ARKANSAS, USA — It took 57 years, but current Arkansas residents David and Doug Shade finally met their biological siblings in Dallas, Texas, this past weekend.
Thanks to a DNA testing kit, their family was able to unite for the first time.
"Mom had twins in 1964 and didn't tell us about it, and I'm like, 'funny joke. Haha. That's really funny,'” said Amy Brantley, biological sister of David and Doug Shade.
In 1964, twin boys David and Doug Shade were born in Des Moines, Iowa.
The Shade family adopted them at 13 days old, and by the age of 4, their parents explained that they were adopted.
Curiosity began as they grew older, and Doug remembers wondering- at their 10th birthday party if their mother was thinking about them.
"I remember it was January 28th, our birthday, and I stayed up all night in bed wondering if mom remembered that we were born January 28th, 1964," said Doug.
57 years later, thanks to DNA testing organized by the twin’s younger sister Savannah Evans, daughter of their adoptive mother living in Fort Smith, she drove them to Dallas, Texas, to finally meet their biological siblings. They aLso met their sister, Amy Brantley.
“I want to know everything there is to know because I think that is amazing, and I can't believe mom could keep a secret," said Amy.
"We went through all of those emotions. We were nervous because we all thought the same thing, 'what if they don't like us? What if this is the only time we meet.' We were nervous but also extremely excited," said Savannah.
David and Doug couldn't be happier to meet more family finally.
"It was one of the best days of my life meeting them," said Doug.
Sadly, David and Doug's biological mother passed away and couldn't meet her two sons.
Their adoptive mother shared how she felt about their birth mother.
"She wanted to be there and hug her neck and tell her how much she enjoyed, and her being able to give us life through mom," said David.
As they move forward in life, they look forward to having a big family get-together, but they might need a couple of extra beds now that their family is complete.
"I was gonna say we went to Texas and didn't know any family, and now I've got 5 brothers and sisters, 6 nieces and 7 nephews I think, that's wonderful," said Doug.
Now that they've united, they enjoy talking on the phone and catching up on all the years they missed out on. They plan on having family time together this upcoming season, tailgating at an Arkansas Razorback football game.