I cried after receiving a DNA test at Christmas – then a Facebook message from someone called ‘Butch’ changed my life

MEGAN Goins, 39, is a retail fashion manager.

She lives in Indianapolis, USA, with husband Matt, 41, who runs a car business, and their sons Dirk, 14, Jack, 12, and Zeke, 10.

“Tearing off the wrapping paper, my eyes filled with tears.

“Forget jewellery – this DNA test was the most thoughtful Christmas gift my husband Matt could have chosen.

“Growing up an only child with my amazing mum Mary, I didn’t know anything about my dad – not even his name – and I’d never seen a photo of him.

“When I’d ask, Mum would simply say every family was different.

“As a people-pleaser, I never pushed back, but I always wondered.

“Mum was white and I’m bi-racial, so I knew my dad was black.

“As a teenager, I felt a growing need to know about the other half of me.

“When Mum died of cancer in December 2005, aged 42, I was grief-stricken – and sad that the chance to find out about my dad had gone forever, since no one in the family knew anything, either.

“Matt, who I’d got together with the year before Mum’s death, supported me through my grief. 

“We married in October 2009, then Dirk was born the following month, Jack in April 2011 and Zeke in July 2013.

“I loved being a mum, but seeing Matt become an amazing dad made me think about my own father.

“On Christmas Day 2016, I opened the DNA kit and cried.

“Finally, I might get some answers. 

“I didn’t think I’d find my dad – I had a feeling he wasn’t alive.

“But maybe I’d find a relative who’d known him.

“My heart sank when the results came back eight weeks later showing only very distant relatives from my mum’s family.

“But I stayed hopeful, logging in throughout 2017 and 2018 in case any new results were found.

“Each time, my hopes were dashed. 

“Then, on December 13, 2019, my phone pinged with a Facebook message from someone called Butch.

“‘I did a 23andMe DNA test and got my results,’ it said.

“It states you are my daughter. Is your mother Mary?! OMG, I had no idea.’

“In a daze, I looked at Butch’s photo. This man looked like me! 

“I logged in to my 23andMe account.

“It was true – I shared 50% of my DNA with him.

“I replied to his message, confirming that my mum’s name was Mary, and she’d passed away, which he was shocked to hear.

“He explained he’d had no idea that Mum had been pregnant.

“They’d met at work in a restaurant and were together for around a year.

“When she stopped returning his calls, he thought she just wasn’t interested. 

“When Butch told me that I had two half-brothers, a half-sister and a stepsister, I was overwhelmed.

“I’d always wanted siblings – now I was a big sister four times over.

“That evening, Butch and I spoke for the first time, and I couldn’t believe I was hearing my dad’s voice.

“His guilt and sadness at not knowing about Mum’s pregnancy and not being there to help or get to know me was clear. 

“He’d lived just 10 miles away from me my entire life.

“The biggest shock was realising he was the director of the bowling league I’d played for as a kid.

“He remembered a girl with curly hair, a yellow shirt and a green ball. That was me!

“On December 28, 15 days after that first message, I sat anxiously waiting in a restaurant with Matt to meet my dad for the first time.

“The second he walked in, we hugged in floods of tears.

“It felt like a missing puzzle piece had fallen into place.

“On New Year’s Day, Matt and I took the boys to Butch’s house, where my siblings, grandma and nephews welcomed us with such love. 

“I’ve never been angry or disappointed with Mum.

“Perhaps she chose not to tell Butch because he was about to go to college and she didn’t want to impact his decision, but I’ll never know.

“She was an amazing parent and gave me a good work ethic, empathy, and kindness. 

“For the last two years, I’ve hosted Christmas Eve for us all.

“Butch and I sit on the sofa in happy tears, watching everyone play games.

“We exchange gifts, but thanks to Matt, I’ve already been given the best Christmas present of all.”