Millennial Woman Gets DNA Test 'Just for Fun'—Then Come Explosive Results
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A woman born in France but always deeply connected to Egypt couldn't believe what unfolded when she took a DNA test "just for fun."
Katherine Valerio (@jusst_kate), 33, whose family moved to Luxembourg when she was young, is the third of 10 children. She had always believed she was 100 percent Portuguese—until an online DNA test in 2019 revealed otherwise, delivering life-changing results on her birthday.
"I never truly felt a sense of belonging within my family, in some ways, I've always been very physically different from everyone else," Valerio told Newsweek. "I was always fascinated and obsessed with everything related to Egypt since I was 5."
Unlike most of her siblings, who are blonde with blue eyes, Valerio said people often joked that she was the mailman's daughter. Her curiosity eventually led her to take a DNA test.
A split image of Katherine Valerio showing when she was a child in the 90s and now.
A split image of Katherine Valerio showing when she was a child in the 90s and now.
@jusst_kate/@jusst_kate
"I received the results on my birthday, and I was pretty surprised: I always thought I was 100 percent Portuguese, but the ethnic percentages showing up on my screen didn't reflect that at all... 'Only 22 percent? There must be a mistake!' I didn't try to understand it, I just went on with my life as if nothing had happened," she said.
Her DNA results revealed she was 58.4 percent Egyptian, 22.9 percent Portuguese, 14.1 percent South Italian, and 4.6 percent Algerian.
For a while, Valerio chose to ignore the results—but in March 2022, everything changed.
She posted a warning on TikTok advising others not to take a DNA test unless they were mentally prepared for what might come. The video struck a chord, racking up 12,500 likes and nearly 500,000 views.
Shortly after, she began receiving messages from a woman who claimed to be her first cousin—and who knew Valerio's biological father. The woman was Egyptian and lived in Abu Dhabi.
"That's when I found out that my mother had kept a secret for 30 years—a story she never intended to share with anyone, especially not with me," she said.
"My relationship with my mother has been complicated since I found out. I won't lie, I went through a mix of anger, sadness, and confusion. I felt betrayed, mostly because this wasn't just any secret... it was my entire identity. But with time, I've tried to understand her perspective. I know her choices were shaped by fear and circumstances I may never fully grasp."
Katherine Valerio's DNA results.
Katherine Valerio's DNA results.
@jusst_kate/@jusst_kate
But despite the emotional upheaval, Valerio found something beautiful: a connection to a family and culture she had always felt drawn to.
"It's incredible how two people from completely different cultures, deciding to take the same DNA test 'just for fun,' led me to discover that the man I thought was my father isn't and that I have an entirely new Muslim family in Egypt, with siblings and cousins I resemble so much," she said.
Tragically, her biological father, Moustapha, had passed away by the time she learned the truth.
"I asked if he knew about me, and she gently told me that he had died a few years ago. That was really hard. It felt like a door had closed before I even knew it existed. I'll never get to ask him questions or hear his version of the story—that's a grief I'm still processing," she said.
In June 2022, Valerio flew to Paris to meet Moustapha's brother—her uncle—along with his wife and their children.
"I look so much like them that I could barely tell myself apart in the photos we took together. It was magical, but so surreal. I couldn't quite grasp what was happening to all of us—it felt like something out of a Netflix series. I was raised Catholic and knew nothing about the Muslim religion, and suddenly I have a veiled sister, veiled aunts, veiled cousins—I was stepping into a world completely unfamiliar to me," she said.
The story resonated widely on TikTok, with users sharing their own experiences and reactions.
"Sounds a tiny bit like my story. Little girl I moved to a place where a lot of Portuguese families were also living. Fell in love with a beautiful Portuguese boy. My best friend was Portuguese. I wanted so much to be Portuguese in secret, knowing that I did not know my biological father. Few years ago, I did a DNA test hoping to find my biological father or at least someone close to him. But I got was a half-sister on my mom's side that no one knew about. By the way, many years back, my mom finally told me who was my father, and he was indeed Portuguese!" wrote one user.
"Your face and features are screaming Egypt—not any part of Middle East but Egypt. Wonderful how genetics works," said another.
"You saying you were obsessed with ancient Egypt is interesting! I didn't know a ton about my father's family and got obsessed for a year with Steinbeck's books in Salinas. Learned my father's side were founding dairy farmers of Salinas Valley years later," shared Jade.
"Not me crying here on a Monday morning watching this TikTok and seeing your other TikToks and finding out you reconnected with your Egyptian family and owning your culture," another added.
Reflecting on the journey, Valerio shared how it has impacted her life.
"As for how I feel now... it's still a rollercoaster, but I think I'm more grounded. Meeting my Egyptian family has been healing in ways I didn't expect. There's something so powerful about seeing your face in someone else's, it gave me a sense of belonging I didn't know I was missing. At the same time, I still feel love for the family I grew up with, even if we're different in many ways. It's not a clean break, it's more like my world just expanded.
