It can be hard to shop for birthday presents for parents. You want to get something meaningful for the mother or father, but it can be challenging to think of something that truly shows your appreciation for all their years of unconditional love.
New Jersey resident Robin Gonsalves wanted to do something meaningful for her father’s birthday. After much deliberation, she finally settled on a particular present she knew would be extra special. However, she had no idea that her gift would end up leading to an amazing revelation for the both of them…
When New Jersey resident John Gonsalves had his 59th birthday coming up, his daughter, Robin, wanted to get him something that he would remember forever.
John had been a terrific father to Robin her entire life. He was supportive of all her endeavors, and she wanted to do something out of the ordinary for him. He pretty much had everything he needed, so what would she do for his big fifty-ninth?
Robin put a lot of thought into her father’s gift, and finally, she knew exactly what to get him. It was something he talked about with her in great detail. So, she purchased it and wrapped it up…
On the morning of John’s birthday, his daughter excitedly handed him the box. It was an Ancestry.com DNA kit! This was something he always discussed but never expected! He was thrilled to try it out.
John wanted to know where his family came from and more about his extended familial tree. Little did he know he would soon find out a life-changing piece of information.
John could not wait to get started. He read through the kit, and when he was finished, he put some of his saliva in the kit’s plastic vial and sent it off in the mail that very same day. Now all he could do was wait patiently for the results.
It took a few weeks for the test results to come back, and during that time John often dreamt of what he would possibly learn about his family. However, when he finally read the results, he was in utter disbelief…
The test showed he had a 40-year-old daughter named Jeanie he never knew existed! John was in absolute shock; how had he not known about her for four whole decades. He immediately contacted her and set up a reunion. But, how would his daughter react to this sudden revelation?
Well, on the morning of the big meeting, John tied balloons outside of his home as a celebratory welcome to his daughter. A few hours later, Jeanie approached…
The father and daughter immediately embraced. They were both in tears, and John invited Jeanie into his home to learn all about her life story. How did he never know about her?
Jeanie Siciliano was born in 1977 to a woman John briefly dated. However, he had no idea he impregnated her, and at two months old, Jeanie was given up for adoption to a loving family.
Jeanie’s parents never hid the fact that she was adopted, and they were supportive of any desire to eventually locate her biological parents. When Jeanie turned 19, she finally embarked on a journey to do just that…
It didn’t take long for Jeanie to track down her mother. Meeting her was a somewhat bittersweet experience because although she was pleased, it was somewhat difficult to face the woman who gave her away. Now, it was time to try and locate her father.
Jeanie told John that she too looked to Ancestry.com to help with her quest. She submitted a sample, and a few weeks later she learned John Gonsalvo was her father. But, this wasn’t even the most incredible part of the discovery…
John and Jeanie lived within three miles of each other! They shopped at the same grocery store and probably even crossed paths a handful of times.
John’s daughter Robin was just as thrilled as he was! She loved that she suddenly had an older sister to look to for advice, and Jeanie now had a younger sister to mentor.
Robin’s mother, unfortunately, passed away when she was younger, and she no female presence in her life to guide her, until now. She couldn’t wait to have some serious sister bonding with Jeanie.
John, being a religious man, believed everything that happened between him, Robin, and Jeanie was divine intervention. All three have plenty of catching up to do, and they’re ready to take all the time in the world to do it!
A simple birthday present turned into an amazing experience for the Gonsalves family. How amazing was it that both the father and his newfound daughter only lived three miles away?
Once news outlets heard about this incredible story, everyone was eager to give the world a glimpse at what happened to the Gonsalves family. People love stories with this kind of ending!
Websites like Ancestry.com have allowed people to discover amazing things about their heritage. If you’re interested in knowing your roots, visit the website!
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