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Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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[dramatic music playing]
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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[birds chirping]
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[Nathan] I'm Nathan. I'm 13.
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I live in Denver, Colorado
with my mom.
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When I get home,
I'll go longboard,
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maybe Skype a friend
or go outside,
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play with the neighbors.
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I don't know how old I was
when I figured out
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that I was conceived
with donor sperm though.
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Most of my friends
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come from a pretty
normal family.
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I tried to look
for the donor, but...
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[man speaking]
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No.
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When I was first contacted
by other siblings,
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I remember that I was talking
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to friends on Facebook
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and I got a message saying,
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you know, "Are you Nathan?
Do you live in Denver?"
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I said "Yes."
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And that's how I met them.
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[dramatic music playing]
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[woman] This is the audio tape
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of donor 5114.
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Today's date
is October 23rd, 1996.
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[man] Hello,
my donor number is 5114.
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I am six feet one inch tall.
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I have medium build,
straight brown hair,
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and brown eyes.
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I have full lips,
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and my racial color code
as established
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by the California Cryobank
is white.
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[woman] Can you give me
one or two adjectives
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00:02:58,211 --> 00:03:00,646
that best describe you?
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[man] I would say
optimistic and curious.
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[woman] Do you have any hobbies?
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[man] Any hobbies, yes.
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I like fly fishing and running,
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reading,
and traveling especially.
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[woman] Do you have anything
that you would like to say
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to the recipient of your sperm
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or a child born from your sperm?
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[man] Yes.
I wish them all the luck.
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[dramatic music playing]
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[woman] This is, like,
one of the three pictures
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I have of me and you together.
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No, it's... You're not
in anything in here,
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this is all before...
B.N., Before Nathan.
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That's the first...
That's Hawaii,
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that's...
You were seven weeks old.
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People thought I was crazy.
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"They said "What'd you do,
just give birth
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and get on a plane?" [chuckles]
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I think I knew from the time
I was seven years old
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that basically
what I wanted to be
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when I grow up was a mommy,
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and it just ended up
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that I was single
for most of my life
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and so I decided to do
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a donor insemination.
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I never considered
an extended family.
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I never really...
Even the thought of siblings
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didn't really enter my mind.
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You're so excited about the fact
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that you're starting
this journey
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with having a baby.
You don't think of,
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you know, you got...
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You don't think about
the wider picture.
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Everyone thought
you were gonna be like
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a nine-pound baby
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and you were six pounds,
thirteen ounces.
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You were microscopic.
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[Nathan] When my half-siblings
first contacted me,
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I remember being happy
that I had half-siblings
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but a little frustrated
with my mom
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because she had known
about some of them
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and she hadn't told me before.
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Well, I had told my mom
about this
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and she didn't think
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it would be a good idea
to tell Nathan.
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She believed that
he had a family
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and he didn't need
any other family.
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Then I thought, well, you know,
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when he's older,
if he ever wants to know,
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if he ever puts it together
in his head that,
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you know, there might be,
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I just thought
I'd let him kind of...
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And I left it alone.
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I never really thought that
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I would come in contact
with my siblings
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but I knew that
there was a chance
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that there were, out there.
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Me and the other siblings
always get on Skype,
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talk to each other online
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after we all get home
from school.
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I feel like
I've already known them
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for longer than I have
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even though I might know
that much about them.
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Being online having social media
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really helps us stay connected
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because so far,
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it's the only contact we have
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between each other.
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[woman] He's been on Skype
with these siblings
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since the day he met them
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and tomorrow
we are getting on a plane
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and we are flying to Taos
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and he is going to meet
five of his half-siblings.
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[dramatic music playing]
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- [Nathan] Hi.
- [Zeke] Hi.
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[woman] You must be Zeke.
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[Zeke] My name is Zeke.
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- [man] Yeah.
- [man] Do you have a...
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- [woman] Hi.
- [Nick] Hey.
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Hello.
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[indistinct chatter]
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- [woman] Let's go.
- [girl] Let's go.
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- Hi.
- [Nathan] Hi.
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[Alexis] Hi, Nate.
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- [Nathan] Hi.
- Okay.
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[dramatic music playing]
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[indistinct chatter]
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[Alexis] Ten hours.
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[indistinct chatter]
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[man speaking]
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[Danny] Oh, yeah.
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[Alexis] Danny,
I brought you a flower.
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[indistinct chatter]
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So where did you come from?
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[indistinct chatter]
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[Danny] Oh we got a tarantula.
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[man] Yeah, where
is the tarantula anyway?
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[indistinct chatter]
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[woman]
It's kind of overwhelming.
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It's... There's a lot of people
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and a lot of children
and I had talked
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to a couple of people outside
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when I first got here
and everyone's so friendly
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and nice and it's just exciting.
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[Neylan] Oh, I have
a present for you.
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Oh, cool.
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A bracelet.
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- Yeah, it's pretty.
- [man speaking]
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Yeah. We're sisters, you know?
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They all say "sisters forever."
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Yeah. We're all girls here.
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- Right, Danny?
- [Zeke] What?
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[Danny] What? No, yes.
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[man] So when you guys got here,
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you guys got here last night.
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Like,
what did you guys do today?
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- Waiting for Nathan.
- Yeah. He never came.
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[Danny] On Skype, he told me
that he'd be here
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by, like, 5:00 in the morning
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so we were all up till like
5:00 in the morning,
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- waiting for him.
- Yeah.
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- And then...
- We slept on the balcony.
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And then it turned out
that he left at 5:00
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in the morning.
I was like, "wow."
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[man speaking]
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[Nick] At first,
I was really nervous.
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I didn't know what to say
because I feel like
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we're brothers and sisters but,
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like, we've never met before.
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So I didn't really know
what to say.
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My name is Nick.
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May name is Danny.
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My name is Alexis.
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My name is Neylan.
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My name is Zeke.
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[Nick] I've noticed that
we all have full lips.
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[Alexis] Yeah.
And dark eyebrows.
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[Neylan]
And bushy eyebrows, yeah.
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[Alexis] Some of us have,
like, kind of wide-ish noses
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like we do
and he does kind of...
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And we all play soccer.
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- Yeah.
- Right?
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00:09:01,307 --> 00:09:02,941
Do most of us do track?
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I do track, yeah.
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It's my favorite sport, so.
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[Nick] Today, like,
we kind of like...
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We got to know each other
well today I think.
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- [Neylan] Yeah.
- Yeah.
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00:09:11,083 --> 00:09:13,718
And I wanna know
Nathan more, too.
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[indistinct chatter]
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[Danny] At first,
meeting Neylan's mom,
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they found each other
and we've been talking
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ever since we were little.
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[Alexis]
Their moms found, like, Nick
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00:09:32,638 --> 00:09:35,140
and a few other people
and then like my mom really
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wasn't into the whole
donor thing
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and she was kind of like
staying away from it.
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And then I got interested
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00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:43,181
and I started looking
for my half-siblings.
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00:09:43,215 --> 00:09:46,351
She wasn't, like, against it.
She just didn't really
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00:09:46,385 --> 00:09:48,053
think about it that much
199
00:09:48,087 --> 00:09:49,888
and, like, she was like,
"Oh, if my daughter's"
200
00:09:49,922 --> 00:09:51,823
interested in it,
I'll be interested in it...
201
00:09:51,857 --> 00:09:54,225
in it, too."
So, when I was old enough
202
00:09:54,260 --> 00:09:58,029
to understand and, like,
look for my half-siblings,
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00:09:58,064 --> 00:10:00,165
then she kind of like
helped me out.
204
00:10:00,199 --> 00:10:02,167
Yeah.
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00:10:02,201 --> 00:10:04,302
I have not had any contact
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00:10:04,337 --> 00:10:06,471
with any of the mothers
before this.
207
00:10:06,505 --> 00:10:08,440
I've been sort of on the margin.
208
00:10:08,474 --> 00:10:12,677
So I find the experience
both delightful,
209
00:10:12,712 --> 00:10:14,713
I think they're all
very, very wonderful,
210
00:10:14,747 --> 00:10:17,382
but I also find it
quite frankly odd
211
00:10:17,416 --> 00:10:21,486
because here I am
with a group of women
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00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,522
who have had children
by the same man as I have
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00:10:24,557 --> 00:10:27,292
and we just met.
So it is a bit...
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00:10:27,326 --> 00:10:29,194
Again, it's very delightful
215
00:10:29,228 --> 00:10:33,198
but it's also weird, I think.
216
00:10:33,232 --> 00:10:34,432
But we can't hate each other...
217
00:10:34,467 --> 00:10:36,034
- No. No. No.
- ...because our man
218
00:10:36,068 --> 00:10:38,370
didn't, like, screw around
or anything.
219
00:10:38,404 --> 00:10:40,605
- No. No.
- It's all by choice.
220
00:10:40,640 --> 00:10:42,374
It's... Yeah.
221
00:10:42,408 --> 00:10:44,442
I never in my wildest dreams
222
00:10:44,477 --> 00:10:46,611
would have thought
we would be sitting here
223
00:10:46,646 --> 00:10:49,781
with other children
from the same donor.
224
00:10:49,815 --> 00:10:51,549
I guess I never really
thought about the fact
225
00:10:51,584 --> 00:10:55,120
that Neylan was gonna
meet these other children,
226
00:10:55,154 --> 00:10:57,222
and they were gonna
be like siblings.
227
00:10:57,256 --> 00:10:58,690
They've got a connection
228
00:10:58,724 --> 00:11:00,458
and I think it's hard
for any of us
229
00:11:00,493 --> 00:11:03,094
to understand because
we all have the connection
230
00:11:03,129 --> 00:11:05,930
because we've picked
the same number.
