Welcome to Finding Family DNA, the show about finding and connecting birth families with Jay Rosenzweig, founder and CEO of BirthParentFinder.com. Every week, we explore a new case shedding light on the investigative tools, genetic genealogy, and DNA technology that make these incredible reunions possible. Join us as we navigate through the complexities of adoption searches and celebrate the profound connections formed along the way.
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Join host Jay Rosenzweig and genealogy expert Misty Gillis at RootsTech 2025, the world’s largest family history conference. This special episode features exciting interviews, personal stories, and insightful discussions on the ethical dimensions of genealogical research and the transformative power of DNA. Highlights include a touching reunion facilitated by Jay, discussions about genealogical tools with GEDMatch, and personal experiences that underscore the emotional impact of discovering family connections.
Join our Patreon to get exclusive bonus segments from each episode!
This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.
In this heartwarming episode, host Jay facilitates a profound reunion between Anthony McDermott and his birth father, Greig Watson. Discover how DNA testing brought them together after decades of separation and uncovered the identity of Anthony’s birth mother. Genealogist Misty Gillis plays a crucial role, using intricate DNA analysis to solve this family mystery. Watch as emotions unfold and new family bonds form, bridging the gaps of time and distance. Don’t miss this touching story of identity, heritage, and the powerful connections that define us.
Join our Patreon to get exclusive bonus segments from each episode!
[BONUS] How My Relationship With My Daughter Fell Apart With Dawn Voris
Thursday, July 18, 2024 • Duration 08:27
In this Patreon-exclusive segment of "Finding Family DNA," Dawn Voris shares her complex and emotional journey surrounding the adoption of one of her twins. From Fort Wayne, Indiana, Dawn recounts the circumstances that led her to place one twin for adoption while keeping the other, a decision shaped by unique and challenging circumstances. This episode delves deep into Dawn's personal experiences, highlighting the planned C-section, the secrecy of the pregnancy, and the aftermath of these choices, including the media coverage and a potential documentary. Despite initial hopes for a positive relationship with her twin daughters, Dawn faces unforeseen difficulties and misunderstandings that strain the reunion. The segment explores themes of truth, misunderstanding, and the emotional weight of reunion, offering listeners a raw look at the realities of reconnecting with separated family members under public scrutiny.
I Separated My Twins At Birth
Episode 12
Wednesday, July 17, 2024 • Duration 41:29
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In episode 12 of "Finding Family DNA," we delve into the complex and emotionally charged story of Dawn Voris, who made the heart-wrenching decision to give up one of her twin daughters for adoption due to financial instability. This episode explores the intricate details of the adoption process, the secrecy involved, and the profound impact it had on all parties involved. Dawn shares her journey from the decision-making process during a financially turbulent time, to the eventual reunion with her daughter years later, facilitated by Jay Rosenzweig and his team. The narrative also touches on the unexpected developments that arose from the reunion, including the challenges of establishing a new relationship and the emotional fallout when things did not go as hoped.
00:00 A Surprising Revelation
00:29 Introduction
00:57 Support Us on Patreon
01:56 Chris' Personal Story of Twins
03:05 A Case of Identical Twins
04:22 The Search Begins
05:55 The Emotional Reunion
10:39 Interview with Dawn Voris
17:17 Baby #2's Adoption
20:35 Revealing the Truth to Baby #1
23:10 Michaela Meets Her Sister
23:59 The Reunion and Its Challenges
My Adoption Story Led to BirthParentFinder.com
Episode 11
Wednesday, July 10, 2024 • Duration 37:13
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In episode 11 of "Finding Family DNA," we explore the journey of Jay’s niece, Maggie Botta. Jay, originally not in the business of finding birth parents, was inspired by Maggie's situation. Maggie, adopted into a white family and of African American descent, sparked the idea of a service after she casually mentioned her interest in finding her birth mother while using a computer at a family gathering. Jay quickly located her birth mother using his investigative skills, marking the beginning of BirthParentFinder.com. This episode delves into the early challenges of adoption searches before DNA testing became widespread, highlighting how advancements in technology and the internet transformed the ability to reconnect families. It provides a deep dive into the emotional reunion between Maggie and her birth mother, facilitated by Jay, and discusses the broader implications of these reunions on personal identities and family dynamics.
00:00 Intro
01:08 Jay's Journey in the Investigation Business
05:22 The Role of DNA in Family Searches
10:13 Maggie's Story: Finding Her Birth Mother
15:21 Family Dynamics and Adoption Story
18:21 Reconnecting with Birth Family
19:26 Wedding and Birth Mother Reunion
20:32 Challenges with Birth Mother
23:24 Boundaries and Biological Father
My Birth Parents Were Murdered: An Interview With Baby Holly
Episode 10
Wednesday, July 3, 2024 • Duration 39:00
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In this special true crime episode of "Finding Family DNA," we uncover the harrowing and heartrending story of Holly Marie, a woman ensnared in a decades-old mystery involving her biological parents' murder and her own subsequent adoption. Holly’s biological parents, deeply involved with a mysterious cult, were tragically murdered, leaving baby Holly orphaned. The investigation into their deaths led to Holly being placed for adoption under secretive circumstances. This episode delves into the intricate details of how genetic genealogist Misty Gillis and her team cracked the cold case using advanced DNA technology, ultimately reuniting Holly with her biological family after more than forty years. Holly’s narrative, woven through her experience of discovering her tragic family history and finding closure, offers a profound look at the intersections of loss, identity, and the relentless pursuit of truth.
