In this episode of Karamo, host Karamo brings together Hope, a woman who has spent 23 years searching for her biological father, and Tim, a man who claimed he might be her dad after a chance encounter at a gas station three years ago. Hope recounts a turbulent childhood, moving between relatives, and the emotional void left by not knowing her father, while also describing how her mother had long denied any possibility of Tim being her father. Tim explains his initial willingness to take a DNA test, the pressure from his cousin and a courtroom order, and his eventual hesitation due to personal circumstances. The show revisits earlier DNA tests that ruled out a cousin and other unnamed men. Hope’s husband Devin expresses concern for her emotional well‑being. The DNA results are finally revealed on air: Tim is not Hope’s biological father. Hope reacts with disappointment and heartbreak, while Karamo offers empathy, support, and proposes assistance in finding another potential father, including a recent Facebook message from a man offering to pay for a test. The episode blends personal testimony, legal background, and emotional counseling, highlighting the complexities of paternity searches and the impact of unresolved family histories.
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Welcome to the show, friends. Today we are solving a DNA mystery. My first guest Hope has been searching for her father for 23 years without any clue of his identity. But just 3 years ago at a gas station, she met a man named Tim who approached her and said, I think I might be your dad and I'd love to take a DNA test. Hope has been wrestling with this information for the last 3 years and today she's finally ready to sit with Tim and learn the truth. Everyone, please welcome Hope to the show. Hi, Hope.
Hey.
Well, isn't this yellow pretty on you?
Yes.
And the bling? Work. I live. All right, Hope, tell me about the day that you met Tim at the gas station.
Okay, so my husband at the time, who was my boyfriend, was telling me about this dude named Tim. And he was saying, oh, how much I look like him, how we had similarities in our eye color and everything. And I'm not even kidding when I tell you like 10 minutes later, we go to this gas station, this guy's like, hey, where's Hope at? So he goes out to the car and he gets me, and I walk into the store and this guy's like, hey, I think, "Hey, I might possibly be your father. I would like to do a DNA test." Were you surprised by that? A little bit, yeah. I mean, who wouldn't?
Well, you gotta have been shocked, like what?
Yeah, like, okay.
So in that moment, why did you think that he could possibly be your dad?
I didn't, I really didn't, 'cause my mom had told me for years after he asked for the DNA test that it was completely impossible. She never did nothing with him. So, you know, I believed her 'cause she's my mom. But before I, like, I submitted the request to come on here and everything, I texted him, I was like, before we even go on this show, I would want to know, like, why do you think you're my dad? Like, my mom said, you know, I just never did nothing, like, be kind of pointless to come on a show and you're not my dad, you know?
Yeah, of course.
So he told me the story, and before that, my mom was telling me about the story, how she was hanging out with some friends, and she didn't know who the guy she was hanging out with, and she gave me the names and everything. Well, he tells me the exact same story with her friend. So I was like, oh, two and two's adding up now. She really did do something with this guy and she's, you know, lying.
Yes. Yeah, it makes sense.
Yeah, a little bit.
So what were you told about your father growing up?
I thought it was his cousin my entire life. Yeah.
So you thought Tim's cousin was your father?
Yeah, for a while, until I was 14 and then we did a DNA test and he wasn't.
Got it.
Yeah.
Okay, yeah, okay.
Yeah, that's the first time I seen Tim. He was at the courthouse with his cousin and—
They need the DNA test for the cousin?
Yeah.
Can I ask you a question just to go back? What was your childhood like? What was life like growing up?
It was rough. I lived from house to house. I didn't hardly ever live with my mom. Mainly family members. I jumped from my mom's best friend to my aunt to my great aunt back to my mom's best friend. Back to my great aunt. I lived with my grandma until I was 5 years old.
So, and you have siblings, right?
Yes, I have 4 of 'em.
And do you, they're all sisters?
Yes.
And do your sisters know who their father is?
Yes.
So, okay.
Yeah, that's what I was trying to get, like how can you have 3, she has 3 different other baby daddies, but how do you know their dads and not mine?
Do you think that Tim might be your father? Now that you heard that story and they line up?
I'm hoping, I really do. I have a lot of, I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like deep down inside, maybe possibly he might be my dad, you know? Just that feeling.
