A 19-year-old man decided to buy a DNA test online 'just for fun.' When he saw the results, he immediately knew something was terribly wrong.
The young man shared his story on Reddit, explaining that he and his father decided to take popular DNA tests. "We got our test results a couple of days ago, and I went into the family members section. At the top of the list was my dad with only a 29.2% DNA match, listed as my half-brother, which was impossible," he wrote.
"This made no sense to me, as we also shared a paternal haplogroup, and we look so much alike that he was definitely my dad."
He then discovered that he shares 24.6% DNA with his cousin, who turned out to be his half-sister. "The only realistic explanation for what I saw was that my uncle, my cousin's father and my dad's brother, is my father," he continued.
"Reality hit me in the face like a flying bag of bricks."
"Everything came crashing down, and I felt completely empty. I sat in my room for an hour in a state of shock, and then a wave of anger washed over me. I needed answers."
Without giving it much thought, he decided to show the results to his mother, who initially tried to dismiss it. "I didn't even try to sugarcoat it. I asked her if she had cheated on my dad with Uncle David," he revealed.
"I've never seen the color drain from someone's face so quickly. She looked stunned and then mumbled, 'What kind of question is that? Of course not.'"
"I told her everything. About the test, the percentages, the DNA matches, everything. My mom fell to the ground crying and begged me not to tell my dad."
He then decided that he shouldn't be the only one who knew, so he called his cousin, who is actually his half-sister, and told her everything.
"She hung up while screaming. My dad (now uncle) came home afterward and stepped into my room to ask what was wrong with my mom," he said.
"I told him everything. He said nothing, after calming down. He walked out of my room and I locked the door."
"In the next few hours, I heard my entire family fall apart outside my door. My parents ended up in a loud argument and my grandparents rushed over to see what was happening."
"My aunt and David showed up shortly after, and I'm pretty sure I heard my dad and David in a physical fight. Total chaos. I feel like hell. I know it's not my fault, but I can't help but feel like it is."
"If I had spent my birthday money on something else, none of this would have happened, but another part of me is glad to know the truth," he concluded.
After sharing his story on Reddit, several users responded with various suggestions on how the family could try to resolve the situation, while others simply offered supportive words.
"Call your dad. Make it clear that you still see him as your dad. It will really help him," one user advised.
"The only ones who have done something wrong are your mom and 'uncle.' They are the ones who have cheated and lied. You shouldn't feel guilty for exposing it. Your real dad is the one who raised you, not the one you share the most genes with," another wrote.
"Your dad must be devastated! Give him time, space, and be there for him," a third added.
