Two guests whose lives have been shaped by family mysteries are introduced to biological ancestors they never knew they had thanks to genetic detective work. Gaby Hoffman traces the roots of the father she barely knew, exploring a long-held family rumor that her grandfather was illegitimate. In the end, DNA analysis allows her to learn the true identity of her great-grandfather, a Frenchman who abandoned a wife and child in New York to return home to fight in World War I, only to strike up a romance with a French nurse after becoming injured on the battlefield. DNA also allows Téa Leoni to learn the true identities and stories of her maternal grandparents, a school teacher and paper mill worker-turned-World War II veteran. Following the paper trail, both guests take these newfound lines back to the 18th century, and then further back over a thousand years.
Today’s most compelling personalities discover the surprising stories in their own family trees. Mixing cutting-edge DNA research and old-school genealogical sleuthing, FINDING YOUR ROOTS uncovers long-buried secrets, hidden identities, and lost ancestors. Tuesdays at 8/7c.
