A woman revealed how a breast cancer test revealed she was sold at birth with seven other siblings. Reissa Spier, 67, of Surrey, Vancouver, discovered she had several other siblings after delving into the fascinating secret of her family tree. She wanted to know if she was a BRCA gene carrier after being diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 51, fearful of passing it on to her daughter.
She said: “I had to prove that I had a first-degree relative who also had breast cancer, and I didn’t know any first-degree relatives. “They said, ‘You don’t qualify because you’re adopted.’ Well, that’s backwards. I should qualify because I’m adopted.” Because of this, she was denied a screening due.
Years later, when she got a DNA test for her 62nd birthday, she discovered that she didn’t have the mutation, but she also discovered an incredible secret. She had a large number of siblings and half-siblings, as well as being sold by her biological parents along with seven other children.
Rene Holm, 70, her full sister, who lived in Rutland, Massachusetts, was able to reconnect with her. June and Sam Cohen adopted Holm, who later moved to Worcester, Massachusetts. Reissa added: “This couple was together, had a baby girl, and gave her up for adoption. And two and a half years later they’re still together” — and then “they gave me up?”
She later joined Ancestry.com, where she met her half-brother, Bob Bryntwick. Bob was Anne Bryntwick’s middle child, born in 1948 and raised with his family in Montreal. Ed, Ann, Barbara, and Michael were his four other siblings. Max “Mike” Mitchell was revealed to Bob, Barbara, and Michael as their father.
From 1949 to 1957, he recalls his mother being pregnant nearly every year. He recalls his brother Ed telling him that their other siblings were sold to families; “Mike was getting $10,000 per child,” he recalls him saying.
Reissa continued to research her family tree with 23andMe and Ancestry and discovered she had eight more biological siblings. Sharon Coppola, Naomi Baum, Jon Sherman, and Bram Eisenthal, all of whom were given up for adoption to Jewish families, were also discovered to be her siblings. Reissa is happy to have a relationship with all of her siblings, despite the fact that there are still many questions about her mysterious family background. “It didn’t really hurt me by meeting them. If anything, it enhanced me,” she said.
People have different reasons for doing things and sometimes, it may be difficult to understand. But one thing is for sure, people may make plans, but the Lord weighs them all. God does not allow things that will harm His children. So no matter what happens in our lives, we must continue to trust in Him.
Those who lost a family member can find a family in God. Though it may seem that you are alone, those who follow and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior can call God their Father and will have a multitude of brothers and sisters in Christ.