Producers say he actually tried not to come here today. Did you know that?
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
Because the only reason that struck me is that because the fact that y'all are in a good space now, he came to you in this gas station, yet he didn't wanna come here. Why was that?
It was a lot of drama with his situation at his house.
What does that mean?
Like a girlfriend or what? Yeah, his girlfriend at the time didn't want him to come at all. I don't know why. I couldn't tell you why. But after we got the DNA test done and he texted me saying, I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to do it. No, you're not gonna do that. Like, we're gonna do this.
Yeah.
So—
Hold on, 'cause I just have to step back because when I hear information about, when I hear information like that, I can only imagine the emotional toll it takes on you. What was that doing to you emotionally and mentally?
It was a lot. It really did hurt. Like, if I could explain it, it felt like my chest was probably just shattering into a million pieces. 'Cause you know, I wanna, I wanna know, you know?
Yeah, I'm sorry.
But I wasn't gonna let him back out. So I pulled up at his house.
Yeah.
Me and my husband, and we pulled up and we told him, we're like, you're coming.
You're coming with us.
You're not backing out. I love that, yes. We're not doing that.
Yeah. I'm proud of you for that strength. I'm proud of you for that strength. You know, Hope has spent the last 2 decades trying to find information about her father until 3 years ago when she met a man at a local gas station who told her he could be her father. Everyone, it's time to meet that man who was at that gas station. Please welcome Tim to the show. How you doing, Tim? Good, good. Nice to meet you, sir.
Nice to meet you. Yeah.
So you asked Hope to take the DNA test and then you didn't show up? Almost didn't show up today.
I let somebody talk me out of it.
Okay, yeah, what happened?
Somebody being selfish, I'd say. And I should not have let anybody stand in my way like I did. Or almost did.
Almost did, yeah. Good thing you got this strong lady right here.
Yes.
That was it, yeah.
She actually pulled up with my other two daughters.
She done pulled up.
Oh, you did? Oh, his other daughters.
Oh, they pulled up at the party. They was like, uh-uh, not today. Yep. That's hilarious. Yep. So, why do you think, Hope says she thinks that you're afraid of knowing the truth, is that true?
No, no, and as for myself as well as for her, I was willing to do it for her and I wanted to do it for the both of us because for one, I didn't want a child growing up without me. For two, she's got the right to know.
What's making you emotional right now?
The things she might have messed up on.
Yeah.
And I hate that for her. It hurts me.
So part of this is also a little bit of guilt.
No, I wouldn't say guilt because her mom had—
How would you explain that? Is because you were there when she was in the courtroom with your cousin.
Yes.
And you found out months ago.
Yes, my cousin had asked me to go and whenever the judge ordered him to take the DNA test and everything, an aunt of hers had called out in front of the judge and the whole courtroom that she wanted me to take a paternity test. And, you know, and I was ready, I was willing, I would've done whatever it took or I needed to do, you know, for the state or for the situation, whatever.
But then you waited years. That's the only reason I brought up the guilt situation is because it's like your feeling of like she missed out, The thing that she didn't have.
There was a lot of guys in line in front of me.
Yeah.
That, you know, they had to go through.
Yeah.
And everything and—
Yeah.
And—
Is your mom, do you have a good relationship with your mom now?
No, I don't speak to her.
At all?
No.
Hope, what were the big moments that were missed in your life of not having a dad?
A lot of things, like learning how to drive and like, you know, small, School. Yeah, change of attire, you know, school activities. Like I was in choir and I did color guard, you know, and none of my family ever showed up for any of that. So it was just me. Just a lot my whole life.
You said there was a, just to use your language, a long line of men before you.
Yes.
That, you know, when you were considering a dad and you said you had two of them tested, two of them. Was there other guys that you knew of that were tested or talked to?
Not that I've talked to. I know that there was, like you said, two other guys. They said that there was other, there was another two more DNA tests, but I don't know the name of those guys.
Got it. Well, listen, Hope's husband Devin is here in the audience. I want to talk to him right now. Devin? So Devin, thank you for being here today to support your wife. Why do you have concerns about Tim being Hope's father?