231
00:11:05,965 --> 00:11:07,866
But the kids have the connection
232
00:11:07,900 --> 00:11:11,036
that they came
from the same person.
233
00:11:13,139 --> 00:11:15,874
[woman] Okay, Donor 5114,
are you a student?
234
00:11:15,908 --> 00:11:17,108
[Nathan] Yes.
235
00:11:17,143 --> 00:11:18,943
[woman]
And what are you studying?
236
00:11:18,978 --> 00:11:21,279
[man] I'm studying
my masters in architecture.
237
00:11:21,313 --> 00:11:22,947
[woman] Can you give me
one or two adjectives
238
00:11:22,982 --> 00:11:25,116
that best describe you?
239
00:11:25,151 --> 00:11:27,952
[man] I'd say optimistic
and curious.
240
00:11:27,987 --> 00:11:31,189
[woman] And what do you
admire in others?
241
00:11:31,223 --> 00:11:34,759
[man] I admire when people
show a sense of courage
242
00:11:34,794 --> 00:11:36,528
and honesty.
243
00:11:36,562 --> 00:11:38,596
[woman] And what do you least
like about others?
244
00:11:38,631 --> 00:11:41,700
[man]
I least like lying, really.
245
00:11:41,734 --> 00:11:43,368
It something
that bothers me a lot.
246
00:11:43,402 --> 00:11:45,070
- [woman] Dishonesty?
- [man] Dishonesty.
247
00:11:45,104 --> 00:11:47,672
[woman] Okay. Great. Good.
248
00:11:47,707 --> 00:11:49,240
Do you have anything
that you would like to say
249
00:11:49,275 --> 00:11:50,775
to your recipient of your sperm
250
00:11:50,810 --> 00:11:53,078
or a child born from your sperm?
251
00:11:53,112 --> 00:11:55,580
[man] Yes.
I wish them all the luck.
252
00:11:55,614 --> 00:11:59,217
[woman] Okay. All right.
That's it. Thank you.
253
00:11:59,251 --> 00:12:02,754
Well, the first time
I heard it, I was like...
254
00:12:02,788 --> 00:12:04,255
I was kind of shocked
to hear his voice
255
00:12:04,290 --> 00:12:06,291
because I didn't really, like,
256
00:12:06,325 --> 00:12:09,160
I didn't know like at all
what he was like
257
00:12:09,195 --> 00:12:12,797
and it just, like,
makes me more curious
258
00:12:12,832 --> 00:12:15,734
about what he's like
and what he looks like.
259
00:12:15,768 --> 00:12:19,137
[Alexis] I wished that
he had said more in the tape,
260
00:12:19,171 --> 00:12:21,439
like, I expected more.
261
00:12:21,474 --> 00:12:23,608
When they asked him, like,
if there was anything
262
00:12:23,642 --> 00:12:25,510
that he'd like
to pass on to, like,
263
00:12:25,544 --> 00:12:27,579
the recipients of his donation,
264
00:12:27,613 --> 00:12:30,515
like, I wish he had said
more than good luck,
265
00:12:30,549 --> 00:12:33,118
like, that kind...
That part kind of
266
00:12:33,152 --> 00:12:34,586
made me feel kind of empty,
267
00:12:34,620 --> 00:12:37,589
like, that's all
you have to say? Yeah.
268
00:12:37,623 --> 00:12:39,324
[Danny] Like it was almost
like in the profile
269
00:12:39,358 --> 00:12:41,092
that he like just donated
270
00:12:41,127 --> 00:12:43,361
because he needed
the college money.
271
00:12:43,395 --> 00:12:45,263
Sort of seemed like that.
272
00:12:45,297 --> 00:12:47,799
- [Neylan] Yeah.
- Right.
273
00:12:47,833 --> 00:12:50,135
If he wants to have,
like, contact with us
274
00:12:50,169 --> 00:12:51,336
when we get older.
275
00:12:51,370 --> 00:12:54,973
[dramatic music playing]
276
00:12:55,007 --> 00:12:58,009
[birds chirping]
277
00:13:06,252 --> 00:13:08,019
[Alexis] I want our donor
to know that,
278
00:13:08,053 --> 00:13:09,521
yeah, we really want to meet him
279
00:13:09,555 --> 00:13:11,589
and we know that
he probably has a life
280
00:13:11,624 --> 00:13:14,159
of his own now
and he might have, like,
281
00:13:14,193 --> 00:13:16,594
a partner and kids
that he's raised
282
00:13:16,629 --> 00:13:18,263
and that we just wanna have,
283
00:13:18,297 --> 00:13:21,232
like, some identity
of who we are.
284
00:13:21,267 --> 00:13:23,001
[Danny] Because you wanna
know the other half of you,
285
00:13:23,035 --> 00:13:25,804
like, you only know
what your mom gave you.
286
00:13:25,838 --> 00:13:27,205
- Yeah. Like...
- And sometimes
287
00:13:27,239 --> 00:13:28,573
you're not even that
similar to your mom,
288
00:13:28,607 --> 00:13:30,842
so you're like ugh.
289
00:13:30,876 --> 00:13:32,410
[Nick]
It's, like, hard to, like,
290
00:13:32,444 --> 00:13:34,679
not be able to think
of who your dad is.
291
00:13:34,713 --> 00:13:36,481
Most of my friends
can just, like,
292
00:13:36,515 --> 00:13:38,583
talk about their dad
or, like, know who they are
293
00:13:38,617 --> 00:13:40,218
and I can't, like...
294
00:13:40,252 --> 00:13:41,719
Like I can't even picture him
in my head
295
00:13:41,754 --> 00:13:43,955
of what he looks like,
only my mom.
296
00:13:45,024 --> 00:13:48,026
[dramatic music playing]
297
00:14:10,683 --> 00:14:12,116
[Alexis] So we're all
here in California
298
00:14:12,151 --> 00:14:13,952
and we're gathering
for our second
299
00:14:13,986 --> 00:14:16,888
sibling reunion.
Some of us haven't met before
300
00:14:16,922 --> 00:14:19,324
- and... Like Mattie...
- And me.
301
00:14:19,358 --> 00:14:21,226
...and Sadie.
302
00:14:21,260 --> 00:14:22,894
I think we're all
just looking forward
303
00:14:22,928 --> 00:14:25,230
to having a really good time
here with one another.
304
00:14:25,264 --> 00:14:28,233
[dramatic music playing]
305
00:14:34,340 --> 00:14:35,473
[Mattie] It hasn't, like,
hit me yet
306
00:14:35,507 --> 00:14:37,408
that, like, I met everyone
307
00:14:37,443 --> 00:14:39,444
because we all
just kind of clicked
308
00:14:39,478 --> 00:14:41,546
and we connected really well.
309
00:14:41,580 --> 00:14:43,648
And it all felt
just really natural.
310
00:14:43,682 --> 00:14:45,583
[Sadie] Yeah.
We get along so well already
311
00:14:45,618 --> 00:14:48,086
because we're related
so we're kind of not afraid
312
00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:49,554
to just be ourselves
313
00:14:49,588 --> 00:14:51,122
and we don't have
to like impress them
314
00:14:51,156 --> 00:14:52,590
because we're all like
brothers and sisters,
315
00:14:52,625 --> 00:14:54,392
and it's not like
meeting new people,
316
00:14:54,426 --> 00:14:56,895
you have to worry about like
what they think of you.
317
00:14:56,929 --> 00:14:59,797
[Mattie] Yeah.
And we all like talk about
318
00:14:59,832 --> 00:15:01,766
stuff about ourselves
that you normally
319
00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:03,501
wouldn't share
with other people,
320
00:15:03,535 --> 00:15:05,470
and we compare ourselves,
like, oh,
321
00:15:05,504 --> 00:15:07,705
- you have the same...
- [Sadie] Yeah.
322
00:15:07,740 --> 00:15:10,108
We have the same feet.
323
00:15:10,142 --> 00:15:12,377
[dramatic music playing]
324
00:15:12,411 --> 00:15:15,546
[Lisa] Sadie and I found out
about the first reunion
325
00:15:15,581 --> 00:15:17,715
and it was too late
for us to come to
326
00:15:17,750 --> 00:15:19,517
and Sadie was devastated,
327
00:15:19,551 --> 00:15:21,119
and she wanted
to come on her own
328
00:15:21,153 --> 00:15:22,487
and I had to explain that
329
00:15:22,521 --> 00:15:23,855
we really didn't know
anyone yet.
330
00:15:23,889 --> 00:15:26,791
And I promised her
that the next one,
331
00:15:26,825 --> 00:15:30,361
that we would come
to no matter what.
332
00:15:30,396 --> 00:15:32,063
[Amanda] When I got with Cindy,
333
00:15:32,097 --> 00:15:34,165
I said I will not be with you
334
00:15:34,233 --> 00:15:35,700
- unless we can have a child.
- We can have kids.
335
00:15:35,734 --> 00:15:37,335
And at that point,
we didn't know
336
00:15:37,369 --> 00:15:39,637
any other gay people
to begin with, much less
337
00:15:39,672 --> 00:15:42,473
any other people that
had children for sure.
338
00:15:42,508 --> 00:15:44,776
For her to have not only a
connection to other families
339
00:15:44,810 --> 00:15:46,477
that are similar to ours
but then also to have
340
00:15:46,512 --> 00:15:49,347
a half-sibling or relation
to that connection.
341
00:15:49,381 --> 00:15:52,483
And it's just bigger
than we could ever dream
342
00:15:52,518 --> 00:15:54,719
- and it's beautiful.
- [woman] Best ever.
343
00:15:54,753 --> 00:15:56,788
- [woman] [indistinct]
- Hey.
344
00:15:56,822 --> 00:15:58,523
[woman] I'm just gonna talk
to you later.
