Daughter uses DNA test to reunite her mom with family after 65 years
Their reunion was nothing short of a miracle.

Such a sweet story
Families might get displaced for a number of reasons. But luckily, advancements in technology make it more possible for those separated from their loved ones to find them once again and reclaim a sense of peace.
Good Morning America first shared the story of Mary Butler, who (with the help of DNA testing through My Heritage) was able to reunite her mother Bobbi Gambrell with siblings she had lost contact with 65 years ago, after being placed for adoption as a child.
In a tearful TikTok video, Butler shared how finding out that she had aunties, uncles and cousins was a “prayer being answered.”
The discovery was an equally emotional one for Gambrell, who was at a loss for words during a video phone call with Randalph, the baby brother she had never really known.
@marysmoving literally found my people #ancestry#myheritage #23andme ♬ original sound - marysmoving
“I can’t right now, baby,” she says in the clip, tears streaming down her face. “It’s just too much.”
My Heritage even set up an in-person family reunion. It was made instantly clear that even though they might have never met, they were clearly a family, especially when it came to their shared love of dancing.
@marysmoving big shout out to #myheritage for making this happen. our time together went by so quickly. we planned for our official family reunion for July 2024! #family #reunited#reunion#adopted ♬ original sound - marysmoving
“Family is important. It gives you a sense of belonging,” Butler reflected with GMA. “It gives you a sense of identity.” This is something that’s become even more important to her as she has begun growing a family of her own.
Watch the full story below:
- Baby twins were separated for the first time and their nighttime reunion was so sweet ›
- After doubting the paternity of her best friend's son, woman begs her to get a DNA test ›
- Single dad receives letter from late wife and immediately gets a DNA test ›
- Mom notices the boy she adopted looks a lot like her biological son, so she gets a DNA test ›
- Grandmother secretly DNA tests granddaughter - Upworthy ›
- Dog owner has joyous reaction to DNA test results - Upworthy ›
- Adopted man finds biological mom at his favorite bakery - Upworthy ›
- Researchers tested a bottle of Fiji Water against a glass of tap water. This is what they found. - Upworthy ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."