In this episode of Karamo, guest Sydney recounts how a childhood moment watching Maury sparked a quest for her true parentage. Raised believing her father was dead, she learned from her mother that her biological father was unknown. Curious, Sydney took a genealogy DNA test, which revealed a close match to a half‑uncle. Investigating the half‑uncle’s family led her to a photo that resembled her, prompting her to contact the man, Errol (also referred to as Arrow), who confirmed the connection. Karamo facilitated a live reunion, where Errol and Sydney met for the first time, sharing emotional reactions and discussing the impact of finally learning the truth. Both expressed relief, healing, and excitement about forming a new family bond, while reflecting on the role of media, DNA technology, and personal perseverance in uncovering hidden family histories.
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Imagine watching Maury with your mom at 10 years old and saying, well, I'm glad I know who my father is. And then your mother says, I don't know who your daddy is. Well, that's exactly what happened to my next guest, Sydney. So everyone, please welcome Sydney to the show so we can get her side of the story.
Hi.
Hi. You look beautiful. Thank you. Can I have a hug?
Mwah. Mwah.
Okay. Listen, did that really happen like that?
Yes, just like that.
Okay, what did you know about your father?
I found out when I was younger that he was dead.
Okay, so you were told that he was dead?
Yeah.
Okay, and did you ask your mother who he was?
I asked her, you know, probably when I was younger, but I grew up with a father, stepfather who raised me, so I really wasn't lacking anything in the father category. And then I just realized I was randomly watching Maury, like I said, and was like, "Mom, that girl got 15 baby daddies and didn't find him yet. I'm so glad you know who me and my brother's father is." And she was just like, "Mm, girl, not yours." Oh.
I don't even know what I would've done. I would've gagged. Can you imagine? Wow. Did you feel betrayal when you found out that he wasn't dead?
I don't think betrayal, more I just wanna know the answers. You know, like I just have questions, you know? Being that young and having her say it like that, it was more like, okay, well, you know, when you trust your mom and you love her and she's been a good parent from the beginning, you just really wanna ask questions. Like we always had a healthy relationship as far as asking questions. So I just really wanted to know like, well, who is he then, girl? Like what?
Who is he?
Where are we missing something here?
Yeah. That is still wild to me. You was watching Uncle Maury and now you on Karamo. Like, okay. Look how that worked, okay?
Clock it.
Clock it, okay? What made you get a genealogy test?
So doing the genealogy test, a lot of people would always tell me like, girl, you look mixed. Like, are you Dominican? I would have random people walking up to me speaking Spanish and I'm like, I don't know what you saying.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And so I just was curious like, hey, let me just do this just to see what my heritage is.
Yeah, that's funny. It's so funny because I saw a photo of you backstage and I told my best friend Trey who over there. Trey, didn't I say she looked like my sister? So we might be related, girl. Okay. Okay, so did you get a match when you did the genealogy test?
I did.
Okay.
So I had a whole bunch of matches. Some were my family members who I know, physically grew up with, I know them.
Yeah.
But I had a match that was higher than all of them.
And what was that match?
My half uncle.
Oh, wow.
And I was like, well, if this is my half uncle, What went through your mind when you said, "Oh, my half-uncle." I was literally like, "What? Wait a minute." Because if this is my half-uncle, then his brother is my dad.
Your dad, yeah.
Like, what's going on here? So it was very like, "What is happening?" So how did you find Arrow? So I started to be FBI investigator, you know? Started to do a little research myself. And I went on to my half uncle's Facebook page 'cause I had reached out to him and let him know like, "Hey, it says that we match. Like, do you have any information?" And he's like, "No." So I'm like, "Okay." I was like, "Let me go look at his brothers that's on there." Right? 'Cause if he's my half uncle, then it has to be his brother. Let me go look at his brothers and see which ones. And I just went through them and started scrolling through pictures and then I found this picture. And I was like, what in the world? Like, that's my face. And looking at my pictures from when I was a childhood, obviously I know myself, right? I see myself. But if you guys were to see pictures of my son.
Oh, wow.
So this is me and that's like literally identical. And my son looks just like that picture now.
Okay, hold on. No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry to my producers, but you gotta do this. Since you found out on Maury, even though you're on my show, you gotta give some honors to Maury. Go back there and say, please for me. You got to for me. Go back there and say. Okay, good.
I was right. Okay. So if you can't see the ears.
The ears.
You're blind. The chin.
The chin.
The eyes. The eyes. The smile. That forehead, you know. You can't miss it.
Thank you for humoring me.
Yeah, of course.
'Cause I love used to watch Maury when they used to get up and do that. I used to be like, uh-huh, yeah, I see it.
Look, just like.
I see it, okay, I see it. So his name is Errol.
Yes.
