Happy New Year! Yes I know we’re already 50 days in but things have been so hectic and “good” busy that I had to actually schedule time to sit and share some thoughts with you. My goal for this website was not to just share stories about cases, but provide thoughts for those of you working your own searches. So get comfortable because this is going to be a little longwinded.

I want to start off with advice and a reminder for those that have done your DNA, but have not seen enough data to get all your answers. It is something I have mentioned before but now I can back it up with proof. I have been working a case for the past year with a man seeking to find his birth parents. Last year I was able to solve his maternal search which for confidential reasons has not resulted in him reaching out to her. Last month we decided to start looking for his paternal side. Many of my searches start with individuals sharing their DNA matches from Ancestry Kits in the “view only” mode with me. Although the DNA results are available to those that pay for the test that does not give you access to all the tools you need to thoroughly do your search and connect with your matches. Since I pay for complete access I am able to look for anything they need without them incurring additional monthly membership expenses. Once the DNA is in my view I am able to check for new matches (as can they) I have always encouraged doing that often, just because their are no close matches today doesn’t mean they won’t show up in a week, month or even years later. You should always keep your DNA kit # and an active sign-on to the DNA site you register with. I currently have about 20 files on my account. I was checking them about once a week which some will say is excessive. But DANG!!!! on a whim late one night I checked on this one. WR-A PATERNAL MATCH 100% . I immediately reached out to him and assuming he had already seen it but didn’t mention it to me. No, he had not. I quickly took pictures of every screen I could with as much limited information I could find. You never know when info may disappear and in this case it did within 48 hours. You see someone made a mistake. The family member who was working the DNA of this elderly gentleman was apparently making the account private when not working on it and must have forgotten that one night. And somehow/something/someone tapped me on my shoulder that convinced me to look. Even though the account just used initials and fictitious initials at that, over the next few days we were able to solve this man’s paternal search. At this time he has hit the pause button on contact, but his day will come, just not today. As you can imagine I now look at all 20 profiles every single day.

Next I want to tell you that things do not always work out well. We all get caught up in the excitement of this relatively new technology as possibly providing us answers to our life’s mysteries. But often it comes with an emotional price. Secrets and sometimes tragedies are uncovered, old wounds reopened, relationships change. SO with that all being said think long and hard before you spit in that tube and then think long and hard again before you reach out to your close matches. DNA can change lives forever.