Political commentator shocked after DNA test reveals secret family who lived 20 minutes from late mum

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A political commentator found his secret family after a house DNA test matched him with three native and residing half-siblings of his late mom.

Peter Stefanovic, 58, a excessive profile lawyer from Buckinghamshire whose political commentary has gone viral in recent times, was not anticipating to find any new family members when he and his late mom, Aileen, did a DNA dwelling test to study extra about their Scandinavian and Finnish origins.

Aileen handed away in February 2021, a number of months earlier than her test outcomes got here again to disclose she matched with three half-siblings, one in all whom lives simply 20 minutes away from her childhood dwelling in Welling, Kent.

The stunning discovery additionally revealed the establish of her father, John McRory, an Irish soldier who had been stationed within the space through the Thirties.

While Aileen, who died on the age of 86, by no means knew her father’s title and was unaware of the existence of her three half-siblings, Peter has now met up along with his new family at a resort in Rochester on January 27 2024, together with his mom’s half-sister, Victoria Cox, 86, and half-brothers, Ashley and Graham McRory.

Peter stated: “When we all came together that evening, there was a sense of trepidation because we didn’t know how everyone was going to react to each other.

“When my wife and I walked into the hotel bar where we had arranged to meet on that Saturday night, we were greeted with this overwhelming feeling of love and affection.

“That old saying, that blood is thicker than water, I did not really understand what it meant until that night.

“I’ve suddenly got a whole new family that I never knew I had, and it’s really quite extraordinary.

“It looks like that when my grandad had these flings with my mother and Victoria’s mother, that he was already married.

“I was told that my grandad was a very charming man with the ladies, which would explain how he got away with it.”

Peter knew little or no about his grandfather, John McRory – solely that he had been an Irish soldier.

But this all modified when Peter determined to do a house DNA test with MyHeritage in 2018, to search out out extra about his background.

He was shocked to find that a good portion of his genetic make-up got here from Scandinavia and Finland.

Wanting to know extra, he prompt his mom, Aileen, additionally take a house test which confirmed his Nordic heritage.

(*20*) Peter defined.

Sadly, Aileen handed away shortly afterwards with out ever discovering out who her father was.

“My mum sadly died three years ago never knowing who her father was,” he stated.

“When we embarked on the DNA testing it never crossed anyone’s mind that we would find her father, my grandfather.

“It’s only through the miracle of DNA testing that it happened.”

Several months after his mom’s demise, Peter was notified that his mom’s DNA had been matched with 86-year-old Victoria Cox.

It turned out to be Aileen’s half sister, who was born in 1937 in Gravesend, Kent, simply 20 minutes away from her childhood dwelling in Welling.

“It is such a shame that neither of them knew the other existed,” stated Peter.

Victoria had by no means identified her organic father both, and was informed the identical story, that he had been an Irish solider.

“There was a shared sense of loss between my mum and Victoria because neither of them knew who their father was,” stated Peter.

“They were both told the same story, that he was Irish and a soldier, but no name, no address, nothing else.”

He would have remained a thriller had the DNA test not been matched with two different half-siblings, Ashley and Graham McRory.

“They knew nothing about Victoria and my mum,” stated Peter.

“But the way in which they have just welcomed these two families who they knew nothing about with open arms was so touching.”

Their father, John McRory, was an Irish citizen and had been stationed round Kent through the early Thirties.

Peter has since discovered paperwork which recommend his grandfather John was born in 1913 and served within the Royal Ulster Rifles.

It additionally tallies with what Peter had been informed about his grandmother, Elsie Baldwin’s fleeting relationship.

“My great aunt said that my grandma had always been a rather quiet and sullen child, so you can imagine, there was a huge wave of shock in the family when they discovered that she was pregnant,” stated Peter.

“I was told that my great grandad went to see this guy and asked what his intentions were, to which he replied that he was already married and then disappeared.

“When you think about the time, early 1930s, it was pretty extreme behaviour, but apparently he was a very charming man with the ladies.”

The new discovered family agreed to satisfy in-person for the primary time at a resort in Rochester on the finish of final month.

“There was this instant connection.”

Peter’s spouse, Anu, 59, who was one in all his mom’s carers earlier than she handed away, was shocked by the resemblance between Aileen and her half sister.

Many of Peter’s new family members recognised him from his media presence, with some even following him on Twitter.

“I’ve been known for many years as someone who has challenged the Government on a number of issues and it’s just one of those things, where if you say something that resonates with people, they just start following you.”

Peter stated him and his spouse had been “treated like any other family member” and welcomed with “open arms”.

The couple, who now lives in Northamptonshire, plan on attending Victoria’s 87th birthday in May and converse with their new family frequently.

“We have been messaging each other, practically every day,” stated Peter.

“It almost feels as though we have always known each other.”

To discover out extra about MyHeritage dwelling DNA checks go to: www.myheritage.com/dna