Architect Surprises Mother with Stunning Wedding Photo Restored by MyHeritage

Born and raised in the close-knit border town of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, Luis Gonzalez was a regular kid with a special talent for numbers, even clinching the first place in a city-wide Mathematics contest in the 6th grade. Now 49 and wearing the hats of both an architect and a tax preparer, Luis shared with us the story of his genealogy adventure spanning over three decades. 

Using MyHeritage has brought Luis much joy, especially when he surprised his mother with a vibrant, restored photo of her parents’ wedding day, a moment that they are sure to remember for years to come.

Childhood Curiosity Turns into a Lifelong Hobby

Growing up just a short drive from San Diego, California, Luis enjoyed the best of both worlds. His academic journey took him to Mexicali, where he pursued architecture. Not long after, Luis found himself working in the bustling heart of San Diego. Despite his travels, he always found his way back home, and for the past 12 years, has carved out a happy niche for himself in the Palm Springs area.

Luis’s close bond with his grandparents, who were once his next-door neighbors, sparked a curiosity in family history at an early age. In high school, Luis stumbled upon a genealogy software that fueled his desire to delve deeper into his family’s past. Casual conversations with his grandparents turned into a fascinating exploration of family secrets, history, and surprising connections.

Joining MyHeritage and Uncovering New Connections

The pandemic provided Luis with an unexpected opportunity to spend more time tracing his family roots, leading him to an astonishing discovery that a close friend was actually a relative. Now, their friendship has blossomed into a newfound cousinhood, a bond that Luis treasures deeply.

In February 2021, Luis signed up for MyHeritage, and it quickly became more than just a tool for genealogy research — it turned into a hub of joy and nostalgia for him and his community. He appreciated the practical aspects, like being able to upload DNA results from other sites, which made connecting the dots in his family history a bit easier.

But what really caught Luis’s attention were the photo features. He got a kick out of restoring old family photos, adding color to black and white images, and even animating pictures, bringing them to life in a way that felt almost magical. Sharing these refreshed photos with family members became a regular activity, reviving old memories and starting new conversations.

Luis even started helping his neighbors do the same with their old photos. He’s also been getting to grips with the DNA triangulation and clustering features on the site, finding them to be really handy tools in his dive into his family’s history. It’s safe to say, joining MyHeritage has brought a whole new layer of connection and excitement to Luis’s life.

A Heartfelt Gift 

One special memory from this journey was the day he gifted his 81-year-old mother an enhanced, restored, and colorized version of her parents’ 1925 wedding photo, which he created using the MyHeritage photo tools. This cherished photo, which had remained tucked away for years, now finds a proud place in the family dining room. 

Here’s a video of the touching moment when Luis surprised his mom with the gift:

Encouraging Others to Embark on a DNA Adventure

Luis’s story is a testament to the fun and surprises that MyHeritage can provide such as DNA testing, and photo tools. He hopes more people will give it a try. As Luis likes to point out, it’s a great way to realize how connected we all really are.

Inspired by Luis’s story? We’d love to hear your personal family discoveries too!