Alethia's Story

Lily Wood kicks off Season 8 with guest Daisy Woods, who shares her story of discovering at age 55 that her biological roots were not what she had always believed.When a sudden health crisis leaves doctors searching for answers, Daisy is forced to uncover the true genetic history hidden from her for decades. Her journey reveals why knowing your true biological heritage isn't just about identity—it can literally be a matter of life and death. Tune in to hear Daisy's inspiring perspective, along with a crucial practical tip on how accessing state death records can help you unlock your own family's medical truth. Daisy can be reached via email [email protected] and her youtube channel listed below. Resources Mentioned:Who Yo People? Workbook by Daisy WoodsDaisy Woods aka Cocoa Griot (A Black Girl Stoic) Youtube Channel NPE Reddit NPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

In the year 7 season finale I was so excited to chat with B.K. Jackson (aka Kate), the incredible founder of Severance magazine and editor of the brilliant new essay collection, Relative Strangers. We had a great conversation into her incredibly complex discovery story which includes 9 siblings, and we spoke about the healing power of storytelling.Resources Mentioned:Relative Strangers edited by B.K. JacksonSeverance Magazine edited by B.K. JacksonB.K. Jackson's ADHD Substack NPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

In this episode, Lily Wood sits down with Elizabeth, a trauma-informed yoga teacher who shares her traumatic story of surviving a chaotic childhood only to discover through a 23andMe test the devastating truth about her conception.Elizabeth can be reached via email [email protected] Mentioned:vipyoga-noco.comDNAngelsDNA Surprises Podcast with Alexis Hourselt (3 part podcast)NPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Danny's mother revealed that he was actually a Non-Paternity Event (NPE) child, and his biological father was a man from New York named Daniel. To honor his biological roots while acknowledging the man who raised him, he socially changed his name to Danny. Danny can be reached via instagram @javi__citoNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Harmful Content Warning: This episode contains raw language including racial slurs, as well as discussions of domestic violence and systemic trauma.Alethia joins me to talk about a childhood defined by internal racism and the messy reality of growing up in a toxic home. We dive into the moment her world shifted when a DNA test completely dismantled her family’s origin story, replacing it with a hidden history she never saw coming. It’s an honest, sometimes uncomfortable look at the shame that follows a DNA surprise and the heavy emotional cost of carrying secrets you didn't even know existed.Resources Mentioned:Right to KnowDNAngels and Search AngelsOne Drop: My Father's Hidden Life - A Story of Race and Family Secrets by Bliss BroyardFinding Me: A Memoir by Viola DavisGreenlights by Matthew McConaugheyThe Color of Water by James McBrideI Take My Coffee Black by Tyler MerrittReflections: A Window Into My Soul by Alethia SternNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

In this episode, Becca Rothman, a comedian, activist, and mother shares the surprising story of discovering she was donor-conceived later in life. After years of living with a "clue" found by her sister, Becca finally used a DNA kit to uncover a biological father—a pediatrician—who shares her love of exclamation points. Becca discusses how she turned the entire journey into her 30-minute solo comedy show, Gifted.You can follow Becca's stand-up and storytelling journey on Instagram @BeccaRothmanResources Mentioned:The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are by Libby CopelandThe Sunday Story Seven IG @storyseven.albeccarothman.comUntangling Our Roots ConferenceNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Growing up with a "normal" Midwestern upbringing, Mark never felt different or disconnected from his family. However, after his father's death, a quest to explore his Portuguese heritage through a DNA test led to the staggering discovery that he was 100% Iberian and had zero Polish blood. Now, he shares his journey of navigating this new reality, confronting a mother whose memories are fading, and connecting with a biological family he never knew existed.Mark can be reached via email [email protected] Mentioned:Right to Know Severance Magazine DNA Surprises with Alexis HourseltNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Alex Frantz shares the life-altering discovery of being donor-conceived, a revelation triggered by a holiday DNA kit. They describe the shock of realizing they attended high school with their half-siblings. Alex recounts forming a deep, "seamless" bond with their biological father and half-brother over a shared love for music.Alex can be reached via instagram @bedhead_babeResources Mentioned:Untangling Our RootsAlex's Band: The Eye Traps Instagram @theeyetrapsbandNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Dawn grew up feeling a quiet sense that something didn’t quite fit, but it wasn’t until a search for her family’s past that everything she thought she knew began to shift. In this episode, she shares what it’s like to uncover the truth later in life—and how she’s finding her way forward, one piece at a time.Dawn can be reached via email [email protected] you to Dawn's daughter Olivia Hendrix for creating the newest NPE Stories podcast logo and graphics. Her art can be found @shop_94art on InstagramResources Mentioned:GEDmatchThe Stranger in My Genes by Bill GriffethNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

In this episode, Lily sits down with Molly, who shares the complex layers of being both an adoptee and an NPE within a small-town dynamic where the adults knew the truth long before she did. Molly opens up about the "fairytale" highs and devastating lows of a reunion that ultimately didn't last, and how she has utilized EMDR therapy and her faith to process the profound grief and shame of those experiences.Resources Mentioned:Untangling Our Roots SummitLeslie Pate MackinnonEMDR TherapyHusband, Father, Killer: The Alyssa Pladl Story | LifetimeThe Kiss: A Memoir by Kathryn HarrisonNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories