Girl’s Birthday Gift To Her Father Leads To An Incredible Family Revelation

Parenting June 8, 2019

Getting your father a birthday present isn't always the easiest of tasks. If you're old enough, you probably want to get him something meaningful, rather than some drawing you made in elementary school. This is the situation that Robin Gonsalves found herself in when choosing a present for her dad, John. While she eventually chose what she thought was the perfect gift, little did she know that it would change her and her father's life forever.

You'll never guess what the gift was!

He Had A Birthday Coming Up

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New Jersey resident John Gonsalves was turning 59, and his daughter Robin wanted to get him a gift that he would never forget. 59 is a big year!

So, she knew this would be the perfect birthday to get her father something different other than the gifts that most fathers receive from their kids on their birthday. No more hats or grilling tongs, she was going to do something truly special.

But what could she get him?

The Perfect Father

John had been the definition of a perfect father for Robin's entire life. He was loving, supportive, helpful, and caring, so it was important to her that she showed him how appreciative she was of his love.

The problem was that her father had just about everything that he could need, so what could she get him that would be memorable? The big day was approaching fast, so she had to get to work on her gift!

He Was Unsure About His Past

For the most part, a lot of people have some idea about where their ancestors are from. This is usually the case for affluent families who have the time and money to research about their past.

Unfortunately, John didn't have this privilege but was always curious about his family's history. He knew that his ancestors hailed from somewhere in Europe but he didn't know much other than that. Robin took this into consideration when deciding on her gift.

Ancestory.com Was The Answer

Considering that her father had always been curious about his past, she decided that she would get him an Ancestory.com DNA kit. This way, he would get the answers to the many questions that he had about his heritage.

So, on the morning of John's birthday, she wrapped up the DNA kit and excitedly gave it to her father. John had no idea what was coming or how this gift was going to change his life in a drastic way.

John Couldn't Believe His Eyes

After receiving his gift from Robin, John couldn't believe how thoughtful his gift was. Although he was incredibly happy and surprised with his gift, he also had mixed feelings about the whole thing.

He didn't know what he would find or how it would affect his outlook on his own life. He also couldn't believe that all he had to do was spit into a cup and mail it to have the secrets of his past revealed.

He Mailed His Sample In That Day

Although he was nervous, he couldn't wait to get started. He sent his sample to Ancestory.com that same day and now could only wait until he got a response. However, it would be a few weeks before he would get a response.

During that time, John daydreamed about what the results would bring and what he would learn. Yet, he had no idea that the answers he was going to get would change his life forever.

In Comes Jeanie

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There's another important person to this story. Born in 1977, Jeanie Siciliano's mother was young, single, and unable to care for her newborn daughter. So, she came to the conclusion that she needed to give her child up for adoption, which she did when Jeanie was just two months old.

Jeanie ended up being adopted by a loving and caring family. She was lucky to have been welcomed into a home with people that were beyond excited to have a new daughter.

She Wanted To Find Her Parents

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Although Jeanie loved her adoptive parents and family, she was still always curious about who her biological parents really were. So, when she was 19, she decided it was time to take matters in her own hands and find out.

In the end, she was partially successful. However, what she didn't expect was that contacting her biological parents after years of separation has both its upsides and downsides. Little did Jeanie know what was going to happen next.

She Found Her Mom

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No longer a teenager, when Jeanie was 19, she decided that she was old enough to learn who her biological mother is. Even though she had been given up just two months after her birth, Jeanie wasn't resentful but was more curious than anything.

When she finally met her mother, she admitted that the whole situation was bittersweet. However, she wasn't feeling fulfilled, she still wanted to learn who her real father was, and she wasn't going to give up anytime soon.

On The Search For Her Father

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In an interview with CBS news, Jeanie claimed, "I did some searching … but I didn't come up with any solid information. So I kind of put that all to the side." Yet, even though she came up empty-handed, she didn't give up hope.

She was unaware that she would eventually learn who her father is; all she would have to do is wait! Soon enough, she would have all the answers she wanted, just in the most unexpected way.

John Is Her Biological Father

Ancestry/Twitter

In hopes of finding her biological father, Jeanie turned to Ancestry.com for help. The results were belong shocking. She told reporters that "When I first opened my … results and John's name came up, and underneath it, it said 'father,’ and I was, like, ‘Holy cannoli this guy is my biological father. Oh my gosh.'"

