In Lakeville on a sunny afternoon, four siblings enjoyed each other’s company as if they had never been apart. Tammy Meuzelaar, Rhonda Johnson, and Crystal Moskwinski had flown to meet their brother, Scott Weddle 6 months ago. The trio of women had searched intermittently over the years for answers to questions they had about their biological parents. Mostly they wanted medical information. Crystal took a DNA test and enlisted the help of a friend who dabbled in genealogy research. She was shocked when the friend called her to tell her about Scott. He was hesitant upon learning of the three sisters he had never known of, but he quickly came around.
The siblings’ journey began in Columbus where they were born. An aunt had adopted and raised Scott, the oldest child. Tammy, Rhonda, and Crystal spent time in foster care before being adopted together by their adoptive parents. Their family was once featured in the newspaper in promotion of older child and sibling group adoptions. Now the women have made headlines again.
DNA has become an invaluable tool for those looking for family, especially adoptees. Ancestry DNA has the largest user database. The company has surpassed 5 million members, and the total is growing every day. You can’t find a web page, forum, or group that discusses reunion without mention of DNA testing, and with good reason. DNA is unlocking age old secrets for people who have little to no info about their family to go on otherwise. The test, though, is no magic pill. The wait time between submission and results is about six to eight weeks, and often there is much work with the results obtained. Many must go through cousin matches to find who they are looking for, but most find the outcome worth it.