"DNA doesn't just give you facts, it gives you stories. And some of them can change your life," she concluded.
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman born in France but always deeply connected to Egypt couldn't believe what unfolded when she took a DNA test "just for fun." Katherine Valerio (@jusst_kate), 33, whose family moved to Luxembourg when she was young, is the third of 10 children. She had always believed she was 100 percent Portuguese—until an online DNA test in 2019 revealed otherwise, delivering life-changing results on her birthday. "I never truly felt a sense of belonging within my family, in some ways, I've always been very physically different from everyone else," Valerio told Newsweek. "I was always fascinated and obsessed with everything related to Egypt since I was 5." Unlike most of her siblings, who are blonde with blue eyes, Valerio said people often joked that she was the mailman's daughter. Her curiosity eventually led her to take a DNA test. A split image of Katherine Valerio showing when she was a child in the 90s and now. A split image of Katherine Valerio showing when she was a child in the 90s and now. @jusst_kate/@jusst_kate "I received the results on my birthday, and I was pretty surprised: I always thought I was 100 percent Portuguese, but the ethnic percentages showing up on my screen didn't reflect that at all... 'Only 22 percent? There must be a mistake!' I didn't try to understand it, I just went on with my life as if nothing had happened," she said. Her DNA results revealed she was 58.4 percent Egyptian, 22.9 percent Portuguese, 14.1 percent South Italian, and 4.6 percent Algerian. For a while, Valerio chose to ignore the results—but in March 2022, everything changed. She posted a warning on TikTok advising others not to take a DNA test unless they were mentally prepared for what might come. The video struck a chord, racking up 12,500 likes and nearly 500,000 views. Shortly after, she began receiving messages from a woman who claimed to be her first cousin—and who knew Valerio's biological father. The woman was Egyptian and lived in Abu Dhabi. "That's when I found out that my mother had kept a secret for 30 years—a story she never intended to share with anyone, especially not with me," she said. "My relationship with my mother has been complicated since I found out. I won't lie, I went through a mix of anger, sadness, and confusion. I felt betrayed, mostly because this wasn't just any secret... it was my entire identity. But with time, I've tried to understand her perspective. I know her choices were shaped by fear and circumstances I may never fully grasp." Katherine Valerio's DNA results. Katherine Valerio's DNA results. @jusst_kate/@jusst_kate But despite the emotional upheaval, Valerio found something beautiful: a connection to a family and culture she had always felt drawn to. "It's incredible how two people from completely different cultures, deciding to take the same DNA test 'just for fun,' led me to discover that the man I thought was my father isn't and that I have an entirely new Muslim family in Egypt, with siblings and cousins I resemble so much," she said. Tragically, her biological father, Moustapha, had passed away by the time she learned the truth. "I asked if he knew about me, and she gently told me that he had died a few years ago. That was really hard. It felt like a door had closed before I even knew it existed. I'll never get to ask him questions or hear his version of the story—that's a grief I'm still processing," she said. In June 2022, Valerio flew to Paris to meet Moustapha's brother—her uncle—along with his wife and their children. "I look so much like them that I could barely tell myself apart in the photos we took together. It was magical, but so surreal. I couldn't quite grasp what was happening to all of us—it felt like something out of a Netflix series. I was raised Catholic and knew nothing about the Muslim religion, and suddenly I have a veiled sister, veiled aunts, veiled cousins—I was stepping into a world completely unfamiliar to me," she said. The story resonated widely on TikTok, with users sharing their own experiences and reactions. "Sounds a tiny bit like my story. Little girl I moved to a place where a lot of Portuguese families were also living. Fell in love with a beautiful Portuguese boy. My best friend was Portuguese. I wanted so much to be Portuguese in secret, knowing that I did not know my biological father. Few years ago, I did a DNA test hoping to find my biological father or at least someone close to him. But I got was a half-sister on my mom's side that no one knew about. By the way, many years back, my mom finally told me who was my father, and he was indeed Portuguese!" wrote one user. "Your face and features are screaming Egypt—not any part of Middle East but Egypt. Wonderful how genetics works," said another. "You saying you were obsessed with ancient Egypt is interesting! I didn't know a ton about my father's family and got obsessed for a year with Steinbeck's books in Salinas. Learned my father's side were founding dairy farmers of Salinas Valley years later," shared Jade. "Not me crying here on a Monday morning watching this TikTok and seeing your other TikToks and finding out you reconnected with your Egyptian family and owning your culture," another added. Reflecting on the journey, Valerio shared how it has impacted her life. "As for how I feel now... it's still a rollercoaster, but I think I'm more grounded. Meeting my Egyptian family has been healing in ways I didn't expect. There's something so powerful about seeing your face in someone else's, it gave me a sense of belonging I didn't know I was missing. At the same time, I still feel love for the family I grew up with, even if we're different in many ways. It's not a clean break, it's more like my world just expanded. "DNA doesn't just give you facts, it gives you stories. And some of them can change your life," she concluded.
