell him the results, he refused to believe them and was adamant no 'funny business' had ever taken place.
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"I haven't been able to sleep since I found this all out," they added. "I still love the man I've called dad my whole life more than anything. He's been there for me more than anybody, through all of the most difficult and trying times of my 30 years of living. I love my dad and I love my mum. But where did I come from?"
The post received hundreds of comments on Imgur, as one simply replied: "Still your dad." Another advised: "I'd go to the doc and have you and your dad officially tested by a geneticist before throwing in the towel on this one. Kits can be faulty."
A third commented: "Keep perspective... biological dad and real dad... which would you rather have?" They replied to say: "Definitely the man I have in my life right now. He’s the one whose shoulder I cried on tonight, and who has been there for me for 30 years."