Have you ever received a gift that truly changed your life?
Over the years, many people have received a MyHeritage DNA kit as a holiday gift, a birthday surprise, or even a spontaneous gesture from a loved one. While many recipients enjoy a wonderful experience of self-discovery and connection, the gift can sometimes have an impact beyond anything they could have imagined.
As we approach the holiday season, we’re sharing 5 remarkable stories of people who unwrapped DNA kits as gifts that turned out to be life-changing.
Pia finally found her father
Pia Falk grew up without a true father figure. The man she thought was her dad never claimed her, and her mother’s vague hints about a brief affair left Pia with more questions than answers. For decades, she lived with an ache that never fully went away — the longing to know where she came from, and who she belonged to.
When her husband gifted her a MyHeritage DNA kit, Pia hoped for clues but didn’t expect much. Years passed before a message appeared that would change her life: “Pia, I think I’m your dad.”
That moment marked the beginning of a transformation. At 58 years old, Pia discovered not only the truth about her past, but also a father who wanted to know her. She changed her surname, embraced a new sense of identity, and began building a relationship she had been waiting for all her life.
Pia Falk receives flowers from her father for her birthday
Read Pia’s full story here.
Dennis discovered the daughter he never knew he had
At age 68, Dennis Dubs had accepted he would never have children. That all changed when his niece Amanda Lynn Schell received a MyHeritage DNA kit as a Christmas gift. When her results came in, she was surprised to find a close DNA match to another woman with a nearly identical name: Amanda Lyn Wicklund.
The two Amandas connected and compared notes, and together they uncovered something extraordinary: Dennis was Amanda Wicklund’s biological father. To be sure, Dennis took a DNA test of his own, and the results confirmed it beyond doubt.
Just a few months later, Amanda and her son surprised Dennis in person for Father’s Day. Overnight, Dennis went from believing he would never be a parent to embracing the roles of father, grandfather, and even great-grandfather. “She is the best gift I ever had,” he says.
Dennis (second from left) with his newfound grandson (left), daughter Amanda (second from right), and wife Jameela (right)
Read Dennis’s full story here.
Angelina found the father she thought she’d lost forever
Growing up in Germany, Angelina Ferchau had only one photograph of her father — and one day, feeling abandoned, she threw it away. Her mother remembered little about him, and for years, Angelina lived with a hole in her story, not knowing if she would ever fill it.
Then her partner gifted her a MyHeritage DNA kit. The first results offered only hints about her Nigerian heritage, but months later, a close DNA match appeared. That match led her directly to her father — a man who hadn’t even known she existed — and to 8 half-siblings she never imagined she’d have.
Angelina with her dad
Read Angelina’s full story here.
Mark reunited with his birth mother and brothers after 50 years
Adopted as a baby in London and later settling in Germany, Mark Nicholas Balls spent much of his life wondering about his origins. For his 50th birthday, his family gave him a MyHeritage DNA kit. At first, it only yielded distant matches.
Three years later, a close cousin match suddenly appeared. With some careful research, Mark traced his roots back to Ireland, where he discovered his birth mother, Phyllis, and two full brothers he had never known. It turned out that his birth parents had married years after his adoption.
When Mark traveled to Ireland with his wife and children, he finally met his mother and brothers in an emotional reunion that answered questions he had carried for a lifetime.
The brothers and mother reunited. Left to right: Jason, Phyllis, Mark, and James. Credit: Amanda Gaese
Read Mark’s full story here.
Diana discovered the sister she never thought she’d meet
Raised in Colombia by her adoptive mother, Diana always knew she had a sister somewhere out in the world — a sister her mother had been forced to place for adoption in 1981. But she had no idea where to begin looking, or if they would ever meet.
Carmen, Diana, and Martin with their dog Ozzy
On her birthday, Diana’s husband gave her a MyHeritage DNA kit. She expected little more than an ethnicity breakdown, but within weeks, the results revealed something incredible: a match to her long-lost sister, Xiomara, who had been adopted and was now living in the Netherlands.
The two began speaking over video calls, bridging continents, languages, and decades apart. Their mother Carmen was overjoyed to reconnect with her long-lost daughter.
Read Diana’s full story here.
A gift that could change everything
For Pia, Dennis, Angelina, Mark, and Diana, what began as a simple gift — a DNA kit — turned into the start of a new chapter. Each story is different, but all share the same core truth: behind every test result is the possibility of new connections, answered questions, and even healing.
As the holiday season approaches, many of us search for the perfect present. These stories remind us that sometimes the most meaningful gifts aren’t things at all — they’re the chance to answer long-held questions, to meet someone we’ve been missing, or to discover we belong to something bigger than ourselves.
This year, consider giving someone the gift of discovery. You never know — it might just change their life.
Order your MyHeritage DNA kit today
The post 5 Heartwarming Stories of Lives Changed by DNA Kits Given as Gifts appeared first on MyHeritage Blog.
Source: My Heritage
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