345
00:15:58,557 --> 00:15:59,991
[woman] Hey, Nate.
346
00:16:00,025 --> 00:16:03,728
[indistinct chatter]
347
00:16:03,762 --> 00:16:04,896
[Mattie]
I've been looking forward
348
00:16:04,930 --> 00:16:06,531
to going to the Cryrobank
349
00:16:06,565 --> 00:16:08,833
just to like see
what it's all about.
350
00:16:08,867 --> 00:16:11,102
It's just weird going
somewhere that he's been
351
00:16:11,136 --> 00:16:13,037
because I know
that I've always, like,
352
00:16:13,072 --> 00:16:15,506
imagined in my head ever
since I was a little girl,
353
00:16:15,541 --> 00:16:19,010
"Oh, I wonder,
like, how my dad is or,
354
00:16:19,044 --> 00:16:20,912
like, what he's doing
or where he's been."
355
00:16:20,946 --> 00:16:23,348
So it's just, kind of,
like a weird feeling.
356
00:16:23,382 --> 00:16:25,283
Like Mattie said,
since I was young,
357
00:16:25,317 --> 00:16:27,352
I've always had this
really, like,
358
00:16:27,386 --> 00:16:29,454
profound curiosity
to, like, know he is.
359
00:16:29,488 --> 00:16:32,123
So I guess whenever
I go places, like,
360
00:16:32,157 --> 00:16:33,958
when I went to New York.
I was like,
361
00:16:33,993 --> 00:16:36,127
"Oh, I bet he walked here.
I bet he's been here before."
362
00:16:36,161 --> 00:16:38,229
And when we go
to the California Cryrobank,
363
00:16:38,263 --> 00:16:39,897
we will know for sure
he's been here before.
364
00:16:39,932 --> 00:16:42,000
So that's, kind of, like,
a weird feeling
365
00:16:42,034 --> 00:16:44,202
but I'm excited.
366
00:16:44,236 --> 00:16:47,238
[dramatic music playing]
367
00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:56,881
[Dr. Cappy] Hello.
368
00:16:56,915 --> 00:16:59,784
Hello, welcome
to the California Cryrobank.
369
00:16:59,818 --> 00:17:01,953
It's wonderful to see everybody.
370
00:17:01,987 --> 00:17:04,489
Whether you realize it or not,
371
00:17:04,523 --> 00:17:07,792
you're a brand new generation
of what's taking place.
372
00:17:07,826 --> 00:17:10,528
I mean, all of a sudden,
from individuals
373
00:17:10,562 --> 00:17:12,630
you become an extended family,
374
00:17:12,664 --> 00:17:14,399
in two or three generations,
wow,
375
00:17:14,433 --> 00:17:16,701
what an extended family
you're gonna be.
376
00:17:21,173 --> 00:17:23,674
All right. So this
is our cryogenic center
377
00:17:23,709 --> 00:17:27,612
and we distribute about
30 plus thousands of sperm
378
00:17:27,646 --> 00:17:29,514
every year all over the world.
379
00:17:29,548 --> 00:17:31,349
And I would think
that at this time,
380
00:17:31,383 --> 00:17:33,785
we probably have about 65
381
00:17:33,819 --> 00:17:36,988
to maybe 70,000 children born.
382
00:17:37,022 --> 00:17:40,792
And by looking at your group
as an example,
383
00:17:40,859 --> 00:17:42,960
we're doing a good job.
384
00:17:42,995 --> 00:17:44,829
So somebody asked about sperm.
385
00:17:44,863 --> 00:17:47,432
So right here,
you can see the ampules,
386
00:17:47,466 --> 00:17:49,767
their sperm when it came.
Want to...
387
00:17:49,802 --> 00:17:51,636
Anybody want to take
and interesting picture?
388
00:17:54,673 --> 00:17:55,773
Whoa.
389
00:17:59,711 --> 00:18:01,179
How's that for a birthday cake?
390
00:18:01,213 --> 00:18:02,580
[indistinct chatter]
391
00:18:02,614 --> 00:18:04,582
Happy birthday.
392
00:18:06,385 --> 00:18:07,752
[Latrice] I'm Latrice Allen.
393
00:18:07,786 --> 00:18:11,589
I'm the donor
matching counselor.
394
00:18:11,623 --> 00:18:13,424
Initially when clients
395
00:18:13,459 --> 00:18:14,926
are coming in and they need help
396
00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:17,195
with making a selection
of the donor,
397
00:18:17,229 --> 00:18:18,930
they generally
will send me a picture
398
00:18:18,964 --> 00:18:20,565
of whomever
they're trying to match
399
00:18:20,599 --> 00:18:22,133
and I try to find a donor
400
00:18:22,167 --> 00:18:25,002
that has the same
similar characteristics.
401
00:18:25,037 --> 00:18:27,038
And then at the end of that,
402
00:18:27,072 --> 00:18:29,540
when the offsprings
are turning 18,
403
00:18:29,575 --> 00:18:31,742
they're calling me
to help them find
404
00:18:31,777 --> 00:18:33,811
their donors if possible.
405
00:18:33,846 --> 00:18:36,681
Who's the oldest of...
Out of all the offsprings?
406
00:18:36,715 --> 00:18:38,116
- How old are you?
- Fifteen.
407
00:18:38,183 --> 00:18:39,817
[Latrice] You're 15?
So I would imagine
408
00:18:39,852 --> 00:18:41,853
that you would be the first
one that would call me
409
00:18:41,887 --> 00:18:43,554
to find out if we could get
in contact with the owner.
410
00:18:43,589 --> 00:18:44,922
On my 18th birthday.
411
00:18:44,957 --> 00:18:45,890
[Latrice] What donor number?
412
00:18:45,924 --> 00:18:48,926
[all] 5114.
413
00:18:48,961 --> 00:18:50,194
[Latrice] Basically what happens
414
00:18:50,229 --> 00:18:52,196
with anonymous contact,
if the donor
415
00:18:52,231 --> 00:18:53,898
still wants to remain anonymous,
416
00:18:53,932 --> 00:18:55,900
he doesn't wanna release
his identity.
417
00:18:55,934 --> 00:18:58,169
However,
he's willing to participate
418
00:18:58,203 --> 00:18:59,470
in some type of communication
419
00:18:59,505 --> 00:19:01,072
that's facilitated through me.
420
00:19:01,106 --> 00:19:03,908
So, I will have the offspring
send me a bio.
421
00:19:03,942 --> 00:19:06,110
Maybe a list of questions,
some photos
422
00:19:06,145 --> 00:19:07,745
if they're comfortable
with doing that,
423
00:19:07,779 --> 00:19:10,248
I'll cut and paste,
email that to the donor,
424
00:19:10,282 --> 00:19:12,483
the donor responds,
cut and paste, send it back,
425
00:19:12,518 --> 00:19:14,952
we play Ping-Pong
until the donor says,
426
00:19:14,987 --> 00:19:16,287
you know, "Have a great life."
427
00:19:16,321 --> 00:19:17,989
I have answered
all your questions.
428
00:19:18,023 --> 00:19:20,791
I wish you the best." Or,
"I feel comfortable enough
429
00:19:20,826 --> 00:19:24,762
to have this person
have my contact information."
430
00:19:24,796 --> 00:19:26,797
A lot of these donors
are married.
431
00:19:26,832 --> 00:19:28,232
They have their own children.
432
00:19:28,267 --> 00:19:29,967
So some of them
have discussed it
433
00:19:30,002 --> 00:19:31,802
with their wives,
some of them haven't.
434
00:19:31,837 --> 00:19:33,304
I find that the ones
435
00:19:33,338 --> 00:19:35,072
that haven't discussed it
with their wives
436
00:19:35,107 --> 00:19:37,108
are a little bit
more apprehensive
437
00:19:37,142 --> 00:19:39,877
about having any type
of communication.
438
00:19:39,912 --> 00:19:43,214
I can generally talk them
into anonymous communication,
439
00:19:43,248 --> 00:19:45,783
especially if they say
no right off the bat.
440
00:19:45,817 --> 00:19:47,652
So it's, you know,
just give us this.
441
00:19:47,686 --> 00:19:50,755
These kids are not looking
for a father figure,
442
00:19:50,789 --> 00:19:53,424
they're looking for a missing
piece to their puzzle.
443
00:19:53,458 --> 00:19:56,460
[dramatic music playing]
444
00:20:07,673 --> 00:20:09,340
[woman] I'd love to, like,
analyze it.
445
00:20:10,609 --> 00:20:12,109
- Oh, my gosh.
- [man] Is it...
446
00:20:12,144 --> 00:20:13,778
Is that real speed?
447
00:20:13,812 --> 00:20:15,813
[man] That is real speed, yeah.
448
00:20:16,848 --> 00:20:17,982
[woman] What?
449
00:20:20,252 --> 00:20:23,454
[Margot] We're checking out
actual sperm in microscopes
450
00:20:23,488 --> 00:20:25,456
and on the screen,
451
00:20:25,490 --> 00:20:27,258
checking it where it all began.
452
00:20:31,096 --> 00:20:33,564
What's your favorite one?
453
00:20:33,599 --> 00:20:35,800
Only one of those guys
is gonna be the winner.
454
00:20:38,670 --> 00:20:40,304
[woman] When you talk
about with your siblings,
455
00:20:40,339 --> 00:20:41,639
like, when you saw the tanks
456
00:20:41,673 --> 00:20:43,207
and when you saw
the dry ice or...
457
00:20:43,242 --> 00:20:45,409
I don't know. It's just weird
to know that, like,
458
00:20:45,444 --> 00:20:47,645
part of us has been here before.
