Katherine Valerio’s inspirational DNA discovery began as a easy experiment.
At 33, she ordered a DNA check only for enjoyable, by no means anticipating that it might fully rewrite her household historical past and alter the way in which she noticed herself.
Born in France and raised in Luxembourg, Katherine believed she was absolutely Portuguese.
Because the third of ten siblings, she was surrounded by household, however one thing inside her by no means felt like she belonged.
“I by no means actually felt a way of belonging inside my household,” she shared to Newsweek. “In some methods, I’ve all the time been very bodily completely different from everybody else. I used to be all the time fascinated and obsessive about all the pieces associated to Egypt since I used to be 5.”
Her fascination wasn’t only a childhood part. It felt private—one thing deeper than curiosity. But it surely wasn’t till 2019, on her birthday, that she acquired the stunning reality.
Her ancestry reveal was a turning level
The DNA check outcomes arrived with numbers that didn’t make sense to her. As a substitute of exhibiting Portuguese heritage, most of her ancestry pointed solely elsewhere.
Katherine discovered she was 58.4% Egyptian, 22.9% Portuguese, 14.1% South Italian, and 4.6% Algerian.
The surprising ancestry outcomes shocked her. She dismissed them at first, pondering there had been some mistake.
However deep down, she couldn’t shake the sensation that one thing in regards to the check was true.
For some time, she stored the outcomes to herself. Then, in March 2022, she posted a video on TikTok warning: don’t take a DNA check until you’re prepared for what it would reveal.
That message struck a chord, gaining over 12,000 likes and almost half 1,000,000 views.
Quickly after, she acquired a message from a girl who claimed to be her cousin. She lived in Abu Dhabi and mentioned she knew Katherine’s actual father.
That message opened the door to a long-kept household secret—one her mom by no means supposed to share.
“My relationship with my mom has been difficult since I discovered. I received’t lie, I went via a mixture of anger, disappointment, and confusion. I felt betrayed, principally as a result of this wasn’t simply any secret… it was my complete id.”
An inspirational DNA discovery that related two worlds
As painful as the reality was, Katherine adopted it. She discovered that the person she had all the time believed was her father wasn’t biologically associated to her.
Her actual father, a person named Moustapha, was Egyptian, however had sadly handed away earlier than she had the prospect to satisfy him.
Nonetheless, she discovered one thing lovely: a brand new household.
“It’s unimaginable how two folks from fully completely different cultures, deciding to take the identical DNA check ‘only for enjoyable,’ led me to find the reality,” she mentioned.
She quickly discovered that the person she thought was her father wasn’t, and that she had a completely new Muslim household in Egypt, with siblings and cousins she intently resembled.
In June 2022, Katherine traveled to Paris to satisfy her organic uncle, Moustapha’s brother, and his spouse and youngsters. The second she noticed them, she felt a rush of recognition.
In images, she regarded similar to them.
Raised Catholic, she had no expertise with Muslim traditions.
Now, she had veiled aunts and cousins, new cultural norms, and members of the family who welcomed her with open arms.
Her ancestry reveal wasn’t nearly blood however id, connection, and discovering the place she actually belonged.
Therapeutic via reality and household
Katherine’s journey was stuffed with heartbreak, discovery, and new beginnings.
Her inspirational DNA discovery led her via grief. Nonetheless, it additionally gave her one thing she had by no means recognized—a way of dwelling in a spot she had by no means been.
Katherine continues to share her journey on-line, inspiring others who’ve uncovered hidden truths via surprising ancestry outcomes.
Many say her energy inspired them to start exploring their very own household histories.
“DNA doesn’t simply provide you with info, it provides you tales. And a few of them can change your life.”
At this time, she embraces a fuller sense of id—not solely via genetics, however via the folks, locations, and cultures that are actually a part of her story.
Her expertise is a reminder that even essentially the most surprising discoveries can result in one thing vital: reality, connection, and a way of dwelling.
Right here’s Katherine’s viral video the place she revealed her inspirational DNA discovery:
@jusst_kate Don’t take a DNA check in the event you can’t deal with it ♡ #dna #dnatest #familysecrets #npe #portugal #egypt #id #disaster #storytime #journey #selfcare ♬ Nasini El Donya – Ragheb Alama
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