Dad Conducts DNA Test 'Just For Fun' And Discovers Heartbreaking Truth About His 'Son'

DNA tests used to be something we'd only see in movies or TV shows; questions like "who is the real father of the baby?" or "who committed the crime?" were common plot points. 

Similarly, we'd wonder whose remains were those found hidden beneath the floorboards.

These days, it's not unusual to give a DNA test as a Christmas gift.

Kits for ancestry analysis and health screenings have taken the place of the toys from Walmart that we once eagerly requested from Santa.

Although these tests are often done for fun, the outcomes aren't always joyful. 

Take, for example, one father who uncovered a devastating truth about his "son."

Donna Johnson and her husband Vanner decided on a whim to explore their family's roots through DNA testing along with their sons, Vanner Jr., aged 18, and Tim, aged 12.

But when the results arrived online, Donna, from Utah, admitted to The US Sun last year that she thought there had been a mistake.

The tests showed that while Vanner was the biological father of their eldest, he did not share DNA with their youngest, leading Donna to an overwhelming realization.

The couple had faced health issues and opted for IVF for their second child, which seemed like a miracle when he was born in 2008.

Although Tim and Vanner Jr. had different appearances, the family initially dismissed this as nothing unusual.

There was a reason why Donna and Vanner Johnson's sons looked different KUTV

Yet, the home DNA test kit revealed the startling reason for their differing appearances—they had different biological fathers.

Vanner decided to take Tim, then 12 years old, for ice cream and gently explained that he was not his biological father.

He remembers Tim's touching response: "He said, 'Well, you're still my dad,' and I said, 'That's right, and I will always be your dad,' and that was special."

The couple consulted lawyers and counselors and began the search for Tim's biological father, who turned out to be Devin McNeil. 

A mistake at the IVF clinic had led to the use of Devin's sperm for the Johnsons' procedure.

The Johnson and McNeills have since become close following the discovery KUTV

Since discovering the error, the two families have grown very close and are now advocating for stricter regulation of the IVF industry.

Donna shared with KUTV in 2021, "You go in and they talk about risks, and most of the risks have to do with getting pregnant and not getting pregnant or having hormonal imbalances, but none of them really talk about there could be a mix-up."

Vanner added, "We're lucky in our case, you know. Devin and his wife and their family ended up awesome. 

"I don't imagine that it's always like that."