Imagine being happily married, raising three beautiful children, and then, out of sheer curiosity, discovering that you and your spouse are related! This is exactly what happened to Celina and Joseph Quinones of Colorado. After 17 fruitful years of togetherness, and over a decade of marital bliss, Celina decided to delve into her heritage.
Unusual DNA Test Results
There are many platforms where people share interesting snippets of their lives, and TikTok is just one of them. An intriguing tale came to light recently under the handle @realestatemommas, shedding light on an unsuspected family tie between a husband and wife.
Unlocking an Unanticipated Secret
Imagine this – you’re a mother of three, diving into your family tree, and bam, there’s a tidal wave of surprise. Joseph, the man you’ve loved and shared life with, happens to also be your cousin. Your jaw drops. Hearts skip a beat. Goosebumps.
The Revelation
The text read, ‘Married my husband in 2006. Not thinking anything of it we had three kids. Come to find out we were related and cousins.’ Such an earth-shattering revelation, right? Who would have thought that a simple DNA test could unfold such an unexpected and surprising side of an otherwise normal family story?
The Motive For The DNA Test
Celina had decided to take a DNA test to explore her family heritage more deeply. However, the results caught her off guard – her husband of 17 years, Joseph, was more than just her life partner. He was also her cousin. Despite the surprising revelation, Celina jokes that the news was ‘a good ice breaker’ and advises other couples to delve into their own backgrounds.
The Viral Phenomenon
The video soon made rounds on the internet and currently has four million views. The unusual circumstances of their marriage attracted criticism and advice suggesting separation. However, Celina chose to remain undeterred by such negativity.
Coming To Terms With The Reality
Retrospectively, Celina described the disclosure as ‘devastating’, but emphasized that their bond remains unshaken. She wrote, ‘This was three kids in that I found out we were related. I did my DNA test I think in 2016 and yeah it was devastating because I was like “Babe we’re related are we even supposed to be together? This is weird”. It really freaked me out.‘
Their Stand
Far from remorse, Celina vocalized her adamant stance of staying together, in her words, ‘Cousband and wife for life! There is a reason why good couples look alike. I am just over here raising awareness.‘ She further mentioned how they’ve accepted their reality, saying, “My kids and my husband are my everything and we looked past it. All our kids have ten fingers and ten toes. It’s a good ice breaker, lol.”
Clearing Out Misconceptions
In a second clip, Celina clarified that they were unaware of their ancestral connection when they first met. They had only dated for four months before getting engaged, and she reaffirmed that he remains her everything.
The Internet’s Response
As ever, the internet was divided over this controversial TikTok. While some users voiced their shock and horror, others were quick to show sympathy and support. There were a fair number also who pointed out that there were many historically significant figures who were known to marry their relatives, albeit distantly.
A Common Phenomenon?
Here’s an intriguing fact: nearly 10% of all worldwide unions are shared between close relatives. In various cultures, the idea of tying the knot with a cousin is not only considered permissible, but even actively encouraged. In the contemporary world, where DNA testing has become a phenomenon, instances of unexpected familial links are increasingly being exposed.
Genetic Risks
However, it should be noted that research indicates that children born to first cousins tend to have a higher risk of genetic disorders as compared to those born to unrelated parents. Luckily, in the case of this TikToker, her three children have been fortunate enough to live healthy lives, defying these statistics. However, they do have twice the risk of health issues than the general population due to a phenomenon called ‘identity by descent’, wherein genetic conditions are more likely to be passed on due to shared genes.
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