Mike L., Pennsylvania
It wasn’t until his daughter was 4 years old that Mike L. learned he was not her biological father, causing him to leave his wife, the girl’s mother. He paid child support and kept the relationships intact until he learned his ex-wife was going to marry again, this time to the little girl’s biological father. That’s when he asked the courts to end his paternal rights. Thankfully, even after he stopped paying child support, Mike continued to be a supportive and involved dad, even if the DNA test indicated otherwise.
DNA Check
When an Australian man found his wife in a compromising position with a neighbor, she implied that their son might not be his. So the dad secretly had his son's DNA tested only to find the boy was, in fact, not biologically his. The couple separated years later, with the man still paying child support for the the boy, who later learned of his real parentage. And the mom? She had to repay $13,000 in child support to her ex-husband.
Jack Nicholson
The woman Jack Nicholson thought was his sister was already dead when a Time magazine reporter called him to confirm the facts of a story that claimed Nicholson’s sister was actually his mother. Nicholson knew nothing of the story at the time, but later said he was relieved he didn’t find out the truth about his parentage while his biological mother was still alive because he never had to deal with it.
He does have a point.
Switched and Switched Again
When two South African women each gave birth to a boy on the same day, the hospital sent each home with the wrong baby. This was not discovered until the boys were 18 months old and DNA tests were performed. Since then, the boys have begun spending time together as brothers. That all ended when the boys were 15 and one of the mothers encouraged the other boy to come live with her. He did and hasn’t spoken to the woman who raised him since.
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton's mother, Patricia Molly Clapton, was just 16 years old when she became pregnant by a Canadian soldier stationed in Surrey, England. Due to the social stigma of such a young girl being unwed and pregnant, Patricia’s mother and stepfather agreed to raise Eric as their own, with Patricia claiming to be Eric’s sister. When Clapton was 9 years old, he found out the truth about his parentage, but sadly never got to meet his biological father.
Carlina White
Just 19 days old when she was taken from a Harlem hospital, Carlina always suspected the people raising her weren’t her parents. Her birth mother Joy White never gave up hope, though. After Carlina found a familiar-looking baby photo on the website of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the organization reached out to White and reunited the two. What an amazingly happy ending!
Tyler Perry
In a 2014 speech at a women's empowerment conference, actor-director Tyler Perry revealed that his mother had lied to him and that the man he thought was his father, wasn’t. Perry admits to being angry, especially since he has openly spoken about the abuse he suffered at the hand of the man he thought was his father. He is currently looking for his biological father and encourages all parents to be honest with their children, according to the International Business Times.
My Brother, My Husband
Adriana and Leonardo, the parents of a 6-year-old daughter, had both been searching for their birth parents. They knew their birth mother had the same name, but only learned via a Brazilian radio show that their mother was, in fact, the same person—making them spouses and siblings. The couple plans to stay married as husband and wife.
She Thought She Gave Birth
OK, pay close attention: A London couple flew to Nigeria to undergo what they thought was fertility treatments after they failed to conceive naturally. The woman then began to show signs of pregnancy, including weight gain and bloating. Her doctor back home couldn’t detect a heartbeat, but her Nigerian doctor assured her she was still pregnant. Nine months later, the woman was drugged, told she gave birth and was sent home with a seemingly newborn baby. All of that turned out to be an elaborate hoax to sell unwanted Nigerian babies to European and American couples.