459
00:20:47,679 --> 00:20:49,413
[Dr. Cappy]
Mattie, how is it having
460
00:20:49,448 --> 00:20:51,649
so many new siblings?
461
00:20:51,683 --> 00:20:54,051
I like them all. They're great.
462
00:20:54,086 --> 00:20:55,886
Thank you so much.
463
00:20:55,921 --> 00:20:57,221
[Dr. Cappy]
And thanks for coming,
464
00:20:57,256 --> 00:20:59,657
- I'm sorry you're leaving.
- Oh, me too.
465
00:20:59,691 --> 00:21:01,659
I wish I could stay forever.
466
00:21:09,401 --> 00:21:11,502
[Sadie] I'm glad
I went to the Cryrobank
467
00:21:11,536 --> 00:21:14,038
but at the same time
it made me feel a little bit
468
00:21:14,072 --> 00:21:16,107
like we're not empty, but...
469
00:21:16,141 --> 00:21:17,675
we didn't really get
more answers.
470
00:21:17,709 --> 00:21:18,676
- I don't know.
- We didn't...
471
00:21:18,710 --> 00:21:19,977
I'm glad I went but I...
472
00:21:20,012 --> 00:21:22,313
we didn't really get
more answers,
473
00:21:22,347 --> 00:21:23,814
but I think it was good
to just see
474
00:21:23,849 --> 00:21:26,017
where it all began.
475
00:21:26,051 --> 00:21:28,486
Even if the donor
wanted to meet us
476
00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,621
and we opened up
to meeting him as well,
477
00:21:30,656 --> 00:21:32,290
they couldn't connect us
478
00:21:32,324 --> 00:21:34,025
and I don't really think
that's really fair.
479
00:21:34,059 --> 00:21:35,626
I don't think there's any
practical reason
480
00:21:35,661 --> 00:21:37,295
why you should say no
481
00:21:37,329 --> 00:21:40,598
if both sides
are open to contact.
482
00:21:42,534 --> 00:21:44,201
[Alexis]
I think as soon as someone's
483
00:21:44,236 --> 00:21:45,970
close to turning 18,
I think we'll probably have
484
00:21:46,004 --> 00:21:47,805
like a countdown or something.
485
00:21:47,839 --> 00:21:49,273
- [Sadie] Yeah.
- [Alexis] But I don't think
486
00:21:49,308 --> 00:21:50,808
we should get our hopes
too high up
487
00:21:50,842 --> 00:21:52,476
because there's a good chance
he'll say no,
488
00:21:52,511 --> 00:21:55,046
but we can get excited about it.
489
00:21:55,080 --> 00:21:56,180
Mmm-hmm.
490
00:22:02,587 --> 00:22:05,389
[Danny] That was my first
time swimming in the ocean.
491
00:22:05,424 --> 00:22:06,590
- Ever?
- Uh-huh.
492
00:22:06,625 --> 00:22:08,392
- Are you serious?
- Yes. I...
493
00:22:08,427 --> 00:22:09,760
Where have you been
all your life?
494
00:22:09,795 --> 00:22:13,230
Not like this on the east,
though.
495
00:22:13,265 --> 00:22:15,533
[woman] Grab your bag, Nathan.
496
00:22:15,567 --> 00:22:16,767
This is it.
497
00:22:16,802 --> 00:22:19,103
Anybody claim these socks? Ray?
498
00:22:19,137 --> 00:22:20,404
[indistinct chatter]
499
00:22:20,439 --> 00:22:21,739
[woman]
I think that there's a phone
500
00:22:21,773 --> 00:22:23,040
- underneath the bed.
- [man] Oh, good,
501
00:22:23,075 --> 00:22:24,942
because we're missing two.
502
00:22:24,976 --> 00:22:26,610
[Alexis] The hardest part
of the trip, I think
503
00:22:26,645 --> 00:22:29,046
is just knowing
that you have to leave.
504
00:22:29,081 --> 00:22:30,448
[Sadie] It's gonna be
a while probably
505
00:22:30,482 --> 00:22:32,550
until we see each other.
506
00:22:32,584 --> 00:22:34,352
[woman] Oh, yeah.
507
00:22:34,386 --> 00:22:35,753
[indistinct chatter]
508
00:22:35,787 --> 00:22:37,254
[woman] The kids
are already starting
509
00:22:37,289 --> 00:22:40,791
to anticipate their goodbyes.
510
00:22:40,826 --> 00:22:43,294
There's a lot
of emotions flowing.
511
00:22:46,732 --> 00:22:48,332
[Nick] I'm thankful
that all the families
512
00:22:48,367 --> 00:22:50,000
let us come and let us have
513
00:22:50,035 --> 00:22:52,570
the opportunity to do all this.
514
00:22:52,604 --> 00:22:54,105
[Neylan] I just think
it's really bittersweet
515
00:22:54,139 --> 00:22:56,006
but you can definitely
feel the love
516
00:22:56,041 --> 00:22:58,843
and how much we're gonna
miss one another.
517
00:22:58,877 --> 00:23:00,611
[Danny] Every time,
it gets a bit harder
518
00:23:00,645 --> 00:23:03,414
to say goodbye,
but it's reassuring to know
519
00:23:03,448 --> 00:23:04,815
that we'll have another one
520
00:23:04,850 --> 00:23:07,017
of these visits again
sometime soon.
521
00:23:13,792 --> 00:23:16,193
[dramatic music playing]
522
00:23:16,228 --> 00:23:18,863
[Latrice] So two of the moms,
Brandy and Fran,
523
00:23:18,897 --> 00:23:21,031
approached me after their visit
524
00:23:21,066 --> 00:23:22,800
and was curious to know
525
00:23:22,834 --> 00:23:25,002
if we had any additional vials
526
00:23:25,036 --> 00:23:27,171
from donor 5114.
527
00:23:27,205 --> 00:23:29,017
And we did a little research
528
00:23:29,041 --> 00:23:32,076
and found that we had
an abandoned purchase
529
00:23:32,110 --> 00:23:34,011
and storage account
where the client
530
00:23:34,045 --> 00:23:35,646
didn't pay for the vial.
531
00:23:35,680 --> 00:23:37,481
So, they were deemed abandoned
532
00:23:37,516 --> 00:23:39,817
and we were able to take
those vials back
533
00:23:39,851 --> 00:23:41,185
and make those available
534
00:23:41,219 --> 00:23:44,622
for Brandy and Fran.
535
00:23:44,656 --> 00:23:47,691
The chances of having vials
from a donor,
536
00:23:47,726 --> 00:23:51,462
from that far back is just,
like, pretty unlikely.
537
00:23:51,496 --> 00:23:53,998
As far as we know,
the vials that we found
538
00:23:54,032 --> 00:23:56,267
were the two last vials
that we have
539
00:23:56,301 --> 00:23:59,737
or will have available
on donor 5114
540
00:23:59,771 --> 00:24:02,673
and we wish them all the best.
541
00:24:05,410 --> 00:24:09,013
[wind blowing]
542
00:24:11,082 --> 00:24:12,716
[Brandy] So this is the cane
543
00:24:12,751 --> 00:24:14,852
that the specimen comes in
544
00:24:14,886 --> 00:24:17,054
and the vial is clipped
545
00:24:17,088 --> 00:24:19,356
into this little cane.
546
00:24:19,391 --> 00:24:22,059
And this is the vial.
This is all we get.
547
00:24:22,093 --> 00:24:23,427
This is our shot.
548
00:24:23,462 --> 00:24:24,929
It's not very much,
549
00:24:24,963 --> 00:24:27,531
but hopefully it'll do
the trick.
550
00:24:27,566 --> 00:24:29,633
[Francesca] We just need one.
551
00:24:29,668 --> 00:24:31,168
[Brandy] We've been together
almost eight years
552
00:24:31,203 --> 00:24:32,703
and it was pretty cool
553
00:24:32,737 --> 00:24:35,539
because Francesca and I
never would have thought
554
00:24:35,574 --> 00:24:38,242
that this could have been
a possibility for us.
555
00:24:38,276 --> 00:24:40,878
[Francesca] I knew that
we were getting ready to try.
556
00:24:40,912 --> 00:24:43,981
Our goal was, like,
within the next six months.
557
00:24:44,015 --> 00:24:45,082
I mean it was just like destiny
558
00:24:45,116 --> 00:24:46,684
that this was just frozen
559
00:24:46,718 --> 00:24:48,085
just waiting for me to mature...
560
00:24:48,119 --> 00:24:49,386
- Grow up?
- ...and get old enough
561
00:24:49,421 --> 00:24:52,556
and grow up to be able
to use them.
562
00:24:52,591 --> 00:24:53,591
[Brandy] This is the vial.
563
00:24:53,625 --> 00:24:56,260
This is the 5114 vial.
564
00:24:56,294 --> 00:24:59,497
This is the sperm
that come in here
565
00:24:59,531 --> 00:25:00,998
- that we used get...
- Is this actually 5114?
566
00:25:01,032 --> 00:25:02,233
...pregnant. Yeah.
567
00:25:03,935 --> 00:25:05,736
- That's pretty small, huh?
- It's...
568
00:25:05,770 --> 00:25:07,438
they're still stuff in there?
569
00:25:07,472 --> 00:25:08,906
[Brandy] Probably.
570
00:25:08,940 --> 00:25:10,774
Besides the...
571
00:25:10,809 --> 00:25:11,876
yellow thing?
572
00:25:11,910 --> 00:25:13,210
[Brandy] I wouldn't open it.
573
00:25:13,245 --> 00:25:15,446
I'm not going to.
