'Adopted' woman takes DNA test to trace biological family, realizes her parents lied for 24 years

A woman, 24, always knew that she was adopted, but out of curiosity, she agreed to take the DNA test, and what she found left her flabbergasted. In the unlikeliest of plot twists, she realized that her parents had been lying to her all this time, and were, in fact, her real parents. She (u/ginger-spice-rice) shared her story on Reddit on October 14, 2025. 

She said she was five when her parents told her about her adoption. "To be clear, they never abused me and have always been supportive. They paid for my college and are now helping me get my Master’s degree," she said. For her birthday, her boyfriend got both of them Ancestry DNA kits because he thought it would be fun to learn more about their roots. "I agreed; I was curious about meeting my biological family, though I understood that if they were interested, they could have reached out once I turned 18," the woman wrote. They took a test together, and when she got the results, they were shocked. Her adoptive family matched her biological family. "Both sets of my grandparents matched as my biological grandparents, and several cousins matched as well on both sides of my adoptive family tree. It was so strange. My parents aren’t on the website, but that didn’t surprise me; they’ve always said they know who they are and don’t need a DNA test," she said. The woman decided to talk to her elder brother, 25, who was also adopted, and then turned to Reddit, asking if she should really confront her parents to find out more about her past. 

It's very natural for most adopted individuals to want to know more about their real family. In fact, a comprehensive survey by CBS (Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek) found that more than half (51%) of adult adoptees have searched for their background information. Moreover, the study also revealed that 18% of adopted adults want to search for this information in the future. Just like them, the woman in the story also wanted to know about her origin, but that unfortunately took a shocking turn. Reacting to the post, u/selectionwild9235 commented, "Wow, that would be a huge shock. If your adoptive family is showing up as your biological family, it sounds like there’s more to the story than you were told. You might want to talk to your parents privately and tell them what the DNA results showed. Sometimes families keep secrets, thinking they’re protecting you, but honesty is better in the long run." u/sensual36lady wrote, "Wow, I have no words. Please be calm when talking to your parents. I hope this turns out the best way (I have no idea what that would be) for you! UpdateMe!"

u/culturezestyclose269 suggested, "Just simply talk to your parents. Perhaps only to one at first if you feel closer to either your mother or your father. Please ignore these nonsense comments about 'confronting' them, and please don’t continue to 'dig.' Just talk to them! Your adoption came from a place of love and wanting to protect someone. Obviously, you deserve the truth, but don’t start with guns blazing. Be patient and prepared to hear about family heartbreak." Similarly, u/foodielicious843 said, "You need to speak with your parents. I agree that they probably adopted you from one of their family members. But you need clarification for sure. Please update us if possible."

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