I Finally Found My Family in Greece After 64 Years Thanks to MyHeritage DNA

My name is Barbara Brown, and I’m from Texas. I was adopted from Greece in 1959 when I was just two months old, by an American couple living on a military base in England. My adoptive father served in the U.S. Air Force, and he and my adoptive mother — unable to have children of their own at the time — decided to adopt. Two years later, in 1961, they had a biological son. He became my brother, and we are still very close. I’ve always felt deeply loved by my family and truly blessed to have been adopted.

When I was around 4 or 5 years old, they told me that I had been adopted, and that I was Greek. They were proud of adopting me and gave me a wonderful childhood. I never felt different. I never felt anything but loved and accepted.

But as I grew older, I began to feel a deep need to understand where I came from. I wanted to know my story — who my parents were, where my roots were planted. I reached out to the Greek adoption services, hoping for answers. I received some information: my biological mother’s name and my grandfather’s name. But nothing at all about my biological father. That part of my history was completely blank.

The adoption office wasn’t helpful. I had hit a dead end.

The Eftychia Project

In 2018, a relative mentioned an organization in Greece called The Eftychia Project that helps Greek adoptees like me. At the end of 2019, I contacted them. On their advice, I took a DNA test, but no meaningful matches came back. I assumed the search was over.

But then — three years later, in 2023 — everything changed.

Linda from The Eftychia Project uploaded my DNA to MyHeritage, and almost immediately we got a hit. A strong match. A first cousin! That match opened the door we’d been waiting for.

The cousin belonged to a large family — her father had four brothers and a sister. Any one of them could have been my father. One of the uncles was still alive, and we hoped it might be him. Her son had taken a DNA test, and uploaded his results to MyHeritage… but he turned out to be another first cousin. Still, we were getting closer.

Linda tested 3 more family members with MyHeritage DNA. When the results came in, everything changed again. I had a half-brother. And a half-sister. We had found my father.

I learned that my Greek father was the eldest of 7 children — 6 boys and one girl. I bear a strong resemblance to that sister, my aunt. Only one of the 7 siblings is still living. My father himself had two children: a son and a daughter, who are my half-siblings. I am the oldest.

‘We’ll take care of her’

Shortly after the DNA match was confirmed, my new brother messaged me. It was overwhelming — emotional, surreal. We immediately made plans to meet, and I started preparing for the trip to Greece.

When I told my kids, they were thrilled for me — but a little nervous, too. I was flying across the world to meet people I had never known, and they weren’t sure what to expect. But after speaking with my newfound relatives, their fears melted away. My Greek family welcomed me with open arms and told my children not to worry: “We’ll take care of her.”

Barbara in Greece

We spent an incredible 3 weeks together — traveling, eating, sharing stories, and getting to know one another. I don’t drink alcohol, and they teased me, “Where’s your Greek side?” My siblings told me that our father never knew I existed. They said, “If he had known about you, he would have accepted you and cared for you.” I’m their big sister. They’re my little siblings. They say I look just like our father’s sister.

Barbara (left) with her Greek cousin

I now have a big extended family — cousins, nieces, nephews — who embraced me as if I had grown up with them. They’re loving, warm, and accepting.

We’re still looking for my biological mother. I had focused so long on finding her, never believing I could find my father. I hoped maybe through her I’d find clues… but MyHeritage helped me find what I never thought possible.

I’ve since learned that my father was a kind and joyful man. A mechanic who loved working with his hands — he grew vegetables, kept plants, and was always smiling. Everyone says he had a good heart.

A bond that distance can’t undo

My husband and I have two boys and five grandchildren. And I feel connected to my Greek roots—through my siblings, through this place, through this family I never knew I had. I felt nervous at first, but once we started talking, the bond formed naturally. We saw beautiful places in Greece, and I felt completely at home.

Barbara with her husband

Now, we talk regularly. We’ve built a bond that distance can’t undo.

Thanks to MyHeritage DNA, I found my family after 64 years. I found where I come from. And best of all — I found where I belong.

Many thanks to Barbara for sharing her beautiful story with us! If you’ve also made a life-changing discovery using MyHeritage, we’d love to hear about it. Please send it to us via this form or email us at stories@myheritage.com.