When Steve Hartman took a DNA test, he discovered a family he never knew he had. "On the Road" reporter and his producer Roxanne Feitel join CBSN to discuss the surprising discovery.
Steve is truly a national treasure, my goshhhhh I always love love love to watch his segments but THIS ONE about himself is gold. Congrats on your new family and thank you for what you do :)
My grandfather was rated an F. My Nan told me that a neighbor came over and told my Nan that my grandfather was sleeping with the lady down the road, she told her, don't worry, so is your husband. He would get into fights at the bar, go out for a packet of cigarettes and come home a few days later. This was decades ago. When he died, my mother and Nan went to arrange the funeral in another state. Found out his daughter was arranging it, a daughter nobody knew about.
Steve is one of the best that CBS has produced. I hope that this new chapter Steve, only brings you happiness and comfort. We are all of the same family tree.......human.....
*He is so descrete yet tender I would like to hug him as if I could let him make up for all the lost time. This guy deserves all the love from his new family*
Two years later I come across this story and I am amazed. I love Steve Hartman and his stories and now his children too. Life is full of surprises, some good, some not so good and I guess a lot of it is in exactly how you see it. Thank you for sharing your story with the World Steve Hartman. 🧡💛🧡💜
My dad was adopted. With DNA testing, I found his bio-mom's family and they embraced me. I'm 90% certain who the dad was. Records were murkier in the 1930s.
I’m finding the exact same thing! My mom was born in 1933 and unfortunately I completely forgot to have her take a DNA test before she passed away in 2018. I was just not in the right frame of mind at that time. I’m doing my best with what I have but it’s not much to go on at this point. I’m so glad that records have improved so much since then though. Good luck on your search!
My mom always loved watching Steve's segments and I myself have enjoyed a number of his stories. He seems like a real mensch. I'm happy to hear he's been able to suss out his family tree.
Very cool for Steve Hartman after all the stories and people that he has interviewed on his On The Road assignments. Neat. Happy for Steve. Nice guy.😁🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲✌
I found no surprises in my tree as I've been researching if for 44 years. But my cousin who was adopted and never knew her birth parents took a DNA test got the shock of her life. It turns out that her adopted parents were in reality her biological parents. Further research showed that her parents were 16 and 13 when my cousin was born and their parents all forced them to give my cousin up for adoption. A few years later they were married and were doing OK financially so they looked for their daughter and discovered she was still living in the orphanage so they adopted her but kept the true nature of their relationship with their daughter a secret because most of the extended family had no idea that they had a baby at such an early age then gave it up for adoption. Sadly my cousin's parents, my Dad's aunt and uncle, passed away years before. Still my cousin no longer has to wonder who her "real" family are as she'd been with them all along. We all loved her before we knew she was our biological relative. Imagine how confused I was when I was sitting there with my cousin at my kitchen table showing her how to open up the test results and told her how to tell the testing company that she did indeed want contact with her newly discovered relatives and three seconds after she hit the send button an email pops up for me and it's that company telling me I have a new relative to say hello to. We both did a double take. It actually took us a few months to unravel the whole thing.
Steve, your story is so heartwarming to watch. I probably will not find a similar one during my late Dad's family reunion next month April 2023. Thank you.
I was also thinking that his mom looked like that daughter. It sounds like Steve had a lot of fun with this, doesn't it? He now has some great new relatives with terrific senses of humor.
Congratulations Steve - your journey will only continue to fascinate you. I have a similar situation. Although my mother knew her mother, her father was a mystery that she didn't care to delve into. She's gone now but, through DNA testing, I have narrowed the list down to three different men in the same family. Hopefully, for Steve, and myself, more people will test and help narrow things down a little further. In either case, love them all.
What a wonderful story ♥️🌹♥️ Thank you for bringing your story to us. 🙏🏻 I did my heritage DNA also and found interesting facts. Everyone should do theirs. I absolutely recommend it! ♥️ Nancy
I took a test more than a year ago and found out that my dad wasn't my biological father. I didn't grow up knowing my mom so learning that about my dad was devastating. Both of my parents are deceased. I have been trying to figure out who my biological father is for almost two years and it's driving me crazy. It's hard work and I'm no closer today than I was when I started.
My DNA results lead to the discovery that my nephew has a daughter and two grandchildren he knew nothing about. Her biological mother and my nephew were only together for a short time and she gave the baby up for adoption without notifying my nephew.
One of my new relatives was from a cousin whose girlfriend never let him know, complicated by the divorce and adoption by a step-father of his own, and his death a few years later. His daughter shows up and gives us answers to a few genetic questions we didn't even know to ask.
