You Doubted Me and Hid Me From The Family! | KARAMO

I never knew that anybody questioned my DNA in regards to my dad and I. I grew up with my father since birth to 9 years old. It's always been me and my dad and my mom. April 21st of '96, my father passed away. After my father passed away, my family kind of like disappeared, if that makes sense. I didn't get to really communicate with anybody. I didn't get to really see anybody until I reconnected with my sister Aineeka. My mom and dad met after Aineeka's mom had divorced, and there wasn't overlap between my mom or Aineeka's mom. When we reconnected as sisters, it was like love at first sight. It was kind of like that was my safe haven. It felt like that was a piece of my dad still. Here, if that makes sense. So I always stayed close to her because I didn't want to lose another part of my dad. So when my brother reconnected, it felt the same way, love at first sight. Instead of him saying my sister, he was like, "That's my baby." And I felt that love. I felt that missing piece. So when my brother passed, it's like my heart was ripped all over again, like when my dad passed away. 'Cause my dad was my best friend. I can pretty much be myself around him. And being around my brother felt that exact same way. One of my family members has stated to me that they didn't feel like I was my father's child. So at first I kind of like blocked it out. I know who my dad is. I know where I come from. I know where I belong. But when I start hearing it more and more and more, it start putting those questions there. Like, is this really my dad? Like, this is somebody that signed my birth certificate. I've been in the middle. I feel like I'm the link to a blended family, but I don't feel like I don't belong. Long. It really didn't feel like I was loved or accepted. These results is not just important to me, but this is for me and my sister to continue our journey.

We will meet Shanika later in the show, but everyone please help me first welcome her potential sister, Aneeka, to the show. Aneeka, thank you for being with us.

Thank you.

So when did you find out about Shanika?

When did you find out?

I found out about her when her mother was about 6 or 7 months pregnant.

Okay, and how old were you at that time?

I was about 9.

9 years old, okay.

Approximately.

Did your dad ever question her?

To myself, no, but I heard otherwise.

You heard otherwise?

Yes, sir.

So when did your family start to question her and why?

They questioned her forever.

Forever?

So I'm gonna be honest, I was the first one who doubted her. Because I'm like, I'm the baby. It ain't no way somebody taking my spot.

Yeah, of course.

Like on the Five Heartbeats.

Yeah, yeah.

When she was born, I received a picture and her name was Shaniqua and I pronounced it Shaniqua and my name is Inika. And I was upset with my father. I said, because you gave her my name and she took my spot. So I was not accepting even though I was 10 years old. That was a big issue for me. I actually met her when she was between 2 and 3 years old. I was excited, but it was kind of like a little guilt because, you know, the rumors were already still going. And my loyalty at that point in time was to my brother and my sister on my mother's side and to my mother. Got it, okay. So when I came back into her life, I always said that I would be a role model. I'm not gonna come to be a Debbie Downer. If I can't be a positive role model, then I'm not gonna be around.

And what age was that when you came back in her life?

19.

Got it, okay then. And how has your connection with her affected your family?

It's been rough. Excuse me.

Take your time.

It's been rough because they don't accept her and I do. And so they don't deal with me because I accept her.

Got it. Okay. Were you close with your father?

Very much.

Yeah. And how old were you when he passed away?

19.

Were your mother and father divorced when he got with Shaniqua's mother?

Yes, sir.

Okay then, got it. Okay then. So you both took a DNA test to find out if you are sisters. What does this test mean to you?

I don't know what my feelings are gonna be. I hope that she's my sister 'cause I love her to death. If she's not my sister, I still say I'mma love her the same. That's what I say now. I can't tell you where is it gonna take me later on.

Well, I wanna meet Shaniqua and hear her side of the story. So everyone, please help me welcome Shaniqua to the show. So tell me, when did people start questioning if you are your father's child?

When I first heard about it, it was about a year ago. It was from one of my family members on my mom's side.

[SPEAKING CREOLE] There you go. Thank you.

When I heard it, I kind of like brushed it off, if that makes sense, 'cause I'm like, I know who my daddy is, I know where I belong. But when I heard it again, it start creating that doubt in the back of my mind. Because all I've ever known is my dad from birth to 9 years old. That's all I know.

Yeah.

I knew I had siblings and I love my sister. I never understood why I was ever questioned.

Yeah.

Because I love them. Who would not wanna love me?

Mm-hmm.

How could anybody not accept me?

You were the child in the situation.

And I was a kid.

Yeah, makes sense.

And I get it, 'cause I felt like my sister had to carry that torch and that was not fair to her. I never wanted to create a division, I just wanted to feel love. That's why I carry my dad with me every day.

That's his name.

That's his name.

Yeah.

I don't know.

So you were a 9-year-old when he passed.

Yeah.

And so this rift between your families has been since, from your perspective, since the beginning of her being born.

She pretty much kind of shield me in that sense.

From a lot of it. Yeah, it makes complete sense.

'Cause I didn't understand. And then when my dad passed April 26th, '96, that's when it kind of went left. My goal out of that was I need my family.

