After spending some time wondering about who her father is, Mantua resident Saharra Robinson sought her answer through a popular DNA testing kit.
This past Christmas, Robinson received a 23andMe DNA kit as a gift. She said she grew curious on who her biological father was after her mom passed away in 2011, and all she knew of was his first name.
“[The 23andMe DNA Relatives feature] is a popular, interactive feature that allows you to find and connect with genetic relatives and see specific DNA segments you share with them,” the testing company said on their website. “The DNA Relatives feature can identify relatives on any branch of your recent family tree by taking advantage of the autosomal chromosomes – the 22 chromosomes that are passed down from your ancestors on both sides of your family – and the X chromosome.”
Robinson said her test took around four months to provide results and gave her the name and location of Berlin Borough resident Patrick Collier’s, her father, uncle’s son – Robinson’s first cousin. In May, they formally met.
“It’s cool, but it’s like I’m living a dream a little bit,” Robinson said. “It’s surreal.”
Upon meeting, the two said they learned they shared various qualities such as being tall, athletic and the same coffee order.
“The first day we met, we found out we had something in common, which was coffee,” Collier said. “I’m not a coffee drinker, neither is she. We both ordered the same thing out of everything on the menu.”
“In high school I was a track star,” Robinson said, adding her dad was a standout runner in high school, too.
Collier said he had a similar situation in his own life where he found out about a family member through a genealogy test and was then able to met more family members he didn’t know about previously.
Collier added he also told Robinson about other family members she didn’t know of before, and has plans of meeting more all at once at a family reunion.
Meeting was special for the two because they were able to share Father’s Day with one another.
“I said to someone ‘it’s kind of weird for me because I never say happy Father’s Day to anyone,’” Robinson said. “I’d say it to my son’s father, but then to actually be like ‘I have to go to my dad’s house’ felt weird because it’s been 31 years. It’s still me adjusting to a new life.”
Collier added it was exciting to be able to spend the day with her and learn more about her.
The two advised for anyone yearning to know who their extended or close family members are, that they should take a genealogy test, but know that “not every story will turn out like ours.”
“They should prepare themselves if they’re met with some kind of disappointment,” Robinson said. “If they are going to do it, do it. I think everyone has a right to know where they come from.”