As an adopted child, I went to court and had my birth records opened about 35 years ago! My biological parents got married after I was born. Seeing and knowing your ancestorial heritage is truly a wonderful thing.♥️
I'm adopted out of a really bad situation, birth father is dead, birth mother.. Idon't want to bring it back up when she's hopefully recovered, I don't know much about them other than ages, but I would give anything to be able to afford a dna test, I know for most it's doable, for us, money is tight and I'd feel guilty putting it to that and not food in the pantry. I just want to not feel so empty.
I am happy for you on finding your family. I work on my family tree most days, and discovered early in the process that people are people - good, bad or indifferent, and to not be surprised at what I find. I also believe that since my ancestors were human, I have to be mature enough to deal with the 'icky' parts of their lives - and trust me, some things... A distant cousin was unhappy I added information regarding a crime committed in 1750 and the resulting punishment to my tree - it didn't end well for the ancestor. I told her it was a fact, I have court documents and no matter how much I wish it were not true, it happened and there is nothing I can do to change any part of it. I just didn't want anyone to think this man lived a longer than he had.
“The police told her it was a scam.” Of course they did, on the same basis of investigative integrity and treatment of others which they expect the American public to accept unquestioned.
Yeah these tests are interesting fun and sometimes reveal long hidden secrets that our family members never could have imagined would ever been found out .
If Steve Hartman's mother later own married and had more children he might have half siblings.Would a DNA test tell who exactly is the mother ? are any of the 4 women living ?
What A Charm To Find Out About Family. Good..Or Different.. What. A True Love Story.. Bless you Sir.. Thank You for Sharing With Our Sunday Morning Family.. 🤗💖🐱XOXO
Im so happy for you. I love watching your videos... they are a constant reminder that *this* too shall pass... and you never know what's on the other she.
When I was about 55 years old, a man I'd known for years remarked to someone else - in my presence - that his aunt was the daughter of my grandfather. I don't know if my father ever knew he had a half-sister or if he just denied it; he had died by the time I found out. She had been born when he was 23 and his parents were separated. About 6 months after this revelation, a coworker told me her family had been told that her grandmother was the daughter of my great-uncle, the brother of my grandfather. I know; it's complicated. I had never had even the slightest idea of any of this.
The same kind of thing happened on my mom's side of the family. By an amazing story we found lost relatives from Italy and Austraila. Years ago they came to upstate NY to visit. What an amazing reunion👍🙏❤🙂
I thought the same thing, but traits can come from earlier generations, so the fact they look alike is not near enough to conclude she was his mother (For example, their common look could have come from one of her parents - IOW, it skipped a generation and could have come from one of her parents, in which case one of the other daughters passively carried the trait and was Steve's mother).
My mom was a love child and the family father accepted her as his own. She worked so hard to prove she was worthy. She kept her family together a couple of times even though her mom didn't get the affection so dearly wanted. My mom gave the whole family affection. She went to the grave with the secret and my dad told me after she passed. Because of DNA I was able to figure out who her father was and I've met some of my cousins. Steve I love your stories so much and it doesn't matter how are moms were made they were made of love. That love they gave their families overrides whatever legitimacy society places or doesn't place on them
Ancestry DNA is amazing. Bought one for my husband for Christmas and he found put he is related to a mobster in florida with the same last name. We used to joke that he was, but we found out its true
No matter how many stories you read and see online or real life about family. And To know you have family in other parts of the country or world it's great to fulfill your life with family also friends.
I’m 51 Grew up in a foster home The man who I was told is my father died when I was 19,,,, I met him three times. He always denied saying he wasn’t my father. My mother swears he was my father,,,,, when I was 12 I was told by a family friend my real father was an Italian chef. I really want to get a dna test now. I’ve been asked my entire life if I’m Italian.