00:00 Intro
01:08 The Baby Holly Case
07:22 Identifying the Victims
11:59 The Search for Baby Holly
15:00 The Discovery of Baby Holly
18:52 Adoptive Parents' Reaction
20:46 Hope for Holly Initiative
21:50 Holly's Emotional Journey
23:22 Life Growing Up
24:47 Revelations About the Cult
I Never Gave Up Hope Of Being Reunited With My Son
Episode 9
Wednesday, June 26, 2024 • Duration 37:02
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In episode 9 of "Finding Family DNA," Patty Garcia recounts her emotional journey of teenage pregnancy and the heartrending decision to give up her son, Evan, due to societal pressures and family expectations. Growing up in a strict household, Patty's life took a dramatic turn when she became pregnant at a young age and was forced to place her baby in an unwed mother's home. Despite the passing years and having other children, Patty never lost hope of reconnecting with Evan. The episode delves into her relentless search and the pivotal moment she won a contest that finally led to the reunion she had longed for. Through expert assistance from Jay Rosenzweig and his company, BirthParentFinder.com, Patty and Evan were able to reunite, highlighting the profound emotional landscape of rekindled familial bonds and the closure it brought to Patty’s decades of uncertainty.
00:00 Intro
00:46 Meet Patty Garcia
02:56 Patty's Early Life and Challenges
10:31 Meeting Her Husband
16:04 Searching for Her Son
19:21 Finding Evan
20:29 The Emotional Zoom Reunion
26:21 Evan's Perspective
27:34 In-Person Reunion
32:23 Current Relationship with Evan
35:00 Closing
I Didn't Feel Complete Until I Met My Birth Family
Episode 8
Wednesday, June 19, 2024 • Duration 41:18
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In episode 8 of "Finding Family DNA," Tom Freeman shares his profound journey of discovering his birth family with the assistance of Jay Rosenzweig and the innovative use of databases like the California Birth Index. Born in San Francisco with minimal information about his origins, Tom’s search took a significant turn when Jay utilized a combination of DNA testing and public records to unlock his family history. This episode delves into the emotional highs and complexities of Tom's reunions with his biological parents and siblings, who surprisingly lived just minutes away and attended the same schools as he did without ever knowing each other. It explores the nuanced dynamics of family, identity, and the powerful emotions surrounding adoption and reunion, highlighting Tom’s journey from initial discovery to the heartfelt connections he eventually forged with his newfound relatives.
00:00 Intro
01:11 How Jay Found Tom's Birth Family
07:00 Reunion with Birth Family
09:50 Tom's Childhood: Finding Out He Was Adopted
14:35 Struggles, Sobriety, and Healing
18:37 Uncovering Family Secrets
22:51 Why Tom Decided To Search For His Birth Family
24:55 Breakthrough with Jay's Help
27:08 Discovering Biological Family
31:05 Reconnecting with Biological Parents
Orphaned in Korea, but Found My Birth Parents in the U.S.
Episode 7
Wednesday, June 12, 2024 • Duration 41:21
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In episode 7 of "Finding Family DNA," Aneyah Elmore delves into her complex journey as a Korean adoptee and her poignant reunion with her birth father, an African American soldier previously stationed in Korea during the Vietnam War. After years of believing her birth father had died, DNA testing facilitated by Jay Rosenzweig and a feature on a television show lead her to him, uncovering not only her father but also details about her mother. Aneyah shares how her mother, believing her father had perished, made the heart-wrenching decision to place Aneyah in an orphanage to remarry. This episode reveals the emotional rollercoaster of Aneyah's adoption, the falsification of her records, and the eventual reunions that bridge continents and cultures. Through her story, the podcast illuminates the challenges of international adoptions and the profound impact of reconnecting with biological roots.
0:00 Intro
00:39 This week's Case: Aneyah Elmore
01:23 Aneyah Elmore's Adoption Story
02:12 Challenges of International Adoptions
03:17 Aneyah's Reunion with Her Birth Father
06:59 Aneyah's Upbringing and Adoptive Family
13:09 The Search for Aneyah's Birth Mother
23:10 Reuniting with Both Birth Parents
34:46 Aneyah's Advocacy For Korean Adoptees
I Waited 34 Years For My Daughter To Find Me
Episode 6
Wednesday, June 5, 2024 • Duration 29:45
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In episode 6 of "Finding Family DNA," Kim Carrington, a birth mother, shares her journey of placing her daughter, Victoria, for adoption and the eventual reunion decades later. The story unfolds with Kim describing her decision to give Victoria up during her freshman year in college, driven by challenging circumstances and a profound faith that they would be reunited. The episode captures the emotional nuances of adoption from the birth mother's perspective, highlighting Kim's strength and the open-hearted approach she maintained throughout her life.
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This podcast was edited using PodShuttle, the fully-remote podcast editing and management service owned and operated by CHOBO Studios. For more info, visit podshuttle.io and follow us on Instagram to see more shows we've helped bring to life.