Yeah, of course.

I need my siblings. And I said, if it means I gotta take that little torture away from my sister because she's been carrying it for so long, I'm willing to do that 'cause that's sacrifice, that's love, I love her. That's mine.

And when did you reconnect with Aeneka?

I reconnected with Aeneka, I wanna say around like, I've known him like 6 or 7 years now.

Mm-hmm.

But even as a child, I always felt that connection. We were unbreakable.

So what does this DNA test mean to you?

It means a lot because I'm all about legacy. And I have 2 beautiful daughters. I want them to know where they come from.

Yeah.

I want them to know where they belong.

Yeah.

And I want them to feel accepted like I didn't get.

Yeah, I understand that.

'Cause it felt like I wasn't loved. Of course.

And I deserve that love.

Aneeka's lifelong bestie Tiffany is in the audience. So what have you heard about this situation?

I've known Aneeka for many, many, many years. And the first time I met Shamika was when the father passed. I've heard of her and I heard slight rumors. It was just one of those type of, I guess you can say family stories that you, hear the rumors, but you don't really talk about it.

Got it. Do you believe they're sisters?

I'm torn, actually.

Yeah.

I wanna believe it for the sake of them.

'Cause you've seen the pain that this has caused, especially Inika.

I've seen the pain that it's caused with Inika, the family, Shamika. It's just a lot.

Yeah. Thank you so much, Tiffany, for being here. I appreciate your perspective. One of the things I gotta say, and I've said this over and over again before we saw this DNA Mystery is I just hope that anybody watching this show, if they're in a family where adults are sharing secrets and saying, "Oh, we know this," or, "You're not that," instead of spreading the rumors, step up and get it done. I know it doesn't help any, but I'm so sorry because you didn't deserve either of that.

But you know what? We appreciate that. Yeah. But it's okay. In order to get change, we have to change.

Of course.

We have to show change. Um, the other reason that we are here was because I was very sickly. Um, I was in the hospital, like, in a coma for like a month.

Yeah.

And I just kept having these dreams, and they were something else. And so my thing was, I'm the only living hope in regards to DNA. So if my head turn cold tomorrow, I want her to get some type of answers. And she deserved the respect to get that.

Well, I think it's beautiful. It's beautiful. I think it's time to solve this 38-year DNA mystery. Are you ready?

Right now.

Right now. Right now. Shanika, come with me.

Take your time.

I know.

I know. I know.

I know.

I know, I know. You okay? Oh no.

I know.

You gotta open it. If you don't, I will.

I know, I got you. I'm staying with you.

Take your time, take your time. Daddy, please be with me. Take your time, take your time, take your time, take your time. It's okay.

Take a deep breath with me again. There you go. Take another deep breath in. There you go. There you go.

All right.

I know this is a scary moment for you because for 38 years you've had rumors swirling, people telling you things, having them question your identity, question where you're from. But the moment has come for you to get the truth, for you to get the truth and know who you are, know who you belong to. And no matter what happens, you have me here, you have your sister here, and we are here to support you, okay?

Okay. Okay?

I'm gonna stand here with you just in case of anything, okay?

Okay. Please. What does it say? I got you, I got you, I got you. I got you!

I got you!

I got it! I got— What does this say? C'est fini quoi!

Aimeeka is not your biological sister. [SOBBING] What's going through your mind right now?

What's going through my head right now?

Yeah.

Oh my gosh. I gotta get outta here. Oh my gosh.

She has been trying to get closure on her own. She has confronted her mother.

She's confronted her mother?

About the way her mother has treated us in the family lives. And she hasn't been getting any answers. And I'm angry, I'm hurt. She always gonna be my sister though.

Of course.

Always gonna be my sister.

Oh my God. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

We're so sorry. Listen. I know, I know. Any support we can give any of you, we're here. We'll give it to you. And I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry to both of you. Everyone at home, make sure to come back next time, friends, so we can keep talking and growing. And I love you all.

I know. Breathe in. Why me?

I know.

I didn't do nothing to nobody.

I know. I'm sorry that these adults won't give you the answers.

I'm sorry.

Do you think there's any way that you would be able to get answers?

No.

I want to take you back to your green room because I want you to sit.

Yes.

I want to take some deep breaths, OK? I want you to take some deep breaths. I want you to have a moment to reflect. And I'm going to bring your sister.

I know you care about her, OK?

I just put her back in the green room. She was taking it hard. Thank you for being patient. I know you want to go back there. I am sorry to you as well because I know what you sacrificed. I know what you gave up as well. So the pain, I understand on both sides. And this is what I was saying before about the adults making decisions. And I don't know if there's any adults that are in your family that are watching this that might have information, but if you have information to remember something, please reach out to us. Let them know. Any adults there around that time, we need them to step up. I know, you gotta process this.

Thank you.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

I've been waiting for this for a long time. I appreciate everything that you do.

Yeah.

What you stand for. And, um, the closure.

Thank you. I'm glad you got your closure.

So now it's just the healing process.

Yeah, it is.