She decided to write John a letter to him to inform him about her existence. However, John was expecting a letter eventually, as his own Ancestry.com results showed that he had another daughter.

John Didn't Know What To Think

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When first receiving the news about his unknown daughter, John was hesitant to believe it was real. He thought that maybe it was some kind of prank, so he wasn't fully convinced at work.

Yet, after learning the truth, he was excited that he had another daughter out in the world. John told CBS that "It's just as exciting to me to have a daughter who’s 40 years old as one that’s only one-month-old [...] I was stunned."

He Was In Disbelief

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While talking to CBS, Jon admitted that "I literally felt the world stop and the second thought was, this is a scam. There's no way that I could have a child 40 years old." Then, after everything started making sense and the pieces started coming together, John realized that it was likely the truth.

After some time to reflect, the thought of having another daughter brought him to tears. All the years that his daughter wasn't in his life deeply affected him.

An Unexpected Gift

Elianna Mintz/YouTube

After he came to the realization that Jeanie was indeed his daughter, John couldn't have been happier. While some people may have been uncomfortable after learning that they have a daughter they've never met, that wasn't the case with John.

If anything he wished he's known about her years earlier. He stated "I started to cry. I felt joy. I was like, 'This is such a great gift.'" Unfortunately, it would still be two months before the two would be reunited.

Soon they would meet each other for the first time!

They Were Practically Neighbors!

Elianna Mintz/YouTube

Although the whole story is unbelievable, something even more ironic was that the two had only lived three miles apart from each other for almost eleven years. They lived so close to each other that they discovered they even shopped at the same grocery store!

The figured that they must have run into each other at least once and had no idea that they were so closely related. After they first contacted each other, both are as happy as can be.

The More The Merrier!

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John couldn't be happier to be adding a daughter to his family. He was smiling ear to ear when he told CBS "I get to chat with my daughters. It's no longer singular. It’s plural!

Even though the two had lived without knowledge of the other for 40 years, that wasn't going to stop them from catching up on lost time. John is also a religious man and believes that "divine intervention" is what brought his daughter to him.

It Was All Thanks To Robin

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It's important to remember that John may never have been reunited with Jeanie if it wasn't for Robin's birthday gift. It was Robin's idea to get her father a DNA test, which resulted in him discovering Jeanie.

Robin commented that "I knew that he wanted it, and I never know what to get him, and he had been talking about it … So I gave him the gift of another child basically for his birthday." Surely, she didn't see that one coming!

Jeanie Acts Like A Mother

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Unfortunately, Robin's mother and John's wife passed away a few years before John and Jeanie reunited. During those years, Robin was feeling increasingly lonely and was desperate for someone to fill the void that was left after her mother had passed away.

Although Robin and Jeanie are half sisters, because Jeanie is 40, she acts more like a mother to Robin than a sister. This couldn't have happened at a better time and the two girls now have a strong bond.

Jeanie Has Been A Lot Of Help

Elianna Mintz/YouTube

Robin was thankful that Jeanie was older than her and much wiser than her. She told CBS, I think that when I lost my mom, the thing that I was most concerned about was … 'How am I going to navigate my dating life … without my mom?"

Robin said. "I don't have too many women figures in my life but losing my mom was really hard. So it’s important to have women to look up to. So having someone like Jeanie is really nice.”

A New And Improved Family

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John and Robin welcomed Jeanie into their family with open arms and Jeanie couldn't be more appreciative. She's also more than happy to help Robin through these formative years of her life.

She claims "Nobody can obviously replace your own mother but … maybe I can be there for her [...] I'm also … super immature, so she’ll probably make better, more mature decisions than I will. I’ll be calling her, like, 'Dude, there’s this guy, and I don’t know what to do.'”

12 Years After Giving Birth To His Child, Woman Meets Her Boyfriend

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Many people are searching for love. Whether they are openly looking for a partner or going with the flow hoping that the universe blesses them with someone who speaks their language, it's a journey many embark on in their lives. One woman shares her epic story of how she found her person. Jessica Share revealed a story that unfolded over 12 years.

In one of the most exciting plots you’ve ever heard, here’s how one woman found the love of her life years after anonymously giving birth to his child.

In The Beginning

Jessica Share/Facebook

Years ago, Jessica Share was in a same-sex relationship and the couple really wanted to have children. Of course, doing so wouldn't be an easy task for the couple, but it was something they had always dreamed about.