I just seen my wife cry a lot about missing out on that stuff and I just, I think Tim's a good guy, I just don't wanna see her get hurt anymore. I don't wanna see her miss out on that, I don't wanna see her cry anymore. It's been a pretty emotional journey for her. I haven't been here for the whole thing, but been here for enough of it. I just don't wanna see my wife get hurt anymore. If he is her dad, I want him to be there. We have kids and stuff and I think it'd be a good deal. I think it'd be a great addition to our family.
Yeah, that's great. Thank you, Devin, so much. Listen, everyone, Hope has waited 23 years to find her birth father. And for the last 3 years, she's wondered if Tim was the dad she's been waiting for. Before we reveal the outcome of the DNA, Tim, are you ready to finally know the truth? I am. You are? What would this truth mean to you if she is your daughter?
I'd have another daughter and I'd be a grandpa.
Aw. You're a very sweet man. You're a very sweet man. Hope, are you ready to have these answers?
Yes, I'm beyond ready. Just to know I have siblings and my babies have more aunts, more family, a grandpa they can talk to, you know?
Yeah.
A blood grandpa.
Yeah. Are you hoping he's your father?
Yeah, a little bit.
Yeah, yeah. Well, this is the DNA outcome. This has the answers of whether or not Tim is your father. Are you ready for this?
Yeah, I'm ready.
There you go, if you can open it and read out loud what it says.
I'm a little nervous right now.
Oh yeah, take your time. I understand this is a big moment.
I know that she's gonna get a big hug. Either way.
Okay. It says, "Hope Tim is not your father." I'm sorry. It's okay. It'll be all right.
I'm sorry.
Sorry.
You've been set on this path that you had nothing to do with. It was your mother's choices. I wanna get your husband to come down here 'cause your wife is hurting. Can you come down here with your wife? Tim, I'm gonna thank you for being here. I'm gonna let them two have a moment. I can talk to them. Thank you so much. We'll see you backstage.
You can check in.
But thank you for being here.
There you go, that's good.
It's all right. We'll get there one day.
When, when I'm 50? I just don't understand why she has to make it so hard.
Yeah. Yeah.
It's so stressful. It's just kind of stupid that I gotta find her baby daddy.
Yeah. No, it's very heartbreaking for you. And one of my things for me is I hate when I see adults who have to still deal with the pain of their parents who didn't make the proper choices for them. It breaks my heart. It breaks my heart. And that's what you're dealing with. You constantly have to like, you're fixing her mess from years ago. But I'll tell you the beauty of this is that you do have at least someone who loves you, who's around you, who's supporting you. So at least you're not alone in this. And I know it's not enough to fill that hole of not having your father, but at least you should know that you have this.
Right.
She knows I'm here.
Yeah. Now you shared with a Facebook message you received yesterday with my producers. Can we take a look at this?
Yeah, if you want.
So this is a man that hit you up and said, I know I should have reached out a long time ago, but my life has been a mess except the last year since I've been out and doing good, working and getting my life in order. If you're all right with it, maybe we could talk on here some and to get to know each other. And maybe when I can get the money up, we can check and see if I'm your dad. So I'm a big believer in fate. I even got chills reading that because I think as you're coming on this show, the fact that you would get that message when you're arriving here and he's saying he doesn't have the money, I would love to support you and pay for him to come here to get you your DNA test and get you your answers. Would that help you?
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. 'Cause I don't want you to have to wait another 3 years like you did with Steve. So Tam, how does that work? Does that work for us to give you the answers and help?
Yeah, a little bit.
Yeah, yeah? These things become personal to me because I don't wanna see you hurting. And I see the brave face you're putting on. I see the strength that you're trying to hold on, but I don't want you to have to live your life trying to be this strong woman. I want you to have to feel like you can actually get the answers you need. 'Cause I know you have the strength in there and I know you've been putting on a brave face and being strong your entire life. And it's getting exhausting, right? I know it is. I know it is. And I'm sorry. So I wanna be here for you and help you to not feel exhausted anymore. Are you willing?
Yes.
All right, I'm here for you. I'm here for you. Give me a hug. I'm here for you. Hold on, where you going? I'll tell you where you're going. Right here to subscribe and right here to watch more. Period.
