It All Began With A Spark of Curiosity
There has been a trend of ancestry discovery sweeping America for over a decade now. People have been tracing their origins and drawing their family trees.
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Five years ago, Dave and Debi were curious to also discover their roots, so they joined the action. They chose to do their search on Ancestry.com.
They Got Something Different From What They Expected
The couple got different results from what they’d been told and had grown to believe. For Dave, results showed that he was 36% Italian. This meant that his father had to be 72% Italian.
Source: Candace Gray/Facebook
His mom had told him that his dad, who hadn’t been in the picture since Dave’s teenage days, was Swedish/Danish. He had questions for his mom whenever they would next meet.
Dave Gets a Revelation from a Confrontation
Dave got his chance to confront his mom about what he discovered online. They met at Debi’s sixtieth birthday celebration. After an initial denial, his mom later opened up.
Source: Debi Brundage/Facebook
“Well, there was this guy named Ralph…” she began. There and then, Dave discovered that he had been lied to all his life. Can you imagine how shocked he was?
Debi Begins Her Investigation
As if motivated by her husband’s discovery, Debi embarks on a fact-finding mission about her family. The results weren’t different. She also didn’t know her biological father.
Source: Debi Brundage/Facebook
The parents who raised her had passed on and taken their secrets with them. Now, she was going to be restless until she knew who her real father was.
A Discovery of Long-Kept Secrets
Dave and Debi are in their sixties. But the past five years have been some of the most dramatic and unforgettable. Dave, who lacked a healthy relationship with his assumed Dad, was both shocked and happy.
Source: Debi Brundage/Facebook
He was happy to discover that he had no link with the man who he declared “was not a very good human being.”
The Search Begins
They both ventured out, seeking their biological fathers. Dave’s search took him to San Antonio, to a man who had passed on in 2009. Ralph, his real dad, was once a marine, just like Dave and his assumed dad, Andy.
Source: Debi Brundage/Facebook
To clear any doubts, Dave only needed to compare photos of his late half-brother, Richie with those of Ralph. “Richie is nearly a carbon copy of me,” Dave said.
Debi Had a More Challenging Task
Since the parents who brought her up had both passed on, Debi needed the help of her relatives to find her real dad. She soon discovered that he used to reside in Bakersfield, California, but now lived in San Antonio
Source: Debi Brundage/Facebook
He had some family in Texas, it turned out. His move had nothing to do with Debi, even though his wife said that Bob kept a photo of infant Debi in his wallet all these years.
Debi and Her Real Dad Meet
Despite all the negative feelings that welled up within her, Debi decided out of curiosity to meet with Bob. They last met when she was only three months old. She made up her mind to be civil while the meeting lasted.
Source: Dave Brundage/Facebook
Afterward, she spoke with Bob occasionally in the space of two years. But there was no real connection. She gave up trying and hasn’t spoken to him in the last two years.
Debi’s Mom Once Tried to Spill the Beans
Debi and her two sisters believe that their mom once tried to reveal their real dad’s during her last days. She asked her three daughters to come receive some important information, only for her to change her mind at the last minute.
Source: Dave Brundage/Facebook
Dave’s mom, on the other hand, planned to take the secret along with her. He wouldn’t have known anything if he hadn’t taken the DNA test. Debi advises those who take the test to brace up for the unexpected.