574
00:25:15,514 --> 00:25:17,882
[Danny] It's crazy to think
that I was like
575
00:25:17,916 --> 00:25:20,251
once in a tiny little
container like this
576
00:25:20,285 --> 00:25:22,586
being shipped off to New Mexico
577
00:25:22,621 --> 00:25:24,221
and that I came in
578
00:25:24,256 --> 00:25:26,323
this just little tiny container.
579
00:25:26,358 --> 00:25:27,558
It was just neat thinking like
580
00:25:27,592 --> 00:25:28,492
that could be your brother
581
00:25:28,527 --> 00:25:30,394
and, or sister in there.
582
00:25:30,428 --> 00:25:33,163
Just this little thing could
change your whole future.
583
00:25:33,198 --> 00:25:35,232
It's pretty crazy.
584
00:25:35,267 --> 00:25:36,767
I'm really nervous for tomorrow
585
00:25:36,801 --> 00:25:40,204
when we find out if my mom
is pregnant or not.
586
00:25:40,238 --> 00:25:42,540
It would be definitely cool
if she is,
587
00:25:42,574 --> 00:25:43,874
to have another half-sibling
588
00:25:43,909 --> 00:25:45,743
and it'll be cool
589
00:25:45,777 --> 00:25:48,045
to have another addition
to my family.
590
00:25:48,079 --> 00:25:51,015
[dramatic music playing]
591
00:25:57,188 --> 00:26:00,791
[Brandy] I'm excited
but I'm pretty nervous.
592
00:26:00,825 --> 00:26:02,560
This could be like...
593
00:26:04,896 --> 00:26:06,897
a new life for us
594
00:26:06,932 --> 00:26:11,402
with a baby
or keep trying, so...
595
00:26:13,204 --> 00:26:14,705
I'm just a little nervous...
596
00:26:16,675 --> 00:26:18,509
excited.
597
00:26:18,543 --> 00:26:21,612
I can't wait to see
what it shows.
598
00:26:21,646 --> 00:26:22,880
But I'm nervous.
599
00:26:24,983 --> 00:26:28,185
Fran, do you want to use
the digital or the other one?
600
00:26:32,090 --> 00:26:33,190
Yeah.
601
00:26:33,224 --> 00:26:34,992
- Here we go.
- Here we go.
602
00:26:35,026 --> 00:26:37,928
[dramatic music playing]
603
00:27:02,721 --> 00:27:04,154
[indistinct]
604
00:27:08,393 --> 00:27:10,427
We've been waiting
for a long time.
605
00:27:14,933 --> 00:27:17,001
Maybe this test is a dud.
606
00:27:17,035 --> 00:27:18,702
Yeah.
607
00:27:18,737 --> 00:27:20,404
[Brandy] It's on a timer
right now
608
00:27:20,438 --> 00:27:22,072
- and it'll tell us...
- [Francesca] I think it says
609
00:27:22,107 --> 00:27:23,941
three minutes, so.
610
00:27:25,143 --> 00:27:26,443
You're so shaky.
611
00:27:26,478 --> 00:27:28,045
[Brandy] I know.
612
00:27:28,079 --> 00:27:30,447
A little more pressure
this time than the last time.
613
00:27:33,885 --> 00:27:36,787
[dramatic music playing]
614
00:27:41,926 --> 00:27:44,161
[Francesca crying]
615
00:27:53,271 --> 00:27:54,738
Next time.
616
00:27:57,575 --> 00:27:58,876
I love you.
617
00:27:58,910 --> 00:27:59,777
I love you, too.
618
00:27:59,811 --> 00:28:01,612
I'm proud of you.
619
00:28:01,646 --> 00:28:04,548
[dramatic music playing]
620
00:28:10,288 --> 00:28:11,655
It's a new journey
for us, though,
621
00:28:11,690 --> 00:28:13,424
because you've never had
to keep trying.
622
00:28:13,458 --> 00:28:14,825
I know.
623
00:28:14,859 --> 00:28:16,126
I don't know
what this feels like.
624
00:28:16,161 --> 00:28:17,461
The last time it was positive
625
00:28:17,495 --> 00:28:19,830
the first try.
626
00:28:19,864 --> 00:28:21,565
It's okay.
627
00:28:21,633 --> 00:28:24,501
[dramatic music playing]
628
00:28:40,185 --> 00:28:42,286
[Lorie] So we're in Provo, Utah.
629
00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:44,288
I'm here for a parent conference
630
00:28:44,322 --> 00:28:48,325
at Nathan's new school.
631
00:28:48,359 --> 00:28:51,361
He's been here
for five months today.
632
00:28:51,396 --> 00:28:53,030
And it's a...
633
00:28:54,566 --> 00:28:56,133
therapeutic boarding school,
634
00:28:56,167 --> 00:28:58,235
is where he's at now.
635
00:28:58,269 --> 00:28:59,837
And he...
636
00:28:59,871 --> 00:29:02,239
he was having some struggles
in his school in Denver.
637
00:29:02,273 --> 00:29:04,575
And at the end
of the first semester
638
00:29:04,609 --> 00:29:06,477
of ninth grade,
639
00:29:06,511 --> 00:29:11,215
he didn't pass
many of his classes.
640
00:29:11,249 --> 00:29:14,218
There were relationship
issues at home
641
00:29:14,252 --> 00:29:18,255
and some behaviors
that were concerning.
642
00:29:18,289 --> 00:29:21,091
He didn't wanna go to therapy.
643
00:29:21,126 --> 00:29:22,860
And he was past the point
644
00:29:22,894 --> 00:29:24,528
where I could just pick him up
and put him in the car
645
00:29:24,562 --> 00:29:25,896
and take him places.
646
00:29:25,930 --> 00:29:27,898
So when I decided
to send him away,
647
00:29:27,932 --> 00:29:29,566
I could either let him know
648
00:29:29,601 --> 00:29:31,668
what was going to be coming,
649
00:29:33,404 --> 00:29:36,807
or they show up at your door
at 3:00 AM
650
00:29:36,841 --> 00:29:40,511
and wake your child up
and take them.
651
00:29:40,545 --> 00:29:43,847
And I was afraid if I told him
652
00:29:43,882 --> 00:29:46,316
what would be coming,
that he would run away,
653
00:29:46,351 --> 00:29:48,352
and I didn't want him
out on the streets,
654
00:29:48,386 --> 00:29:50,554
I didn't want him, you know,
655
00:29:50,588 --> 00:29:52,489
to disappear.
656
00:29:52,524 --> 00:29:54,158
So, I chose the path
657
00:29:54,192 --> 00:29:57,895
of having them come at 3:00 AM.
658
00:29:57,929 --> 00:29:59,930
It was the hardest thing
I ever did.
659
00:30:03,334 --> 00:30:05,335
And he was angry.
660
00:30:07,906 --> 00:30:10,307
Well, one day, like,
kinda early in the morning,
661
00:30:10,341 --> 00:30:12,543
two guys just like showed up
in my room
662
00:30:12,577 --> 00:30:14,244
and didn't really explain,
663
00:30:14,279 --> 00:30:15,512
like, what they were doing,
664
00:30:15,547 --> 00:30:17,581
but they just kind of said like,
665
00:30:17,615 --> 00:30:19,082
"Either you could just come
with us to
666
00:30:19,117 --> 00:30:21,418
the airport or, like,
we could handcuff you
667
00:30:21,452 --> 00:30:24,221
and, like, put you in the car
and take you to the airport."
668
00:30:24,255 --> 00:30:26,690
So then I just went with them.
669
00:30:26,724 --> 00:30:28,859
When they woke me up,
I saw her in my room
670
00:30:28,893 --> 00:30:30,227
but she didn't really
talk to me,
671
00:30:30,261 --> 00:30:32,262
she just said,
"I love you, really.
672
00:30:32,297 --> 00:30:34,998
I'm sorry," or something,
and just walked out.
673
00:30:35,033 --> 00:30:37,000
I guess when I got here,
I was pretty confused
674
00:30:37,035 --> 00:30:39,469
because I didn't really,
like, know how things worked.
675
00:30:39,504 --> 00:30:41,738
And then also angry at my mom
676
00:30:41,773 --> 00:30:45,142
because I felt like betrayed.
677
00:30:45,176 --> 00:30:48,045
Being an only parent was...
678
00:30:48,079 --> 00:30:49,813
in hindsight now, it's...
679
00:30:49,848 --> 00:30:52,716
It was not as easy
as I thought it would be.
680
00:30:52,750 --> 00:30:54,251
You don't have the checks
and balances,
681
00:30:54,285 --> 00:30:57,020
you don't have someone there
to say,
682
00:30:57,055 --> 00:30:58,388
you know,
"Is that the way you wanted
683
00:30:58,423 --> 00:30:59,756
to handle that situation?"
684
00:30:59,791 --> 00:31:02,025
It's just you and your kid,
you know?
685
00:31:04,329 --> 00:31:07,464
And so I was...
I was a little controlling,
686
00:31:07,498 --> 00:31:09,366
I was critical,
687
00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:12,202
and I think that it was hard
688
00:31:12,237 --> 00:31:14,571
not having anyone else.
689
00:31:14,606 --> 00:31:17,074
Like, not knowing my dad
hasn't really...
690
00:31:17,108 --> 00:31:18,876
I don't think it's like
caused any problems
691
00:31:18,910 --> 00:31:21,278
between me and my mom,
692
00:31:21,312 --> 00:31:23,780
even though she thinks that
as, like,
693
00:31:23,815 --> 00:31:25,883
when I'm angry with her,
she'll ask me, like,
694
00:31:25,917 --> 00:31:28,752
is it because you, like,
don't know your dad?
695
00:31:28,786 --> 00:31:31,455
When she asked me that,
I just tell her, like,
696
00:31:31,489 --> 00:31:33,457
it's not true
because it really isn't.
697
00:31:33,491 --> 00:31:36,360
I don't really care.
