A New Jersey man proved with near certitude that his mother was switched at birth and died in 2004, at 86, without ever knowing.
“It was like, who had the affair, you know? Which side, which relative, which uncle? We were going through a lot of theories,” said Berzon, who grew up in Cherry Hill.
That cautious approach is actually recommended by the genealogy company itself. When introducing yourself to previously unknown relatives, Ancestry advises a slow-and-steady approach: “Keep in mind that your message could come as a surprise; it’s wise to be sensitive to the match’s current family dynamics,” the website says.
That’s when Spurr learned several first cousins on his mother’s side of the family were already members of the genealogical service, and they had some unsettling news to deliver. The implications of this information — that none of his mother’s cousins, siblings, or parents were actually related to him — deeply shook Spurr.Spurr ran through the possibilities in his head. Could he be adopted? Doubtful. His sister, four years younger, has a DNA profile that matches his own and they both show connections to his dad’s relatives.
From his research, Spurr already knew the Berzons had four children, one of whom was born the same year as his mom Celia — 1918.
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