Man Wished He Never Submitted Sample To AncestryDNA After Finding Out Shocking Truth

Taking an Ancestry DNA test can be fun. Learning more about where you came from and who you are is part of your personal history, and everyone deserves to know that. However, sometimes these discoveries can go sideways, and about 27%-40% of users say they’ve discovered something unwanted or “spicy.”

When this man took an Ancestry test at his wife’s whim, he found out some pretty unsettling information. The aftermath was a discovery of new family members and a possible loss of contact with others. Nevertheless, he decided his story needed to be told so that other people would not be afraid of finding out the truth, too.

Bored Panda got in touch with the man who posted this story online, named Andrew. He kindly agreed to share with us how he is approaching his relationships with newly-discovered family members and why his story matters.

A man took an Ancestry DNA test at his wife’s suggestion thinking nothing would really come out of it

Man with glasses sitting on sofa looking surprised while reading paper about secret family discovery from ancestry test.

Image credits: prostock-studio / freepik (not the actual photo)

But when the results came back, his world was forever changed

Man discovering secret family after taking an ancestry test with his wife revealing unexpected DNA results.

Man with brown complexion pressured by wife to do ancestry test, discovering unexpected family heritage and ethnicities.

Man discovers secret family and Hispanic ancestry after wife pressures him to take a fun ancestry test.

Man discovering secret family after taking an ancestry test pressured by his wife, revealing unknown relatives.

Text revealing a man finds out about a secret family after taking an ancestry test pressured by his wife.

Man discovers secret family after wife urges him to do ancestry test, revealing unexpected family history and relationships.

Man shocked after discovering secret family following wife’s pressure to take an ancestry test for fun.

Woman in striped shirt looking shocked while talking on phone, reacting to man discovering secret family after ancestry test.

Image credits: drinkins / freepik (not the actual photo)

Later, the man was able to find a member of his biological father’s side of the family

Text update about man discovering secret family after taking ancestry test, mentioning communication with parents.

Man finds out he has a secret family after wife pressures him to do ancestry DNA test for fun.

Text discussing frustration over a strained family relationship after discovering a secret family through an ancestry test.

Man reacting with surprise after discovering a secret family through an ancestry DNA test.

Image credits: smarta*s-express

“My biological father seems like a nice man and I get along with my half-brother,” Andrew tells Bored Panda

The man who shared this story on Reddit kindly agreed to have a short chat with Bored Panda. He says that the idea to post it there came to him when a friend suggested he look for a support group online.

“I posted in Ancestry’s subreddit because I couldn’t find a specific sub for my situation. My post got a lot of attention, and I was able to find a support group on Facebook for people who found out their fathers weren’t their biological parents.”

As one can imagine, Andrew’s life has been turned upside down since learning that the man he always thought was his father actually isn’t his dad. “My mother refuses to speak to me and has ignored all my attempts at contacting her,” he adds.

On the flip side, interactions with his newfound family members have been pleasant so far. “My biological father seems like a nice man and I get along with my half-brother,” he tells Bored Panda. However, he still remains cautious. “I am keeping them at arm’s length, though, because I do not know them and I am still trying to process this.”

“I wanted to know who they were,” he goes on. “I did not expect anything from them. I don’t care about money and I certainly don’t want to complicate their lives.”

A family matter like this is very personal in nature. Few people would want to share something online and have it read by thousands of people. However, Andrew doesn’t think that publicity is bad in this case. “I think it’s important to talk about this because it’s a much wider problem than any of us knows.”

Errors in these types of Ancestry DNA tests happen very rarely, according to an expert

Finding a secret brother or cousin sounds like a cheap soap opera plot. However, that’s a reality for many people. While it’s unclear exactly how many people discover siblings or other biological relatives through tests like these, it’s quite common.

At least that’s what the founder of Your DNA Guide, Diahan Southard, told Bored Panda in a previous interview. She also explains that the chance of error in these tests is pretty slim. “DNA matching for close biological relationships is extremely accurate. It is not possible for a lab error to accidentally create a close family member for you.”

“However, there are errors in interpretation of what those numbers mean,” she went on. “For every genetic relationship (that is measured in those numbers of centimorgans), there are multiple genealogy relationships. For example, someone sharing 1384 cMs could be your grandma, your aunt, your half-sibling, or your grandchild. They could even be your first cousin.”

That’s why Southard cautions people not to jump to conclusions before talking to a genealogy expert. “We need to be careful about how we are interpreting the results before we start jumping to conclusions about who did what, when and with whom.”

Even if his “dad” wasn’t his father, they still remain close: “He’s my dad. That won’t change for me”

Comments discussing a private Facebook support group for people discovering secret family through ancestry tests.

Commenter shares story of finding new family and identity after unexpected ancestry test reveals secret relatives.

Man finds out he has a secret family after wife pressures him to take an ancestry test for fun.

Commenters discuss emotional impact after a man finds out about a secret family via an ancestry test.

People in the comments shared similar stories and shared advice on what to do next

Comment expressing sympathy and advice about coping with discovering a secret family after an ancestry test pressure.

Comment discussing discovery of a secret family through ancestry DNA test after wife’s suggestion for fun.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing a man discovering a secret family after an ancestry test prompted by his wife.

Comment discussing a man discovering a secret family after taking an ancestry test pressured by his wife.

Man reads advice on coping after discovering a secret family through an unexpected ancestry test result.

Comment discussing a man discovering a secret family after taking an ancestry test under wife's pressure.

Comment about a man discovering secret family after doing an ancestry DNA test, sharing emotions and acceptance.

Man reads surprising ancestry test results revealing secret family connections after wife's encouragement for the test.

Commenter offers support after man discovers secret family through ancestry test pressured by wife, emphasizing forgiveness and kindness.

Commenter offering support about a man discovering a secret family after taking an ancestry test prompted by his wife.

Comment about man discovering secret family after taking an ancestry DNA test following wife’s suggestion.

Comment about man discovering secret family after doing ancestry test, discussing emotional impact and family connections.

Comment explaining why DNA tests are illegal in France due to filiation concerns and privacy reasons.

Comment on a story where a man finds out about a secret family after taking an ancestry DNA test.

Man discovers secret family after taking an ancestry test encouraged by his wife, uncovering unexpected heritage and relatives.

Reddit user shares sympathy after man discovers secret family following wife’s ancestry test pressure.

Comment text on a white background about truth and knowing, related to man finding out about secret family after ancestry test.

Comment about identity crisis and betrayal after discovering a secret family through an ancestry test reveal.

User sharing a story about discovering a secret family through ancestry DNA test revealing hidden family secrets and identities.

Alt text: Man finds out he has a secret family after wife urges him to take an ancestry test for fun in emotional story.

Man reacts as he discovers a secret family after taking an ancestry test pressured by his wife for fun.

Comment about coping after man finds out about secret family through ancestry test, offering advice and support.

Comment on a forum post expressing empathy, with the user name dopamineparty visible.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!