698
00:31:36,427 --> 00:31:37,494
[Lorie] You know,
what I'm hoping
699
00:31:37,528 --> 00:31:39,663
is that we can fix
700
00:31:39,697 --> 00:31:42,065
what has gone wrong
701
00:31:42,133 --> 00:31:45,302
and move on and enjoy each other
702
00:31:45,336 --> 00:31:49,206
for, you know, from here on out.
703
00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,241
[indistinct chatter]
704
00:31:56,514 --> 00:31:58,916
[Nathan] Heritage wanted
to bring all the parents
705
00:31:58,950 --> 00:32:00,651
and the kids
over to a ropes course
706
00:32:00,685 --> 00:32:03,387
so that families going
can, like,
707
00:32:03,421 --> 00:32:06,957
help build trust and work
on their relationship.
708
00:32:06,991 --> 00:32:08,725
I don't know, I don't think
you can really, like,
709
00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:10,928
fix a relationship
with a ropes course.
710
00:32:12,830 --> 00:32:14,398
[Lorie] Holy smokes.
711
00:32:14,432 --> 00:32:17,634
[laughs]
712
00:32:17,669 --> 00:32:19,369
Oh, my God.
713
00:32:19,404 --> 00:32:22,039
[dramatic music playing]
714
00:32:22,073 --> 00:32:23,941
I'm only gonna get,
like, two steps.
715
00:32:23,975 --> 00:32:26,176
[laughs]
716
00:32:26,210 --> 00:32:27,644
- I can't lift.
- Why?
717
00:32:27,679 --> 00:32:29,513
Because it's hard to lift
this weight up.
718
00:32:29,547 --> 00:32:31,181
- You think it's easy?
- [indistinct]
719
00:32:31,215 --> 00:32:34,718
[Lorie] I weigh about
as much as a car.
720
00:32:34,752 --> 00:32:36,553
I am planning on pushing myself
721
00:32:36,587 --> 00:32:37,988
out of my comfort zone.
722
00:32:38,022 --> 00:32:39,723
I think it's important
for Nathan
723
00:32:39,757 --> 00:32:43,193
to see how important
this is to me.
724
00:32:43,227 --> 00:32:45,395
And if I bug out and say,
725
00:32:45,430 --> 00:32:47,397
"I don't wanna do it,"
726
00:32:47,432 --> 00:32:49,933
what message is that sending
to him, you know?
727
00:32:49,968 --> 00:32:52,202
That he's not worth me
728
00:32:52,236 --> 00:32:54,504
getting a little uncomfortable.
729
00:32:54,539 --> 00:32:58,709
So I'm terrified
730
00:32:58,743 --> 00:33:01,878
but I'm gonna go
a little bit farther
731
00:33:01,913 --> 00:33:04,781
than I thought I could go.
732
00:33:04,816 --> 00:33:07,150
- [woman] Okay. I just want...
- [man] Yeah. Me, too.
733
00:33:09,153 --> 00:33:11,054
- [woman] Did you grab it?
- [woman] Yeah.
734
00:33:11,089 --> 00:33:12,723
[man] It'll suspend you.
735
00:33:12,757 --> 00:33:14,658
It'll suspend you like a bridge.
736
00:33:14,726 --> 00:33:16,693
[man] There you go. Yes.
Way to go.
737
00:33:16,728 --> 00:33:18,261
Good job.
738
00:33:18,296 --> 00:33:21,231
[indistinct chatter]
739
00:33:25,470 --> 00:33:27,270
[man] You have the strength
in the middle.
740
00:33:27,305 --> 00:33:28,905
Strength's in the middle.
741
00:33:28,940 --> 00:33:31,008
[indistinct chatter]
742
00:33:31,042 --> 00:33:33,110
[Nathan] Push on me.
Push on my arms.
743
00:33:34,545 --> 00:33:36,113
Oh.
744
00:33:36,147 --> 00:33:37,914
- [woman] We got her.
- [woman] We got her.
745
00:33:37,949 --> 00:33:40,017
- [man] Oh. Good job.
- [woman] Okay.
746
00:33:40,051 --> 00:33:42,619
Good job. Look it up.
747
00:33:42,653 --> 00:33:43,920
[Lorie] Okay. He's good.
748
00:33:43,955 --> 00:33:46,023
He's too fast.
749
00:33:46,057 --> 00:33:47,124
[woman] Great.
750
00:33:48,559 --> 00:33:50,594
[woman] Good job.
751
00:33:50,628 --> 00:33:53,897
[Lorie] Oh, good try.
752
00:33:53,931 --> 00:33:55,766
- [man] Good job.
- [Lorie] Awesome.
753
00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:56,900
[Nathan] I missed.
754
00:33:56,934 --> 00:33:59,870
[dramatic music playing]
755
00:34:03,374 --> 00:34:05,075
Oh, my God. I'm doing this.
756
00:34:05,109 --> 00:34:07,277
Okay. Well, we'll see
how far I get.
757
00:34:07,311 --> 00:34:08,445
[laughs]
758
00:34:08,479 --> 00:34:09,579
Are you gonna go upside down?
759
00:34:09,614 --> 00:34:11,448
Yeah, right.
760
00:34:11,482 --> 00:34:13,216
Yeah, that's my style.
761
00:34:14,986 --> 00:34:17,087
Shit.
762
00:34:17,121 --> 00:34:19,456
[woman] Keep your eyes
on your goal.
763
00:34:19,490 --> 00:34:20,824
Climbing.
764
00:34:22,894 --> 00:34:24,494
Push up good with your left leg.
765
00:34:29,333 --> 00:34:31,334
Push with that left leg
with everything you got.
766
00:34:31,369 --> 00:34:32,903
[woman] Yeah, push your leg.
767
00:34:32,937 --> 00:34:35,939
[Lorie panting]
768
00:34:35,973 --> 00:34:37,774
[Lorie] I think I'm stuck.
769
00:34:39,444 --> 00:34:40,944
I can't...
770
00:34:40,978 --> 00:34:42,512
- Bring your right foot up.
- [woman] It's okay.
771
00:34:42,547 --> 00:34:44,281
- Shit.
- [woman] Nathan,
772
00:34:44,315 --> 00:34:45,449
make her hear your voice.
773
00:34:45,483 --> 00:34:47,918
"Mom, try one more step."
774
00:34:47,952 --> 00:34:49,920
[Nathan] Mom, before you
give up, try to...
775
00:34:49,954 --> 00:34:51,822
- There you go.
- [woman] Go. Go.
776
00:34:51,856 --> 00:34:53,190
[woman] She's gonna hear
your voice
777
00:34:53,224 --> 00:34:54,958
- over anybody else's.
- [Lorie gasping]
778
00:34:54,992 --> 00:34:56,760
[woman] Don't look go down,
you can take one more step.
779
00:34:56,794 --> 00:34:58,795
- [man] Done.
- [Lorie] I'm done.
780
00:35:01,099 --> 00:35:02,899
[man] Grab the rope.
781
00:35:02,934 --> 00:35:04,234
- Put your weight back.
- [Lorie gasping]
782
00:35:04,268 --> 00:35:05,669
[woman] There you go,
there you go,
783
00:35:05,703 --> 00:35:07,604
- there you go.
- You're fine, you're fine.
784
00:35:10,374 --> 00:35:11,508
There you go.
785
00:35:13,244 --> 00:35:14,644
[man] Hey, good job for trying.
786
00:35:14,679 --> 00:35:16,513
[woman] Okay. Your legs
are gonna be wobbly.
787
00:35:16,547 --> 00:35:18,415
Your legs are gonna be wobbly
so just sit right down.
788
00:35:20,551 --> 00:35:22,519
Okay, Lorie, you are awesome.
789
00:35:22,553 --> 00:35:24,187
- [man] Good job trying.
- [woman] Really good job.
790
00:35:24,222 --> 00:35:25,689
- [man] Great job.
- You're gonna wanna find
791
00:35:25,723 --> 00:35:27,390
somewhere just to sit
and kinda shake it out
792
00:35:27,425 --> 00:35:29,159
- a little bit.
- Okay.
793
00:35:29,193 --> 00:35:30,560
- Yeah, I don't know... Okay.
- Okay?
794
00:35:30,595 --> 00:35:32,062
Did you hear Nathan
talking to you?
795
00:35:32,096 --> 00:35:33,763
No, I didn't hear anything.
796
00:35:33,798 --> 00:35:35,332
[woman] I thought if you were
gonna hear anyone,
797
00:35:35,366 --> 00:35:36,900
you would hear him over us.
798
00:35:36,934 --> 00:35:38,635
- Good job.
- Good try.
799
00:35:38,669 --> 00:35:39,836
[man] Are you tight?
800
00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:44,708
Oh, that was scary.
801
00:35:44,742 --> 00:35:46,910
Super, super intimidating, huh?
802
00:35:46,944 --> 00:35:48,645
Really, really amazing.
803
00:35:48,679 --> 00:35:50,514
I don't know if you realize
how far you were,
804
00:35:50,548 --> 00:35:52,516
but you were halfway
up that pole.
805
00:35:52,550 --> 00:35:53,717
- [man] Yeah.
- Halfway up the pole.
806
00:35:53,751 --> 00:35:54,918
You pushed yourself. Good job.
807
00:35:54,952 --> 00:35:56,153
You did.
808
00:35:56,187 --> 00:35:57,254
And you took the one more step
809
00:35:57,288 --> 00:35:58,599
even when you didn't want to.
810
00:35:58,623 --> 00:36:00,056
- Yeah.
- [woman] We're good.
811
00:36:00,091 --> 00:36:01,057
[man] We're good.
