Today I’m participating in the Genealogy Matters Storyteller Tuesday Challenge: DNA DESTINY Due by September 16, 2025.
When I first got the email from 23andMe, it landed in my junk mail, and honestly, I thought that’s what it was. Junk. I’m not sure why I even opened it, but I did.
It was from a man named Roger, who was looking for his father’s family and seemed prepared for disappointment. “You’re probably related to my mother’s people.” He added, "I know nothing about my father. I hope he came from a good neighborhood." He left his phone number.
Well, that was a good teaser. Buddy, you should get a job writing hooks for YouTube! So I logged in to get a closer look. And then I called, because Roger was my 2nd cousin, and it looked like that relationship was through his father’s family.
What followed was a five year acquaintanceship. This video was done very quickly for Facebook, just a few hours after his son let folks know that Roger passed away. For some reason I didn’t have my regular equipment and made this on my iPhone, which kept auto-focusing. But I decided to leave it as-is, because it captures a specific moment in time.
One of the interesting things about stories like this is figuring out what to share and what not.
I have several family DNA stories that will never see the light of day, at least not without names being changed. In videos, I use a blur effect to remove details I don’t want to show. And the only full name I used here is my mother’s cousin, who is no longer alive. His name is a key part of figuring out the relationship to Roger, so it stayed in. Since I did this originally for our family and friends, they would have found it strange if I had given him a fictitious name.
Not only did Roger introduced me to his own family, he also helped me get acquainted with a set of cousins that I only knew by name prior to his call. I think you could say that Roger expanded my world. And I’ll be forever grateful.
Moral of the story: Check your junk mail?
RIP Roger. I’m glad you found me.