Awesome - Woman Takes DNA Test That Reveals Uncomfortable Truth About Her Husband
Liane Kupferberg Carter, like anyone sending a saliva sample to 23andMe, was eager to learn more about her heritage, but also fairly certain that she knew what to expect. Maybe her results would indicate a surprise bit of national heritage. But when Liane and her husband paged through their respective results, the two looked at each other in complete disbelief.
An Inspired Author
Liane Kupferberg Carter knows a thing or two about the effects of genetics. She's an award-winning author who penned a touching memoir called Ketchup Is My Favorite Vegetable: A Family Grows Up With Autism. She owed that inspiration to her son.
A Hard Truth
As a young parent, she thought it was odd that her son, Mickey, wasn't speaking for the first few years of his life. After taking him for a comprehensive evaluation from a doctor, Liane learned a hard truth. Mickey suffered from autism.
Autism Awareness Advocate
Of course, like any loving parent, Liane refused to let her son's disability define him. Raising a child with autism certainly had its hurdles, but it also led Liane into the world of autism awareness.
Making A Name For Herself
She began attending lectures and soon carved out quite the name for herself, even speaking on panels about her experiences. But, none of her efforts were possible without immense help from her husband Marc.
38 Years Strong
Liane and Marc were married for 38 years, and their love grew stronger with every day that passed. As remarkable as their bond was, it was the story of how they met that truly had people floored.
The Pangs Of LOve
The two were both in their twenties on a Club Med vacation in the Bahamas when the pangs of Cupid's arrow struck. They quickly hit it off, and then soon realized they actually lived one block away from each other in Manhattan!
She Was The One
Once they returned back to the states, the two were inseparable. It only took Marc two weeks of dating to know Liane was the one, and he asked her to marry him underneath a vibrant sky of fireworks.
Starting A Life Together
Their relationship seemed like something straight out of a romance movie. They were two souls meant to meet on that vacation, and once they wed and settled down together, they started a family.
The Complete Smiling Package
They had two boys together, Jonathan and Mickey. Once Mickey was diagnosed with autism, the whole family came together to ensure he lived the most fulfilling life possible. The Carter family was the complete smiling package.
Taking The Genetic Plunge
For years, Liane was always curious about her genetic makeup, especially since she had a son with autism. So, she and Marc took the mysterious plunge into the world of genomic companies.
An Eager Swab
They opted for 23andMe, a reputable brand that helped thousands of people discover more about their ancestry. The couple swabbed their mouths and sent in the samples, eager to see what results they'd receive.
Hoping For More Similarities
Naturally, Liane and Marc couldn't wait to get the tests back. As close as they were, they hoped to find out even more similarities, if possible. However, when the results finally came in, the couple was stunned.
Startling Results
They stared at the documents in disbelief. According to 23andMe, Liane and Marc were third cousins! No one expected this kind of a revelation, especially their son Jonathan, who suggested the test weeks earlier.
Taking It In Stride
Their 30-year-old son was completely unsure of how to react to the startling news. "I don’t know how I feel about this. Do I need to get genetic counseling?" Jonathan asked. However, Liana and her husband took it all in stride.
"You're My Cousin-Husband"
Whereas some couples might not handle the news well, this couple found the humor! Liane would say, "You’re my cousin-husband," to which Marc would always jokingly reply, "Better than being a sister-wife." Liane also shared the news on Facebook.
Facebook Responds
She created the hashtag #OurForbiddenLove, and within just a few hours her friends were liking the post and leaving baffled comments like, "No freakin’ way!" and "How is that possible?" Some even drew interesting parallels.
Drawing Parallels To Royalty
One person reminded them their distant-cousin relationship was just like the those of the Roosevelts, or better yet, Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II! Not long after breaking the news, Liane's friend sent her a fascinating article shedding light on the situation.
Stirring Up More Excitement
Both partners were of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, an ethnic group that came about during the Middle Ages. Members rarely married outside of the culture, which meant descendants shared more DNA than average. The article stirred up even more excited wonderment in the couple.
Basking In The Revelation
Liane and Marc are still unsure whether or not they actually share a set of great-great-grandparents, but they bask in the crazy 23andMe revelation every day. However, not every genetic discovery made through these companies is something to brag about.
Family Problems
Liane and her husband sure didn't envy Denice Juneski. All her life, the 72-year-old never fit in with her family. She was the only blonde in a brood of brunettes and redheads, and found she wasn't in the same ballpark as the rest of them when it came to athleticism.
DNA Testing
Yet, when she took a 23andMe ancestry test, it still surprised her she shared absolutely zero in common with any member of her family. This was a mistake, she knew, so she ordered another DNA kit.
Hair Colors
The results were the same. That left her with only one conclusion: "Either 23andMe made a mistake" she thought to herself, thinking of her blonde hair and her family's red and brunette tops. Or...
A Suggested Relative
"Or I was switched at birth," she concluded. In her suggested list of relatives was a younger woman she'd never heard of; she reached out to the young woman, who then compelled her 72-year-old aunt, Linda Jourdeans, below, to take a test.
A Possible Switch
Like Denice, Linda didn't look like her family — she was the only redhead — and, also like Denice, she'd been born in 1945 at the same hospital in Minnesota... at the same time. When her DNA kit arrived, she was eager for answers.
The Shocking Truth
Sure enough, her test confirmed Denice's suspicions: the two had been switched at birth! For decades, they'd been living with the others' true family. "It's a crazy thing," Denice said. "People just automatically assume they got the right family."
Family Reunions
Bonded by the bizarre mishap, the 72-year-olds cultivated a strong friendship. They threw a family reunion that included both their families! Unbelievably, familial revelations are not so few and far between with 23andMe.
Christmas Presents
Reddit user Snorkels721 gave his mom, dad, brother, and two sisters DNA kits for Christmas. He thought it would be neat for all of them to learn a little more about their heritage.
Mom Loses It
As soon as the family opened their presents, however, mom freaked out. "Don't use those," she warned the kids. "They're packed with dangerous chemicals." Eyebrows raised, the kids explained there were no chemicals involved.
Another Suggestion
Mom accepted this, but soon voiced another objection: why should the whole family take the test? Why not have just one kid spit into the vial — everyone's results would be similar, after all — and they could re-sell the other kits.
Parents Shouting
Why, the kids wondered, was mom so opposed to the DNA tests? They had their answer when mom and dad marched downstairs and started arguing, leaving the kids bewildered upstairs. Had a family secret been uncovered?
Buried Secrets
The DNA kit gifts forced a hard truth out into the open: mom had married a man and had one kid — the eldest sister. That man, however, passed away shortly thereafter. Mom had never said a word — not even to sis.
Their Real Father
The man the kids all called dad was actually a close friend that helped mom through that dark time in her. He fell in love with her, the two married and had the rest of the family.
Out in the Open
For the first time ever, thanks to some prodding from the DNA kits, mom shared her emotional story — and her first husband — with the kids. Oddly, gifted 23andMe kits have made impacts across the world...
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