Canadian Anne Marie Cavner, 56, has always wanted to find her biological parents. As a baby, she was adopted and lived with her new family. The Thunder Bay resident already knew she was adopted, but she only learned more about her birth family thanks to an at-home DNA test. Until last year, the only clue Anne had was that her biological parents were 16 at the time of her birth. In an interview with the Canadian broadcaster CTVNews.ca, Anne said she understood why her parents gave her up for adoption. “I mean, 16, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t be ready to raise a kid at 16.”
The Canadian woman’s story took a turn at the beginning of 2023. At the time, a new relative appeared on her daughter’s profile on the ancestry testing platform: an uncle she had never heard of. Curious about the information, Anne sent a sample of her own DNA to the company and ended up discovering the existence of a younger brother with whom she shared a biological father. “I felt like I won the lottery,” she said. “It’s unexpected. It comes out of nowhere. It’s very emotional and you’re in disbelief about it all.”
- DNA test: after 72 years, man discovers that his sister was, in fact, his biological mother
After connecting with her brother, whose name she did not reveal out of respect for his privacy, she asked for help meeting their father. The man agreed to the proposal, but said he would need to talk about the matter with his father in person. Anne’s brother planned to visit their father and share the news that he had found a biological sister. But he didn’t get the chance to share the news. Less than two months after the Canadian first made contact with her brother, their father passed away. “I just wanted to sit down and have a cup of coffee with him. Make a connection, even if it was for an hour, one time. And then I found out he passed away,” she gushed. Grieving the loss of not being able to have this conversation was difficult.”
Although she missed the opportunity to meet her biological father, Anne reveals that she is grateful for everything she has gained since the day an unknown uncle appeared on her daughter’s profile. She discovered that she has three biological brothers from her paternal family — one brother who she sees weekly and two brothers who live outside of her city. “They have been incredibly warm and welcoming as they deal with their own grief,” she highlighted. “Knowing them gives me a really good idea of who my biological father was. They’ve been genuine and caring, and I give a lot of credit to how their parents raised them.”
The Canadian also managed to locate her biological mother last year, after obtaining her adoption documents. At the time, she was surprised to discover that her mother lived in her hometown, Thunder Bay. The two had a very emotional conversation over the phone. “We had a really good open discussion about what happened,” she stated. “We’ve stayed in touch ever since, which has been exciting. “I’m learning a little more about the family and their life after my birth,” he added. From her maternal family, Anne also discovered that she has a deceased brother and sister.
Did your ancestry DNA test lead to a surprising discovery in your family? Share your story with CRESCER by sending an email to [email protected].
Tags: Woman finds biological father DNA test death prevents meeting wanted coffee Stay