812
00:36:01,092 --> 00:36:03,059
[cheerful music playing]
813
00:36:03,094 --> 00:36:04,427
[Nathan] I didn't really, like,
814
00:36:04,462 --> 00:36:06,062
have any set goals coming here,
815
00:36:06,097 --> 00:36:08,064
but I know, like,
I was gonna try
816
00:36:08,099 --> 00:36:11,468
to do my best on all
the courses or activities.
817
00:36:11,502 --> 00:36:13,770
And I think I did that.
818
00:36:13,804 --> 00:36:16,740
[cheerful music playing]
819
00:36:18,609 --> 00:36:19,943
[Lorie] I was happy
with the experience.
820
00:36:19,977 --> 00:36:21,311
It gave me a little confidence
821
00:36:21,345 --> 00:36:22,712
that I could something
822
00:36:22,747 --> 00:36:24,614
that I was terrified of doing.
823
00:36:24,649 --> 00:36:26,783
I took one step
more than I thought I could.
824
00:36:26,817 --> 00:36:28,919
So I was happy with that.
825
00:36:28,953 --> 00:36:30,820
I think there was,
like, one course
826
00:36:30,855 --> 00:36:33,089
that helped me and my mom,
827
00:36:33,124 --> 00:36:36,159
like, kinda like build
a little bit more trust.
828
00:36:36,194 --> 00:36:37,494
- I don't know what to call it.
- The wires?
829
00:36:37,528 --> 00:36:38,962
- The two wires.
- Yeah.
830
00:36:38,996 --> 00:36:42,032
The wires where you have
to support each other.
831
00:36:42,066 --> 00:36:44,968
He approached every obstacle
832
00:36:45,002 --> 00:36:47,971
with such confidence and...
833
00:36:48,005 --> 00:36:49,573
But I didn't see you
back down from anything.
834
00:36:49,607 --> 00:36:51,608
You didn't...
you didn't walk away,
835
00:36:51,642 --> 00:36:52,809
you didn't give up.
836
00:36:52,843 --> 00:36:55,445
You tried your hardest,
you know?
837
00:36:55,479 --> 00:36:57,314
And that's all I can ask.
838
00:37:00,318 --> 00:37:02,185
You should do your best.
839
00:37:04,922 --> 00:37:06,656
And it made me really proud.
840
00:37:08,426 --> 00:37:11,361
[dramatic music playing]
841
00:37:16,901 --> 00:37:17,867
[Nancy] You have to see.
842
00:37:20,838 --> 00:37:22,639
These are heavier
than you think they'd be.
843
00:37:22,673 --> 00:37:23,940
- [Hannah] Are they?
- Yeah.
844
00:37:23,975 --> 00:37:25,475
- [Hannah] Are those snails?
- Yeah.
845
00:37:25,509 --> 00:37:29,479
[dramatic music playing]
846
00:37:29,513 --> 00:37:32,148
[Nancy] I have two kids
from donor 5114.
847
00:37:32,183 --> 00:37:34,517
Johnny who will be 15
in a few weeks
848
00:37:34,552 --> 00:37:37,053
and Hannah who's 12 and a half.
849
00:37:37,088 --> 00:37:39,990
And I think our journey
to joining up
850
00:37:40,024 --> 00:37:41,491
with the other kids
851
00:37:41,525 --> 00:37:43,293
has been a little bit different.
852
00:37:43,327 --> 00:37:45,729
They just haven't really seemed
853
00:37:45,763 --> 00:37:47,964
to feel the need and the pull
854
00:37:47,999 --> 00:37:50,467
that some of the other kids
do to get together
855
00:37:50,501 --> 00:37:51,935
and get to know the others
856
00:37:51,969 --> 00:37:55,272
and I've been wanting
to follow them
857
00:37:55,306 --> 00:37:57,507
and let their wisdom and comfort
858
00:37:57,541 --> 00:37:59,109
sort of guide the journey.
859
00:37:59,143 --> 00:38:01,111
[dramatic music playing]
860
00:38:01,145 --> 00:38:04,014
[Hannah] I haven't always
wanted to meet my siblings
861
00:38:04,048 --> 00:38:06,016
and I was really nervous.
862
00:38:06,050 --> 00:38:07,584
The biggest surprise
863
00:38:07,618 --> 00:38:10,287
is not what anybody's like
or what they look like
864
00:38:10,321 --> 00:38:12,022
because I've seen pictures
of all of them.
865
00:38:12,056 --> 00:38:14,691
It's really
that I keep forgetting
866
00:38:14,725 --> 00:38:16,259
that I'm related to them
867
00:38:16,294 --> 00:38:18,862
and then I'll just...
It'll just hit me
868
00:38:18,896 --> 00:38:20,263
and I'll remember it
and I'm like,
869
00:38:20,298 --> 00:38:22,332
"Wait, these people
are like my family.
870
00:38:22,366 --> 00:38:25,235
And it's just kind of cool
and strange
871
00:38:25,269 --> 00:38:27,404
at the same time."
872
00:38:27,438 --> 00:38:30,907
[Elisa] When we drove up
to have this mini reunion,
873
00:38:30,941 --> 00:38:33,209
I was extremely nervous.
874
00:38:33,244 --> 00:38:35,111
I had worked
for three quarters of the day
875
00:38:35,146 --> 00:38:36,913
at my job and I...
876
00:38:36,947 --> 00:38:38,682
When walked in my office
that morning,
877
00:38:38,716 --> 00:38:40,016
I told my coworkers,
878
00:38:40,051 --> 00:38:41,551
"I'm on another planet."
879
00:38:41,585 --> 00:38:45,355
And I just had
this crazy energy in me
880
00:38:45,389 --> 00:38:49,025
ever since we got in the car
to drive up here.
881
00:38:49,060 --> 00:38:50,527
[Lily] I used to be
very nervous, like,
882
00:38:50,594 --> 00:38:52,395
I was about to throw up
when I was about
883
00:38:52,430 --> 00:38:53,697
to meet my siblings
884
00:38:53,731 --> 00:38:54,964
because it really does matter.
885
00:38:54,999 --> 00:38:56,666
Like, you're meeting...
It's one thing
886
00:38:56,701 --> 00:38:58,401
where you're just meeting
someone for the first time,
887
00:38:58,436 --> 00:39:00,904
but it's another
being related to them.
888
00:39:00,938 --> 00:39:03,306
And having this huge, like,
biological connection,
889
00:39:03,341 --> 00:39:06,242
like, you have no idea
how that's gonna turn out.
890
00:39:06,277 --> 00:39:09,279
[rain pattering]
891
00:39:09,313 --> 00:39:11,748
[Lily] And you have
a huge family.
892
00:39:11,782 --> 00:39:13,450
- Is it a crazy family?
- Well, from what I've heard,
893
00:39:13,484 --> 00:39:15,218
you have a huge family, too.
894
00:39:16,887 --> 00:39:18,121
- One person.
- She doesn't even
895
00:39:18,155 --> 00:39:20,423
understand the joke.
896
00:39:20,458 --> 00:39:21,791
How can I work with this?
897
00:39:21,826 --> 00:39:23,693
[laughs] Okay. Okay.
898
00:39:23,728 --> 00:39:25,095
Do you mean this family?
899
00:39:25,129 --> 00:39:27,197
Yeah, this is part
of your family too.
900
00:39:27,231 --> 00:39:29,099
Got you.
901
00:39:29,133 --> 00:39:30,767
[Neylan] I think meeting
your siblings
902
00:39:30,801 --> 00:39:32,836
and how comfortable
you feel around them
903
00:39:32,870 --> 00:39:34,437
kind of depends on their age
904
00:39:34,472 --> 00:39:36,239
because if they're older,
you're gonna be like,
905
00:39:36,273 --> 00:39:38,241
"Well, are they gonna think
I'm took kiddish?
906
00:39:38,275 --> 00:39:40,643
Are they gonna get annoyed
by me and stuff?"
907
00:39:40,678 --> 00:39:42,412
But then if they're younger,
you're like,
908
00:39:42,446 --> 00:39:44,180
"Am I gonna get along with them?"
909
00:39:44,215 --> 00:39:46,082
Are they gonna like stuff
that I've grown out of?
910
00:39:46,117 --> 00:39:48,485
"Or are we gonna get
along better?"
911
00:39:48,519 --> 00:39:50,820
[Sadie] It's kinda hard
that there's so many
912
00:39:50,855 --> 00:39:52,756
because I don't know,
it just seems not as special
913
00:39:52,790 --> 00:39:54,457
if there are, like, as many...
914
00:39:54,492 --> 00:39:56,926
Like, the... There's a huge
quantity of siblings
915
00:39:56,961 --> 00:39:59,129
and it's not as special
as if there's a few.
916
00:39:59,163 --> 00:40:00,130
- But...
- And it's kind of hard
917
00:40:00,164 --> 00:40:02,031
because, like,
918
00:40:02,066 --> 00:40:04,434
there's always gonna be
someone that gets left out
919
00:40:04,468 --> 00:40:06,002
or can't come to a reunion
920
00:40:06,036 --> 00:40:08,438
and that their feelings
are gonna be hurt sometimes
921
00:40:08,472 --> 00:40:10,240
but you can't please everyone
922
00:40:10,274 --> 00:40:11,841
with 21 siblings.
923
00:40:11,876 --> 00:40:13,343
[rain pattering]
924
00:40:13,377 --> 00:40:15,812
[Nancy] I think there
has to be some quality
925
00:40:15,846 --> 00:40:17,814
in all of us that we,
926
00:40:17,848 --> 00:40:20,417
out of thousands
of potential donors,
927
00:40:20,451 --> 00:40:22,685
we zeroed in on that one.
928
00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:25,789
But I have absolutely
no interest whatsoever
929
00:40:25,823 --> 00:40:27,624
in knowing who he is.
