Local siblings meet for first time in 50+ years thanks to DNA test – WPRI.com

COVENTRY, R.I. (WPRI) A DNA test lead to a heartfelt meeting in Coventry this week.

Paul Bassett has been trying to find out more about his birth father, who he had never met. For Christmas, he got an Ancestry DNA test which led him to an even more special gift.

Its kind of nerve-racking, Im kind of nervous, Pauls daughter Amanda Bassett said. Its kind of crazy after all of these years.

Amanda got her dad the DNA test and thats how they discovered Pauls two sisters Christine Hencler and Patricia Gray.

We live 40 minutes down the road, like we couldve met at like a Market Basket, Amanda said.

And I couldve walked by her 100 times and wouldve never known, Paul said of his sister, Christine.

Instead, Christine and her brother met for the first time in Coventry this week, and spoke to 12 News about the heartfelt moment.

I always was wondering if I had siblings before, I always had a feeling so its a good thing that came out, Christine said. I got to meet my brother.

53 years later, Paul said, his hand around Christines shoulder. Its amazing, it really is.

The two siblings say they have a lot of time to make up for and they plan on spending plenty of it together in the future.

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Local siblings meet for first time in 50+ years thanks to DNA test - WPRI.com