"Ever since we’d met we had dreamed about having kids together," Share said. “We decided on four and together we chose their names. The next step was more difficult.” The two of them had come up with ideas on how to build their family.

The Hunt For Help

Jessica Share/Facebook

It's no secret that two women can’t conceive a child on their own, so Share looked for a donor. That’s when Jessica’s girlfriend at the time suggested her brother-in-law. Thanks to a gay and lesbian legal rights course Jessica took, she knew that route would be tricky due to how the courts operated in situations like these.

According to Jessica, "when birth moms died, children were removed from their homes to be placed with men they barely knew." Thankfully, there was a way around this.

The Solution To Their Problem

Jessica Share/Facebook

Thankfully, the couple discovered the golden ticket. All it took was a little faith and persistence and the two lucky ladies discovered a way to have their child without any wild stipulations.

"Luckily, we discovered a sperm bank that shipped right to our home, where the anonymous donors signed paperwork that legally barred them from ever seeking custody of the children they helped create," Share said. If it weren't for this specific bank, what occurred might not have ever happened.

The Process

Jessica Share/Facebook

The girls decided that Jessica would be the one to carry the first baby since she was writing her doctoral dissertation at home. The donor was also matched to Jessica's partner (average height and weight, brown hair, and liked sports).

The process of getting pregnant at home was interesting. Jessica called it a home science experiment that she took very seriously. "Getting every last sperm as close to the egg as possible became a solemn monthly ritual," Share revealed. “I would inseminate twice, just to cover the entire possible window an egg might be waiting.”

All of her hard work towards trying to have this baby would eventually pay off.

Welcome To The World!

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In about seven months time, Jessica finally became pregnant with her first child! The couple told Jessica's grandparents and they were thrilled about it! The couple named their first child Alice. They gave little thought to the donor, Jessica’s wife did not like the idea of Alice meeting him.

"My wife was particularly hostile to the idea of ever letting our children know him – she felt that love made a family, and I agreed," Jessica commented.

Now, the couple became invested in giving Alice more siblings…

Bringing In Another Daughter

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18 months later, Jessica's wife would give birth to Alice’s sister. Due to the couple agreeing on using the same sperm donor, it almost became a little game to figure out the features that the girls shared.

"Both girls shared plenty of traits," Jessica began. “Knowing how my wife and I looked as children, it became a fun pastime to pick out the characteristics only the girls shared: they were both extraordinarily tall, not average height, both had electric eyes that look like emeralds underwater and impeccable vocabularies. “

Sadly, something heartbreaking would occur a few years later…

An Unexpected Split

Jessica Share/Facebook

No one can say for sure how a relationship will work. There are ups and downs that no one can predict, no matter how well the partnership is going. That's why when the girls grew to be one and three-years-old, Jessica’s wife wanted to split.

"There had been no conflict in our family, so I was shocked and heartbroken," Jessica said. “She said she did not want to talk about it and there was nothing I could do to repair our marriage.”

Jessica’s former wife also would do something no one expected.

Cutting Off All Contact

Jessica Share/Facebook

Jessica would continue taking care of their daughters for five days a week over the next few years. Not only was the shock of her wife leaving still lingering, but things also became more complicated when Alice turned ten-years-old.

Her past partner ended all contact with Alice and also refused to return their younger daughter after a vacation. Sadly, that still remains the case today. "Alice spends her days dreaming of the sister she was raised with and who she is afraid she will never see again," Share said.

Alice's Maturity

Jessica Share/Facebook

Thankfully, Alice was a little bit more mature than other children her age. She understood the fine line between family and genetics. Still, she remained curious about her background. Although Alice knew that parenting alone isn't what makes a family, her curiosity began to take over.

"However, Alice wondered where her ancestors came from," Jessica revealed. “Wanting to know what her genetic heritage was, Alice requested a DNA testing kit from her grandmother for Christmas when she was 11 years old.”

The Results Are In…

Jessica Share/Facebook

It's not often you hear about an 11-year-old requesting a DNA test, but Alice’s background is very different from others. Upon requesting the test from her grandmother, the results came back eight weeks later.

"I clicked on the DNA Relatives section of the site, not thinking anything would come of it," Jessica said. “But the first thing I read was, 'Aaron Long: 50%. Father.’ ‘Bryce Gallo: 25%. Half-brother’ was right behind.” What could this information mean for little Alice?

A change was right around the corner…

The Hunt For Aaron Long Begins

Jessica Share/Facebook

After discovering that information, Jessica immediately started to hunt for Aaron Long. We aren't saying everyone would have done the same, but most in Jessica’s situation would want to find the answers as well.

Jessica began searching through social networks for clues. There were tons of Aaron Longs in the world, so the hunt wasn’t easy. Eventually, Jessica managed to narrow down the search and found an Aaron Long that lived in Seattle and he was in the correct age range.

Had she found the correct Aaron?

Finding Aaron

Jessica Share/Facebook

Jessica Share started using all the clues that she had on her side to help find this man. The sperm vial listed the date of donation in 1994, so that helped her narrow down college and graduation years.

Only one person popped up in the correct age range with that name. "On another social media site, I discovered a Seattleite named Aaron Long with the correct workplace and with photos of each of his school portraits through the years," Jessica shared. “There was no doubt. My daughters make that stupid face.”

Reaching Out To Aaron

Jessica Share/Facebook

Upon finding the correct Aaron Long, Jessica quickly sent a well thought-out message for him to read on the DNA testing site. She tried to get his attention with the curiosity approach.

This is what Jessica sent as her message to Aaron: "Hi Aaron, I actually have two daughters who'd match you (my ex has my youngest daughter; she’s not on the DNA testing site). If you’re interested in trading family photos, etc., we’re available."

Here's Aaron!

Aaron Long/Facebook

There was no waiting for a response from Aaron. The sperm donor replied back almost immediately. He gave Jessica details that she had already uncovered thanks to her snooping. That's when he asked if she had any questions for him.

"I asked if he was the shortest person in his family," Jessica said. “I already knew the answer. He was.” This interaction began what would be the start of an interesting future relationship no one saw coming.

Reaching Out To Bryce As Well

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Aaron Long/Facebook

The DNA results revealed Alice's half brother was Bryce Gallo. This discovery led to Jessica messaging Bryce as well, hoping for a response from another relative. Would she get another response that would help Alice understand her background?

Bryce replied to Jessica as well. "He told me he found Madi, a 19-year-old half-sister, and had also been in touch with other parents," Jessica revealed. “He said there were a total of six children from Aaron, and that mine were #7 and #8.”

Something spectacular would happen next…

A Grand Meeting

Jessica Share/Facebook

At this point, there was a lot going on. Jessica just found out that Alice has more than just her sister she calls as her sibling. Alice just found out who her real dad was. Bryce also just found out about a new little sister.

With so much to learn, Bryce and Madi made plans to go to Seattle to visit Aaron. " Alice was interested to see whether the siblings and Aaron resembled her,” Jessica said about Alice. "I agreed to let her take part.”

A Successful Trip

Jessica Share/Facebook

Due to Alice's desire to go take part in this unusual family reunion in Seattle, she quickly discovered that she has caring siblings out there. Bryce, Madi, and Alice went out for dinner and played many games together.

BBC Stories wrote: "The trip was a success, with everyone getting on well. But Jessica was conscious that while Aaron was an important person for the children, he wasn’t someone who should necessarily be part of her life."

What was to come of all of this?

The Wrong Aaron

Jessica Share/Facebook

Things with the children looked to be fine, but as far as the parents went, it wasn't as smooth. It’s not like sparks would fly immediately once Aaron and Jessica met. This is especially true because Jessica was already seeing a different Aaron!

During their vacation, Aaron Long flirted a little bit with Jessica, but she respected her current relationship. That changed once that relationship stopped. "When my relationship with old Aaron ended, I found myself wondering if my children’s person could also be my person and if Seattle was a place for us to land while we figured it out," Jessica revealed.

Meeting Again

Jessica Share/Facebook

Once Aaron and Jessica met up again when she was single, the levels of attraction changed. Life works in mysterious ways. After spending time together and having some deep conversations, it didn't take long for Jessica to realize it.

"I already knew he was just like the people I love more than anyone else in the world," Jessica said. “He was already family in some ways. His smirk and his coloring are those of my youngest daughter. His empathy and socialism? My eldest.”

Together At Last

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In the summer of 2017, Jessica and Alice made the move to Seattle to live in Aaron's home. In the spring of 2018, Madi ended up joining them as well to make an even bigger family. Jessica’s heart only became bigger after the move.

"I quickly discovered that as a mom, I would gladly take any of our new half-siblings right inside, make them lunch, do their laundry, and take care of them forever," Jessica said.