I Found A SECRET That Says My DEAD Brother Has A DAUGHTER! | KARAMO

My guest, Keisha, never knew who her father was, and then she got these messages. Hi, my name is Alisa. I believe you are the child of my brother, Derek. He passed away Wednesday night. Well, today we'll solve this DNA mystery. So everyone, please welcome Keisha to the show so we can hear her side of the story. Hey, Keisha, how are you doing?

I'm good.

Tell me about those Facebook messages, 'cause that's shocking.

See, it freaked me out. I thought it was a scam. So I literally have known two different people as my father my whole life.

Oh wow. So you had no idea there was two other people you thought could be your father?

Correct.

And then this person just came out the blue, which you thought was a scam.

Exactly.

Your potential Aunt Lisa wants to share how she discovered you. So everyone, let's take a look at that.

Back in March, my brother passed away. After he passed away, I found paperwork that says he might have a daughter. None of us knew that this child even existed. According to these papers, he had this child when he was 15 years old. I reached out to 6 of his friends. And then after I kept looking, I found her on social media. And not only did I have to tell her that he might be her father, and that he was gone. That is dreadful. It really— it's just so hard because I want her to be— I'm not going to give up on her at all.

She needs somebody. She's been through enough.

Oh my God. She's missed a lot of love. She has really missed a lot of love. My brother's gone and I cannot stop grieving until this question is answered.

Well, Lisa's in our audience and we'll talk to her shortly. Is this the first time seeing your potential aunt?

Yeah.

How do you feel about what she had to say?

It's the truth. I have lost. I've lost out on a lot. I'm about to be 36 years old and it's something that I need. Closure, healing.

Had you heard of this man before?

No, not a name. I heard there was someone else, but there was never a name.

Got it. And so what did your mother tell you last night?

That she pretty much was cheating on the first father and it was a one-night stand.

Got it.

I called her and she just pretty much spilled a whole bunch of information at once.

Did she tell you she had met Your potential father's grandmother?

She took me there when I was 5 years old.

Oh wow. So from your mother's point of view, your potential father did know about you.

Yes. And his mother.

Okay. And this is the first time she's ever told you anything?

Yes.

Yes.

Wow.

From 14, or from birth till I was 14, it was one man. His mother and the whole family pretty much raised me. That grandmother passed away when I was 14, and then there was another man from 14 until now.

Got it.

So I accepted that first family, and then it just all fell apart. And now there's a second family who I've been with, who I'm really close with.

Do you think he's your father?

No.

You don't think he's your father?

No.

Why don't you think he's your father?

Just because the resemblance to me and the second person's children, I feel like I look like them more. But the only way that we're gonna be able to find out is DNA.

Yeah, got it. So what I also thought was interesting is that apparently Derek lived close to you.

Yes, we lived in the same neighborhood, like same school district, within miles of each other.

Wow. So this entire time, your potential father could have been around the corner.

Pretty much, yes.

So you have a potential brother.

Yeah.

How did you track him down?

Facebook.

Facebook.

Lisa told me that there was other siblings. I messaged all of them and pretty much told them that I am the potential older sister of the group, the oldest of the group.

How many potential siblings are there?

4.

4, okay. Has Lisa attempted to be part of your life?

Yeah.

And what was that like?

I feel like she's smothering at times.

Oh.

She, it's hard because I don't wanna get connected to them until I know. That I am blood because I've been through so much. The in and out, I don't have the heart nor the mind state to bring in another family right now.

I hear you, I hear you. Well, Keisha, are you ready to meet your potential brother for the first time?

Yeah.

Everyone, please welcome Derek to the show.

Hey, how you doing?

Nice to meet you. Take a seat for me. Were you surprised when you heard from Kiesha?

Yeah.

You were?

Yeah, I'd say so.

Well, had you ever heard of her before?

No.

Never?

Never.

Okay then. Tell us about your dad.

I mean, my dad, when I was growing up, father-son relationship was there. You know, he taught me some things along the way, but for the most part, I learned my gentleman, man qualities through aspects of life. As I got older, especially after my grandma passed away, there really wasn't any of that.

Oh, there was no relationship at all?

No relationship at all. It really began, she passed away and she left me $15,000 for college. She was an amazing woman, there's no surprise there. You know, she believed in me, which I needed. Growing up. When she passed on, taking control of the house, which was sort of the beacon of all the family coming together, Thanksgiving, Christmas, that kind of deal, he told me that money was for the home, was for bills, things of that nature. I was young, naive. I think I was like 13, 14, 15 at the time. I never handled money. So when bills, happened every week, I started to maybe wonder. And when he showed up with a new truck, I started to wonder. And that was what led to me eventually leaving and staying with my friend's family and in turn growing up along that.

So in your opinion, was he a good father?

I think that he was a stubborn man stuck in his childlike tendencies that was enabled by his family, my grandma especially, babying him.

Okay.

But as far as being a good father to me goes, I mean, he was someone who I could laugh with, who I grew up having a good relationship with, but the lack of effort on his end was definitely felt as I grew older and started to realize.

