DNA Surprises
Alexis Hourselt
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Top 10 DNA Surprises Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best DNA Surprises episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to DNA Surprises for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite DNA Surprises episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Cara's DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
05/10/22 • 59 min
In this week's episode, Cara shares an NPE story with lots of twists and turns. She tells us how she found out about her NPE and the journey to finding her biological father. She also shares how her new relationships are forming and how this process has affected her relationship with her BCF (birth certificate father) and mother.
Thanks to Cara for sharing her story.
Gretchen's DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
05/03/22 • 39 min
Welcome to season 2 of DNA Surprises! In this week’s episode, we’ll hear Gretchen’s NPE story.
Like many of our stories, Gretchen’s DNA surprise includes many people, and it can be difficult to understand the roles of everyone involved, so before we begin I want to give some background.
Before her DNA surprise, Gretchen believed she was the youngest of 3 children. It turns out that Gretchen’s biological father had two children before her - he had a daughter, Barbara, in his first marriage. Then he had her brother, Jimmy, in his second marriage. He abandoned both families and had an affair with Gretchen’s mother, which is how Gretchen came to be. After his relationship with Gretchen’s mom ended, Gretchen’s mother returned to her birth certificate father while pregnant with her.
Gretchen’s father remarried and had two more children. He is still with his third wife today. While all of the children involved know about each other, his third wife does not. Gretchen and her two older siblings remain secrets. Gretchen’s story is painful and complicated. She speaks about how she always felt different and how she feels knowing the truth.
Thanks to Gretchen for sharing her story.
Bonus Episode - Interview with Leeanne R. Hay
DNA Surprises
04/25/22 • 61 min
Surprise! It’s a bonus episode. In recognition of DNA Day, on April 25, we’re dropping a special episode with author Leeanne R. Hay, who recently released her book NPE* A story guide for unexpected DNA discoveries.
In this episode, we take a deeper dive into some of the things Leeanne wrote about, from why she wrote the book to NPEs in the media to how consumer DNA testing companies should be held accountable to their customers.
You can buy her book here:
United States
- Amazon (affiliate link)
- Barnes & Noble/NOOK https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/npe-a-story-guide-for-unexpected-dna-discoveries-leeanne-r-hay/1140515101?ean=2940160967967
- APPLE Books https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1603767471'
- Rakuten/KOBO https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/npe-a-story-guide-for-unexpected-dna-discoveries
International
- Amazon/KINDLE United Kingdom https://www.amazon.co.uk/story-guide-unexpected-discoveries-non-paternity-ebook/dp/B09PZ7KNZ6/ref=sr_1_1
- Amazon/KINDLE Australia https://www.amazon.com.au/story-guide-unexpected-discoveries-non-paternity-ebook/dp/B09PZ7KNZ6/ref=sr_1_1
- Amazon/KINDLE Canada https://www.amazon.ca/story-guide-unexpected-discoveries-non-paternity-ebook/dp/B09PZ7KNZ6/ref=sr_1_1
Alexis' DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
03/28/22 • 37 min
Welcome to the season 1 finale of DNA Surprises. In this week’s episode, I am going to share my story. In July, I found out that I am an NPE. I was completely blindsided by not only that discovery but a massive shift in racial identity. I’m going to discuss what my discovery was like and how I’ve processed what happened. I’ll also talk about what has helped me heal so far.
Thank you for listening to my story.
Rose's DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
03/22/22 • 47 min
While a DNA surprise can be a painful and traumatic experience, some NPEs are able to find a silver lining through beautiful new relationships. In this week's episode Rose shares her journey from feeling disconnected from her raised family to establishing a connection with her biological father.
Thanks to Rose for sharing her story.
Jessica's DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
03/15/22 • 30 min
In this week’s episode, Jessica shares how her NPE discovery unfolded. She discusses how it’s affected her relationship with her raised family and how she is trying to learn about her biological father, a man she was aware of while growing up.
One of the things that struck me most about Jessica’s story is how much it reflects the effects COVID 19 on DNA surprises. From delayed opportunities to connect with family to deaths preventing NPEs from getting the answers they so badly want, the pandemic has changed the trajectory of many journeys.
Thanks to Jessica for sharing her story.
Lisa's DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
03/08/22 • 33 min
In this week’s episode, Lisa reveals how her DNA test uncovered not one, not two, but three NPEs in her family. She shares how her NPE status affected her childhood before she even knew it. Lisa also shares the positive aspects of connecting with her newfound family.
Thanks to Lisa for sharing her story.
Whitney's DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
02/22/22 • 60 min
Whitney's mom told her the truth about her biological father long before she took a DNA test. She learned the truth at 14, 6 years after the tragic loss of the man she believed was her father.
In this episode, Whitney shares the long and winding road to connect to her biological father. She offers a compassionate view on the choices the adults in her life made and how those choices affected her.
Thank you to Whitney for sharing her story.
Summer’s DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
02/08/22 • 45 min
Summer’s mother told her about her NPE status when she was 13–a secret she kept for decades. It wasn’t until she took a DNA test that she connected with her half-siblings, some of whom (to her shock) already knew about her, too.
Summer shares how her relationships are developing despite not living in the same state. She also discusses some of the questions she has for her mother, who has since passed. Finally, Summer shares a unique, compassionate perspective of her mother and the difficult choices she made.
Thanks to Summer for sharing her story.
Christina's DNA Surprise
DNA Surprises
02/25/25 • 38 min
After a DNA surprise is uncovered, many moments from the past come into focus. Especially moments that, in hindsight, were missed opportunities for parents to tell the truth.
In this week’s episode, Christina shares how she uncovered her DNA surprise and how she’s feeling about seven months into her discovery. She discusses how she’s struggling with feelings of anger at her mother, especially when she reflects on times when her mom could have disclosed the truth about who her biological father was.
Before listening to this episode, please note that there is a brief discussion about child sexual abuse that may be upsetting to listeners. If you want to avoid this content, skip over timestamps of approximately 24:00-26:00.
Thank you for sharing your story, Christina.
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FAQ
How many episodes does DNA Surprises have?
DNA Surprises currently has 133 episodes available.
What topics does DNA Surprises cover?
The podcast is about Society & Culture, Personal Journals and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on DNA Surprises?
The episode title 'Gretchen's DNA Surprise' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on DNA Surprises?
The average episode length on DNA Surprises is 46 minutes.
How often are episodes of DNA Surprises released?
Episodes of DNA Surprises are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of DNA Surprises?
The first episode of DNA Surprises was released on Dec 2, 2021.
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