The Strangest Family Stories Ever Brought To Light By DNA Testing

At-home DNA testing kits have revolutionized people’s ability to dig into their origins. With these services, it’s possible to find relatives that you never knew you had and to learn about where your ancestors once lived. But some people end up discovering more than they bargained for. Here’s a look at the wildest stories to emerge from DNA testing.

1. Started with an email

One day, completely out of the blue, Neil Schwartzman received an email from someone he didn’t know. Its message was simple but confusing. “Hey,” the correspondence began, “I think you’re my brother.” Maybe on another day, Neil would’ve ignored this email and consigned it to the spam bin. But he’d recently taken an at-home DNA test, so maybe this was for real? Intrigued, Neil replied to the woman who’d sent the email.

Long-lost brother

This lady was Jolie Pearl, who’d recently taken a DNA test herself. Her results had pointed her toward Neil, as he appeared to be a very close relative. And sure enough, after a little digging, she discovered that her mother had given birth to a baby boy long ago. Not many people knew about the birth but now the secret was out. So Jolie had managed to make contact with her long-lost brother.

2. Sean Astin’s story

Actor Sean Astin had a true Hollywood upbringing. His mother, Patty Duke, was an acclaimed actress and his stepfather, John Astin, was famous for his lead part in The Addams Family. But what of Sean’s biological father? Well, that’s where it gets complicated. Growing up, Sean was unsure of his real dad’s identity — and so was his mother.

Three possibilities

There were actually three different men who could potentially have been Sean’s dad. That meant there was only one thing for it: they’d all have to take a DNA test to see if they matched with Sean. Thankfully, everyone was sporting about it and the men were happy to undergo the analysis. And soon the results were in. Sean’s father was a guy called Michael Tell, who, until this point, had never known the The Lord of the Rings star.