The moment when you hold your child in your arms for the first time is a complete game-changer. You look into that tiny baby’s eyes and truly understand the meaning of love. You finally get everything your parents felt for you all those years.
Unconditional love
Holding them for the first time is a reminder that no matter what, it’s all worth it.
A big mistake
It’s not something we think about very often, but occasionally, a couple will go home with the wrong baby. It’s rare, but getting handed the wrong baby is something that has happened before.
With new procedures like IVF, it’s possible to CARRY the wrong baby, not just take them home!
IVF (in-vitro fertilization) is the process of placing an externally fertilized embryo directly into a woman’s womb. The process can help avoid certain genetic disadvantages that might be present, as well as helping to guarantee successful fertilization. It’s a truly remarkable process!
Switched at birth
Incredibly, one couple just found out that their embryos got switched with another.
Whole world turned upside down
Donna and Vanner Johnson are a Utah-based couple who wanted to have some fun with their kids one day. Instead of the typical “let’s go to the movies” suggestion, they all decided to order DNA tests from the popular online company 23andMe.
When Vanner got his results back, however, he was shocked.
“My husband called and said, ‘Hey, I got my results back,’But he said there was something off.” – TODAY
Not a match
Their youngest son, Tim, was 12-years old when they took the tests. What was strange was the fact that the DNA listed the paternal results as “unknown”. Essentially, Tim wasn’t a match to his own dad.
Years ago, Vanner had gone through multiple surgeries that ended up requiring the couple to seek medical help to have another child.
When they had gone to implant Donna’s egg, however, they didn’t use Vanner’s “contribution” to the equation – they accidentally used someone else’s. The result was, now known, was that their son wasn’t related to his own father in blood.
“We were so shocked, and honestly didn’t know what to do,” Donna shares. “We just kept thinking, ‘What is happening to our family? Is our son legally our son? We didn’t know for sure, and we were worried.” – TODAY
Telling his son
Vanner took his son out for ice cream to break the news.
A mix up
Since Tim was already aware his parents used IVF to help get pregnant, it wasn’t all that tough to explain to him.
“Then I said that the tests found that when we got pregnant with you, and we went through IVF, something happened in the lab, some kind of mix up, and it turns out that I am not your biological father,” Vanner adds.
Tim took it like a pro. He said that the only thing he really wonders is what he would have looked like with his dad’s genes!
After taking some time to process the news, he was still resolute – his dad was still his dad.
When they went to tell Tim’s older brother, his response was much the same:
“It doesn’t matter, he’s still my brother.”
Looking for his biological dad
There is still a whole lot more to the story, too! Tim wanted to know who his biological dad was and the family went looking. After some SERIOUS sleuthing, they were able to find him. Devin McNeil had used the same procedure and was likely Tim’s biological dad. After an official test, it was proven.
Although new information was now in the light, nobody’s feelings were changed.
A dad isn’t just someone who helped “make you”, they are so much more than that! For Tim, it was clear who his dad was. Still, there was a lot to process on both sides of the coin.
Watch the video below to watch how both families took the news.
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