A father who was adopted as a child received the surprise of his life when his children hunted down his biological family with the help of a DNA test.
Robert Mulka, 52, from Garden City, Michigan, was given up for adoption at birth and had never met his birth family; so for Christmas last year his kids thought it would be a good idea to give him a 23andme DNA test so he could learn more about his biological heritage.
But when they got the results back, they found much more than they were expecting: a whole new family.
Getting the news: A Garden City, Michigan, father who was adopted as a child was surprised by his children with information about his biological family after a DNA test
Big day: His family had ordered Robert Mulka a 23andme DNA for Christmas and recently got the results back
A video of the moment all was revealed to Robert was posted to Facebook, beginning with his children surrounding him at a kitchen counter saying: ‘Are you ready?’
On daughter touts the surprise as: ‘The best news you have ever had in your whole entire life,’ with another adding: ‘So it’s your present for the next Christmas, birthday, everything.’
Finally, they slide a poster in front of their father, showing photos of his relatives, who they discovered after getting back Robert’s DNA results, including his living biological parents, a sister and two brothers.
As Robert looks over the poster he sees his DNA test in the top corner near a picture of a woman labelled ‘mom’.
‘No way,’ he says, as the news dawns on him. ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’
Altogether: The results helped Robert’s kids learn that his parents are still alive and married and that he has two brothers and a sister
Jaw dropping: Robert learns that his parents were just teenagers when he was born
As his children reveal that his parents are still married and live in the area in Garden City, Robert can’t believe what he’s hearing, wiping his eyes and shouting: ‘What!?’
One of the daughters reveals that he had even spoken to one of Robert’s brothers on the phone that morning, saying that the whole family can’t wait to meet him, adding: ‘He sounds just like you on the phone!’
Robert is taken through the whole family tree in photos before he points at his parents’ pictures and asks: ‘Well, what are they saying?’
‘They’re happy!’ says Robert’s daughter. ‘They were afraid you would be upset with them. They were young. They were 16.’
Robert then learns his real name, the one he was given at birth: Anthony Thomas Trudell.
Over-the-top: Robert rubs his eyes in disbelief over what he is hearing and seeing
A new identity: Robert then learns his real name, the one he was given at birth: Anthony Thomas Trudell
‘We gifted our Father with a 23andme DNA test for Christmas. Knowing our Dad was given up for adoption at birth, we hoped this test would help bring closure to him, or even help find family members,’ Robert’s daughter Mandy wrote on Facebook.
‘We would of never imagined this test would tell us what it did. We found my dads birth family and they’ve lived in the area his entire life.’
Mandy went on to explain in the viral post that her father had lost his adoptive parents 27 years ago and also sadly lost his wife in 2016, making finding a whole new family all the more meaningful.
‘To our surprise his parents are still married, and he has two brothers, a sister, and other family members welcoming him with open arms.
‘Not only did he gain family, us kids gained full blooded grandparents, uncles and an aunt. Plus many other family that we can’t wait to meet.’