Los Angeles Man Discovers Entire New Family through DNA Testing

Los Angeles, California resident Gary Schramm got a DNA test which changed his life. Although Schramm had been aware that he was adopted since he was a teenager, he had never dared to take a DNA test out of respect for his loving adoptive family. Once his parents died, Schramm gave in to his curiosity about his background and took a DNA test. He immediately learned that he was of British heritage instead of German, as he’d been told. Interesting, but not life-changing. Until…

A few weeks after getting his results, however, Schramm got a much bigger surprise. A woman who claimed to be his full sister named Sandy reached out online and eventually through Schramm’s son, Bryce. After a long introductory phone call that lasted for hours, they realized that the DNA test was accurate and that they were indeed long-lost full siblings. Since taking that fateful DNA test, Schramm has gotten to know his sister and her family. You can say that Schramm found a family that he never even knew was missing in the first place!

Sibling DNA tests are more complicated than paternity tests, because the amount of shared DNA is less. Parents share half of their DNA with their kids, but full siblings only share a quarter. Half-siblings share even less DNA – only an eighth. Therefore, for Schramm to find a full sister match through a Sibling DNA test is indeed an amazing thing, from both an emotional as well as a scientific perspective.

Sibling tests should be done at a clinic if the people need the results for legal purposes; otherwise, and at-home Sibling DNA test may be a good option.

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