Dawn M's Story

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

This episode follows Stephanie’s journey from a stable, loving childhood into a shocking DNA discovery after her dad’s death revealed he wasn’t her biological father. What starts with family secrets, an Ancestry test, and a stepmom’s cryptic comment turns into a whirlwind of answers — including identifying her biological father, discovering new siblings, and realizing her daughter was unknowingly friends with her first cousin. Stephanie shares the emotional fallout, identity shift, grief, and healing resources that helped her navigate life as an NPE. Stephanie can be reached via email [email protected] Mentioned:Untangling our Roots Summit Mar 19-22, 2026 AtlantaDNAngels No Cost Search Angel ServicesWho Even Am I Anymore? A Process Journal by Eve Sturges Before You Go by Stephanie WalkerNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

DJ grew up believing he knew exactly where he came from—named after his father, raised in a working-class family shaped by absence, anger, and long stretches of silence. From childhood jokes about not looking like his dad to being told his parents stayed together “for him,” this episode sits with the doubts he learned to carry without ever questioning out loud.DJ can be found on social media: Facebook and Instagram @radiodjthedjResources Mentioned:Untangling our Roots Summit Held in Atlanta Mar 19-22 2026Thank you to Olivia Mesnard Hendrix for working on the new upcoming logo for NPE Stories. Her work can be found on Instagram @shop_94art  NPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

In this deeply personal conversation (and crossover episode), Stacy opens up about discovering she’s a double NPE, confronting painful family truths, and grieving a father she never had the chance to know. She reflects on healing, chosen family, and how community, therapy, and self-compassion helped her rebuild her sense of identity.Stacy is the host of Mothers, Lies, and DNA Surprises and recently recorded Lily's Story on her podcast.  Stacy can be reached on Facebook Stacy Porter Williams, or her email [email protected] Mentioned:Hiraeth Hope & Healing RetreatsStacy's podcast Mothers, Lies, and DNA SurprisesTogetherness Heals NPE private group on FacebookBook: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. GibsonNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Constance grew up believing she shared the same father as her siblings, though she always sensed something was off. Decades later, an AncestryDNA test and unexpected messages from strangers unraveled the truth—leading her to her biological father living just 20 minutes away. Their emotional first meeting, the highs and lows of building a relationship at midlife, and Constance’s journey toward grace, understanding, and identity make this a deeply meaningful NPE story.Constance can be reached via email [email protected] Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Krissy shares her decades-long journey from an offhand comment in her teens to the life-changing discovery that she is an NPE, uncovering hidden family truths on both her maternal and paternal sides.She can be reached via email [email protected] Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

In this episode, Traci Grant shares her profound NPE journey, uncovering a hidden truth about her biological father after a lifetime of painful family dynamics and secrecy. Traci can be reached at tracigrant.com or [email protected] Mentioned:After the Rotting by Traci GrantNPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

Amy’s discovery about her origins reshaped everything she thought she knew about her life and family. This conversation stayed with me long after recording—it’s one of those stories that quietly breaks your heart while reminding you what healing can look like.Amy can be reached via email [email protected] Mentioned:Some NPE groups on facebook MPE Life: DNA Surprise, NPE, Adoptee, & Donor Conceived (DCP) RTK Supporthttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mpelifeTogetherness Heals ~ NPE Only on facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/611030509748927Hiraeth Hope and Healing (retreats for NPEs)https://www.facebook.com/groups/456700751111085NPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories

After a tumultuous childhood, William built a happy life as a chef, husband, and father—until a DNA test revealed a hidden truth about his identity. His discovery led him to a new family, a shared passion, and a journey of forgiveness and healing. In this episode, William reflects on breaking cycles of pain and finding connection through truth.William can be reached via facebook or email [email protected] Mentioned:Dani Shapiro's Inheritance William Aperance's A Life Half Told: Unraveling my life's story through DNANPE Stories PatreonNPE Stories facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/NPEstories