His mother's birth would have been scandalous in many ways :having her out of wedlock at the time and with a man who was not Jewish in a conservative Jewish family
Funny... I found my tree was a complete lie. I’d been told my birth mother was Italian and my bio father was a man who was having an affair with my supposed Italian mother while HER husband was off fight for our country... The dna results were a COMPLETE shock to me... I was born and raised in southern Louisiana (New Orleans area) by a French/Spanish (my adopted mother was half Acadiana French and half span Spanish... my adopted dad was German, French and Native American). I am NOT Italian, French or German... not enough native Americans submit their dna...so rumor has it I am 1/16th Native American on my biological mothers side... I am Welsh, Irish, Scottish AND Norse!!! I always figured my dark eyes and features were Italian and Greek... nope!!! The more I dug (I am still digging...) the more I began to put pieces into place. I grew up less then 10 minutes from my biological mother, her husband and two older half siblings... and 5 from my biological father... who’s SISTER was married to one of my adopted mom’s uncles... I would also learn, just as my friend who was also adopted (her at 2 me at 3 months old... and would have NO connection with this friend other then at school j) I learned that I as well as her (my friend) were black market adoptions. My adopted parents were friends with HER adopted parents... we were both abused physically, emotionally and mentally by our adopted mothers. My mom couldn’t pass a mental wellness “test” having been committed earlier in the year I was born, again months after getting me and numerous times throughout my life... I though my life was “normal”. Funny thing is I actually met my birth mom in the least likely of places... NO WHERE near where I was raised... in fact we didn’t know we had met... by chance at a small town in Mississippi (45 minutes from Starkville MS) she was our waitress on multiple occasions at the little tiny restaurant... my then boyfriend and now ex-husband’s family was unaware I was adopted shortly after meeting his family... one Saturday his family and I went to eat at this restaurant and his cousin turns to me and says that it was uncanny our resemblance... that was in 1988... In 1994 I remembering telling my then husband (same one) I felt a “disturbance” in my “force”... it was the passing of my biological mother. She died from complications of having a pecan sized meningaloma removed from her brain.... I have the same “anomaly”, mine is 4mm. My biological father died in 1987... from the family I have located no one “remembers”/“knows” how he died. No one has photos... He has two other known children... both with his wife who was also pregnant when my biological mother was... I either have a slightly older or younger brother and a younger brother. Who I have not located... one is on Facebook but no replies to messages and I don’t know where the one close to me in age is... My maternal brother was able to talk to his step dad and learned that I was given to my biological father or someone in his family but was “given up” instead of the “ foster care “ lie I had been fed my entire life. I’d ask my dad he’d say ask your mom... she’s tell me the same story... my biological mother had an affair, her husband came home from over seas and gave her an ultimatum... me or him... she chose him... but my mom would always say off-handed that they’re probably no longer together... it is also quite possible I knew him as he was in the same circles as my adopted parents as remember his sister was married my adopted mom’s uncle... no one knows... more like no one will tell me which uncle and those that do know aren’t alive or talking to me. My adopted dad was my world... he protected me as long as he could... he pasted away 10 years ago... my mom will be 80 in February 2020... her mental illness and her family’s wanting to pretend she’s “ok” has torn us apart... she and I haven’t spoken in nearly 7 years... she lives in MY home in southern Louisiana which I inherited when my dad died as they were no longer married... they split for good in 182 but in 1998 my mom had to be committed and she could not live with my then husband and our kids as she was still abusive... my dad opened his home to her... so from 1989-2010 my folks shared a house... not a home. Do I regret my dna journey? Well, that would require me to “regret” a 13 year old girl’s promise to her mom... (I promised I’d never look... ) I write my mom every few months... send pictures of my kids, their families and my grandchildren... My youngest son tried calling her Mother’s Day 2018... because My husband called him to help calm me as my mother shut the door on my face... He looked up her number on google... he’d asked her not to hang up... she didn’t and let him tell her he’d grown into someone she would be so proud of... he’s my hellion!!! Lol!!! He told her he was married and had a beautiful wife and baby boy (I had made her a photo album of my grandson’s first year...) She listen... told him not to call again... he said I love you granny... as does my (his) older brother and momma does too... My mom and dad will ALWAYS be my parents... it’s just nice to know “who I am” and “where I am from”... Mental illness is a harsh reality... she’s bipolar schizophrenic with auditory and visual hallucinations. I had to leave Louisiana since 2013 to save my health... and the life of the hellion and the life he was spiraling into. Thx for sharing this story with us... I always try to share my story... it helps... other and myself grow and learn from the challenges we face...
Wow! Wowwowwow! What does someone say to such an amazing story? Congratulations? Condolences? I am both happy for you and sad for you. I'm sorry your 'adoptive' mother has such mental illness and that you suffered for it. I am happy that somewhere out there is a whole new adventure that will someday be revealed to you, if you choose to take it. Very best wishes and thank you for sharing your unique experiences with us. Blessings on you (and yours - including the hellion). :-)
"We saw that he got dressed up for St. Patrick's Day and then we didn't see him until 3 days later." CLASSIC FUNNY OBSERVATION. I'm going to steal this line and try to use it in one of my own situations.
As an adoptee I used my birth name when I created an Ancestry profile in 2016. I subsequently discovered my birth parents relinquished their parental rights to two sons (b..1951; b. 1952) but never disclosed this information to their first born son (b. 1949) or their youngest son (b. 1957). My birth father had been married twice previously and had a daughter (b. 1940) with his second wife. My birth parents were unmarried during the time period when their first three sons were born (1949-1952); however, they subseqently married in 1953. My Ancestry search was augmented by a fourth cousin (related to birth father's family) who happened to be a professional genealogist. Needless to say, I discovered four siblings, i.e., one half sister and three brothers.