Oh, wow. And so how old were you when you moved out, you said?

I think I was a sophomore in high school.

Oh, so you were young.

Yeah, I was young. But I feel like I grew up pretty fast with everything going on.

Do you think Kiesha missed out on having him as a father?

No. I think that she missed out on having a potential loving family who would've supported, who would've cared for. But the actual man that she would've missed out on, I don't think that she missed out on much.

Wow, okay. What will it mean to you if you have a sister?

I mean, to me, 'cause I'm Junior, right? Derek Jr. And sometimes I felt like Derek Sr., which is a shame. To me, it would just mean that A, there was an entire multiverse that could've happened had she been embedded in the family. And then as far as now goes, it would mean that if she wanted, that there's a family that she could potentially and better her own life with them.

[Speaker] That's sweet.

[Speaker] Yeah.

[Speaker] Well, Keisha, your potential Aunt Lisa is here in the audience today.

[APPLAUSE] Hey, Aunt Lisa.

I see you're emotional. How do you feel about what was said about your brother?

[Speaker] I don't like it, but it's the truth. I have to let him vent the way he needs to vent.

[Speaker] Yeah, okay then. I respect that. Do you believe Keisha is your niece?

This is the first time I've seen her.

Yes, she is. She is my niece.

Do you know?

In my heart, in my eyes, I see, oh yeah, she's mine.

She's yours.

She's mine.

How do you feel about Kiesha's mom saying she met your mother?

I don't know when and why didn't she bring her back if she's only met her one time, you know? Why didn't she bring her back? My mom was the first bus associate in Iowa. I've done the same job for 23 years. She could've been sitting on my bus not even knowing. And that's just my opinion.

And I know that was family.

That hurts.

That really hurts.

Did your mom mention it to you at all?

Never, and that's why I don't understand if it was one time her mom brought her by. We've lived in the same house. For over 50 years, all my brother's kids lived in the house.

Of course.

Every one of them.

Of course.

She wouldn't have got to leave at 15 years old taking my mama's grandkid nowhere.

But if she knew, why did she not make him take a DNA test?

That's what I don't know. When I found paperwork, I didn't know it was of a child on the outside. I thought it was the child kids that he already has. So I never, me and my mom were close.

So what's interesting about that is that means that he's been holding onto that paperwork for almost 35 years. That tells me a lot about what his mindset might have been. Keisha, how does it make you feel when your Aunt Lisa says, or potential Aunt Lisa says, you are mine?

I just can't believe it until the DNA.

Well, okay.

Because just mentally. I don't wanna get hurt again.

Well, Keisha, are you ready for your DNA truth?

Yes.

All right. Well, Keisha, you want to know if Derrick Jr. is your brother. In this envelope is the DNA truth if Derrick Jr. is your brother, which would then confirm if Derrick Sr. is your father. You've waited 35 years?

Almost 36.

Almost 36. The wait is over. It's not my truth to open, it's yours. So here you go.

Before you open it, can I say something?

Yeah, sure, of course.

With or without that paper, you're still going to be mine.

I love you that much. I love you deep. With or without that, you're going to be mine.

I don't know if I can do that.

I got it.

Because I still have to find who my father is.

I understand that. I understand that, but I really need you. I really need you. You have been— we text so much together. And in my heart, you are my niece. I can see it. Keisha, Derrick is your biological brother. I told you, baby. I told you the minute I came into the house. You look so much like your grandma. You look like your grandma, baby. And here's your father, baby. That's your father. Do you hear me? You are my first niece.

This is real.

You're with me, baby.

This is real.

I love you to death.

This ain't TV. This is real.

That is crazy.

Wow. You look so much like your grandma, girl. I know I was a bugaboo. I'm so sorry. Oh my God.

You look so much like your grandma.

Wow.

Don't you?

She does.

Derek, how do you feel? That's your sister.

Wow.

Wow.

You know, I gotta be honest, like I feel extremely happy.

Yeah.

But there's a large part of me that's pretty angry, you know?

Yeah.

'Cause my dad, he was very selfish for doing that.

Yes.

You know, the fact that there's an entire part of the family, an entire part of her life that is gone.

Come here with me.

That an entire part of a life that was never there.

Oh yeah.

That's pretty big.

But you're saying, you're saying there's a whole entire part of her life.

Yeah, and the fact that this was hidden from a family, a 35-year-old kept secret, It's ridiculous. It's very maddening.

One of the things on this show why I started to do adult DNA is because I understand those family secrets and how they hurt and how they cause so much pain. And so I wanted there to be a space where people knew they can come here and get their answers. And Keisha, I'm so happy you got your answers. And I'll tell you this, Derek, you said that your aunt right here was a great woman for you and she was your strength.

An amazing woman.

And I can already see, I know she apologized for being a bugaboo, but I tell you, if you got an aunt, this is the aunt you want, okay? 'Cause I know she's gonna love you and support you.

And my children.

And your children, okay? Thank you so much.