The man that's here today that you found. Yes. Who we're looking at right there, young. Yes. So do you feel like Errol's your father?
I do.
You do?
I do.
Okay then. What happened after you reached out to him?
So I found the picture, like I said, and I literally screenshotted it just like that. And I sent it to him in a message and I said, this might be farfetched, but I'm looking for my dad. Who is this? And he did not even respond. He called me immediately. He's like, well, are you from New London? And I'm like, yeah. And he's like, so you're like 31, 32? And I'm like, I'm 31, about to be 32.
Oh yeah.
And he was like, okay. He was like, send me a picture of your mom. Click.
And did you send the photo of your mom?
I sent a picture of my mom and he called me back and we talked again and he was like, I remember her.
Have you ever met him?
I've never met him.
So today you'll be the first time you two will meet in person.
Today will be the first time.
Okay. First, before you get a chance to meet Arrow, what did your mom say about him?
She said she didn't remember him.
Okay, do you show the, which photo did you show her, that one?
I showed her, no, other photos.
Okay.
But I don't fault her because she was young. She was 22 when she had me.
Got it.
So, you know, she was young, she was a bartender, she worked at one of the most, if you from the, you know, the bar that she worked at was popping.
Yeah, so she was young. We don't judge her choice, she was young.
She was young.
What would it mean to you today if he is your biological father?
It would mean a lot, you know? I'll have other siblings. I'll have an actual biological niece or nephew. So I'm excited.
Okay, well Sydney, are you ready to meet Errol, your potential father, for the very first time?
I am, I am.
All right everyone, well please welcome Errol to the show.
Good, how are you?
Hello, sir, how you doing? Thank you for being here. You said you're feeling anxious? Definitely. It's all right, we're family here. We gonna take care of you.
I need some tissue.
Trust me. You getting a little emotional? How do you feel right now meeting her for the first time?
It's surreal.
It's surreal?
Didn't know she existed before a year ago, so.
Yeah. What was your first reaction when you got that Facebook message?
I knew who the person in the picture was.
You did?
Just the circumstances surrounding it, I really don't have any doubts.
Oh, so you're hoping that she is yours?
I would love for that to be the case.
Okay. So—
You know, guys, let's do this. See, this is the thing that always gets me about looks because I'm looking at y'all and I'm like, they look alike. And I've been on this stage so many times before where I've been like—
They don't look alike in it.
Yeah, but I'm like looking at y'all features and I'm like, please let y'all be related You don't look alike. Okay, do you remember Sidney's mom?
That's a tricky question.
Yeah, okay.
I do remember her, but I don't remember her at the same time.
Got it.
Then I went into the Navy, so.
What would it mean to you to suddenly have an adult daughter?
Well, first of all, it would make her the oldest. I got 6 sons.
Okay. Oh, 6 sons.
And that'll make her the big sister to all of them.
So. You took a deep breath.
You're like, "Whew." I'm always the big sister.
Yeah. Do you feel like you missed out on her childhood?
I definitely missed out on her childhood. She just recently got married. I didn't get to give my daughter away. So, you know, that mean, there's certain things that you would wanna do with your children and I missed 32 years of that with her. So hopefully we can make up for that.
Yeah. Well, Sydney, I'll tell you, you have waited 32 years for these answers since, watching Uncle Maury, and I'll be on a Karamo show. Are you ready for your DNA truth?
I am.
All right, well, take my hand. In this envelope, Sydney, is the DNA truth that you have waited 32 years for. You want to know who your father is, and those are the answers you've been looking for. It's not my truth to open, it's yours. So go ahead.
Sydney, Arrow is your biological dad.
You go over here, dog.
I told you.
Congratulations. Congratulations. Wow. You guys all crying, right? You had us nervous there for a minute. I was like, oh no. I was like, I see. I told you, you can't trust how they look. But how does it feel for you to have the relief? You said you wanted to know if your father was, for yourself, for your children. What is this moment like?
When you are a little girl who doesn't have or feels she doesn't have that father figure, it's very healing. And with life and just circumstances, God knows what you need when you need it.
Amen. That is the truth.
Well, I am so thankful that you got your answers on this show. Look at the trajectory, okay? Look at the trajectory. I appreciate this so much. I wish y'all all the best of luck in the world.
Thank you so much.
I already know that y'all gonna have a great relationship. I already know.
It's my oldest one.
So we good. Yes, and I feel like, like you said, I'm glad that you're getting what you needed right now because that's what's most important as a child.
That little girl is healed.
I needed it as much as you do.
She's healed. That little girl is healed.
I needed it as much as you do, believe me.
Yeah.
I got a daughter.
Listen, everyone, thank you for being with us. And everyone at home, thank you for being with us as well. Make sure to come back next time, friends, so we can keep talking and growing. I love you all.
