Family history research can yield astonishing revelations, as seen in Reissa Spier’s journey of discovering her secret siblings. This story, reported by Jenny Kleeman from Canada, highlights the astonishing discoveries possible through family history research.
Reissa, adopted in 1954, had a happy childhood with her Jewish adoptive parents in Montreal, Canada. “I was exactly where I was supposed to be,” she recalls. It wasn’t until her 50s, after a breast cancer diagnosis, that she decided to delve into her genetic heritage. In 2016, she took a 23andMe DNA test, initially aiming to learn about her health. Instead, she discovered 18 biological siblings and uncovered a dark secret involving a black market for Jewish babies in post-war Canada. “My journey with DNA was a gift wrapped in barbed wire,” Reissa says, reflecting on the emotional discoveries that followed.
Reissa’s results showed she had a sister, Rene Holm, nearly three years older. The discovery led to an emotional journey that connected the two women, each with very different childhood experiences. Unlike Reissa, Rene endured a challenging upbringing, abandoned by her adoptive mother and raised by her grandparents in Massachusetts. Despite these hardships, the two sisters formed a close bond, ultimately meeting for a heartwarming reunion.
Their story took an unexpected turn when Rene revealed that she had been told as a child that she was bought by her adoptive family. This revelation prompted Reissa to dig deeper, eventually revealing the broader context: a black-market adoption network in 1950s Montreal, where babies were sold to Jewish families for significant sums. Jewish babies were highly sought after, and a network of lawyers, doctors, and nurses operated to facilitate these transactions. Montreal, in those years, saw a thousand babies traded in this way before the scandal broke in 1954.
Through further DNA testing on Ancestry, Reissa connected with more siblings, including Bob Bryntwick and Sharon Coppola. Sharon had learned late in life that her parents bought her, while Bob was the only one among them not adopted, raised instead by their biological mother, Anne. Bob’s story revealed that Anne was manipulated by their biological father, Mike Mitchell, who systematically conceived children to sell to waiting Jewish families.
The practice of selling children was not illegal in the 1940s and 1950s, and families in desperate circumstances were targeted by scouts. Anne and Mike, caught in this grim business, saw several of their children taken away almost as soon as they were born. While Anne was depicted as a victim of circumstance, Mike appeared to be the cold-hearted architect of the scheme. He even led a double life, with another family of his own.
Reissa eventually discovered she was part of the largest known case of full siblings sold on the black market in Montreal. Her story brought her in contact with eight full siblings and several half-siblings, revealing a sprawling family dispersed across North America. Despite the dark origins of her birth, Reissa embraced the new connections, stating that learning the truth led to some of the most fulfilling relationships of her life.
Reissa’s journey illustrates how at-home DNA tests can provide not just medical insights, but also extraordinary connections that bridge decades of lost family history. Her story, initially triggered by health concerns, ultimately offered her an unexpected, yet meaningful family reunion. Read the full story here: https://www.thetimes.com/magazines/the-sunday-times-magazine/article/23andme-ancestry-test-siblings-8667ql0s8
Image Source:
- Photo by Annie Spratt: instant images