930
00:40:27,658 --> 00:40:30,527
What we called him when Lily
was growing up was the seed.
931
00:40:30,561 --> 00:40:31,928
- [laughter]
- Like, I mean,
932
00:40:31,962 --> 00:40:33,630
because he's not...
933
00:40:33,664 --> 00:40:36,733
I don't see him
as other than the genes,
934
00:40:36,767 --> 00:40:40,236
I don't see him
as being at all related
935
00:40:40,271 --> 00:40:41,438
to these kids.
936
00:40:41,472 --> 00:40:43,106
I mean, he didn't raise them,
937
00:40:43,140 --> 00:40:44,574
he's not their father,
938
00:40:44,608 --> 00:40:46,176
he's a seed.
939
00:40:46,210 --> 00:40:48,678
I mean, maybe it's because
Lily has a father.
940
00:40:48,712 --> 00:40:50,246
You know, when she was seven,
941
00:40:50,281 --> 00:40:52,682
she was adopted by my husband.
942
00:40:52,716 --> 00:40:54,017
- Mmm-hmm.
- [Linette] I don't have
943
00:40:54,051 --> 00:40:55,785
any emotional connection to him
944
00:40:55,820 --> 00:40:58,488
and it's hard for me to...
945
00:40:58,522 --> 00:41:00,824
I mean, because I do have
an emotional connection
946
00:41:00,858 --> 00:41:03,059
with all of you.
947
00:41:03,093 --> 00:41:05,762
And it's hard for me,
948
00:41:05,796 --> 00:41:07,997
like, when somebody had asked
949
00:41:08,032 --> 00:41:11,968
or, you know, where's your dad?
950
00:41:12,002 --> 00:41:13,703
I don't have a dad.
951
00:41:13,737 --> 00:41:16,840
She made up a story about him
being eaten by sharks
952
00:41:16,874 --> 00:41:19,476
because she got tired
of people asking,
953
00:41:19,510 --> 00:41:21,478
you know, where's your...
where's your dad?
954
00:41:21,512 --> 00:41:23,146
It's very complicated
955
00:41:23,180 --> 00:41:25,682
but, you know,
956
00:41:25,716 --> 00:41:28,151
their relationship
with each other
957
00:41:28,185 --> 00:41:32,055
is unique.
958
00:41:32,089 --> 00:41:35,058
But their relationship with him
959
00:41:35,092 --> 00:41:37,527
will be a whole
different ball game.
960
00:41:37,561 --> 00:41:39,262
Worst that could happen
is he would completely
961
00:41:39,296 --> 00:41:40,897
- reject them.
- [woman] And that would have
962
00:41:40,931 --> 00:41:42,832
a very negative effect on them.
963
00:41:42,867 --> 00:41:44,334
But then on the other hand,
I also think, well,
964
00:41:44,368 --> 00:41:47,136
maybe I'm overestimating
965
00:41:47,171 --> 00:41:48,238
how much that would affect them
966
00:41:48,272 --> 00:41:50,907
because when I think about,
967
00:41:50,941 --> 00:41:53,977
you know, a father figure
or connection to men
968
00:41:54,011 --> 00:41:56,579
who, you know,
I'm biologically connected,
969
00:41:56,614 --> 00:41:58,348
too, if he had rejected me,
970
00:41:58,382 --> 00:42:01,251
that would have been horrible,
but he was my dad.
971
00:42:01,285 --> 00:42:03,953
[Lisa] For me, that isn't
something that says,
972
00:42:03,988 --> 00:42:05,388
"Well, don't go there
973
00:42:05,422 --> 00:42:07,790
because you might get hurt
or rejected."
974
00:42:07,825 --> 00:42:09,926
- Mmm-hmm.
- That means
975
00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:11,661
- thought needs to go into it.
- Mmm-hmm. Mmm-hmm.
976
00:42:11,695 --> 00:42:14,230
But that's like
any relationship, job...
977
00:42:14,265 --> 00:42:15,732
Anything has risks.
978
00:42:15,766 --> 00:42:17,834
[dramatic music playing]
979
00:42:26,010 --> 00:42:27,410
[Nancy S] I guess
one of the differences
980
00:42:27,444 --> 00:42:29,112
between the kids and the moms
981
00:42:29,146 --> 00:42:31,114
is that, as the kids grow older,
982
00:42:31,148 --> 00:42:33,249
the fact
that they're donor kids,
983
00:42:33,284 --> 00:42:36,452
for me, fades, it has faded.
984
00:42:36,487 --> 00:42:37,987
And for them,
it doesn't fade, in fact,
985
00:42:38,022 --> 00:42:39,889
I think, may...
As they get older
986
00:42:39,924 --> 00:42:41,157
and wanna know more
about who they are,
987
00:42:41,191 --> 00:42:42,492
it gets stronger for them.
988
00:42:42,526 --> 00:42:44,160
And I just worry
989
00:42:44,194 --> 00:42:45,795
that they're gonna get caught up
990
00:42:45,829 --> 00:42:49,132
in real strong
emotional entanglements
991
00:42:49,166 --> 00:42:51,534
that may be difficult for them
992
00:42:51,569 --> 00:42:54,337
to sort out down the road.
993
00:42:58,576 --> 00:43:00,543
[Alexis] The exterior,
even though it seems, like,
994
00:43:00,578 --> 00:43:03,046
it's really fun and it's
a real good experience
995
00:43:03,080 --> 00:43:05,882
being in this,
like, donor situation,
996
00:43:05,916 --> 00:43:08,451
there are just, like,
a lot of aspects
997
00:43:08,485 --> 00:43:10,186
about the donor situation
998
00:43:10,220 --> 00:43:12,956
that are painful,
999
00:43:12,990 --> 00:43:15,491
that even little things
that just add up,
1000
00:43:15,526 --> 00:43:18,962
like, there's this whole
other side of your family
1001
00:43:18,996 --> 00:43:20,830
that you know nothing about.
1002
00:43:20,864 --> 00:43:24,934
And just having
20 other half-siblings
1003
00:43:24,969 --> 00:43:26,869
is a lot to take in,
1004
00:43:26,904 --> 00:43:28,438
like, you tell people
and they say,
1005
00:43:28,472 --> 00:43:30,440
"Oh, that's so cool.
Do you know them all?"
1006
00:43:30,474 --> 00:43:33,009
But it's impossible
to know them all
1007
00:43:33,043 --> 00:43:36,479
and it's hard to know
that you have to share
1008
00:43:36,513 --> 00:43:40,883
the donor with all
of these other people.
1009
00:43:40,918 --> 00:43:43,620
And it's just...
It's not competition
1010
00:43:43,654 --> 00:43:46,956
but it's hard to explain.
1011
00:43:46,991 --> 00:43:50,827
[dramatic music playing]
1012
00:43:50,861 --> 00:43:53,763
[indistinct chatter]
1013
00:43:56,734 --> 00:43:59,669
[dramatic music playing]
1014
00:44:42,046 --> 00:44:43,513
- [woman] Here you go.
- Oh, yeah.
1015
00:44:43,547 --> 00:44:46,282
[woman] Good job, honey.
1016
00:44:46,316 --> 00:44:48,117
Push again for me.
Push, push, push, push, push.
1017
00:44:48,152 --> 00:44:49,452
Yeah. There we go. Yeah.
1018
00:44:49,486 --> 00:44:52,188
Perfect. Okay. Okay.
1019
00:44:52,222 --> 00:44:53,356
Push again. Okay.
1020
00:44:53,390 --> 00:44:54,590
Take your baby. Take your baby.
1021
00:44:54,625 --> 00:44:56,459
Take your child and grab him.
1022
00:44:56,493 --> 00:44:58,061
Hey, buddy.
1023
00:44:58,095 --> 00:45:00,596
[woman] There you go.
You got him.
1024
00:45:00,631 --> 00:45:02,098
- All right.
- Baby is disconnected.
1025
00:45:02,132 --> 00:45:03,833
If you wanna go get some O2.
1026
00:45:03,867 --> 00:45:05,301
Okay.
1027
00:45:05,335 --> 00:45:07,537
- [baby crying]
- There you go. There we go.
1028
00:45:12,710 --> 00:45:14,510
Congratulations.
1029
00:45:17,681 --> 00:45:18,948
[Brandy] So we had
one vial left,
1030
00:45:18,982 --> 00:45:20,316
we just had one more shot
1031
00:45:20,350 --> 00:45:21,451
to be able to get pregnant
1032
00:45:21,485 --> 00:45:23,152
and so we're just grateful
1033
00:45:23,187 --> 00:45:25,788
that the second time,
obviously, worked.
1034
00:45:25,823 --> 00:45:27,256
And here he is.
1035
00:45:27,291 --> 00:45:29,492
He's just a perfect blessing.
1036
00:45:31,862 --> 00:45:34,163
[Danny] It's really cool
to see them just overwhelmed
1037
00:45:34,198 --> 00:45:36,999
with joy with baby Grayson
coming into the family
1038
00:45:37,034 --> 00:45:39,268
and mama Fran being able
to have a kid
1039
00:45:39,303 --> 00:45:42,739
from 5114 and be able to,
maybe, like,
1040
00:45:42,773 --> 00:45:46,075
link together and be more
connected with the others.
1041
00:45:46,110 --> 00:45:48,845
[dramatic music playing]
1042
00:45:50,380 --> 00:45:52,749
[Brandy] Hi, Grayson,
does that feel good?
1043
00:45:52,783 --> 00:45:54,584
[Zeke] It's your mom...
1044
00:45:54,618 --> 00:45:56,419
[Brandy] Look at you
rocking him.
1045
00:45:56,453 --> 00:45:59,522
You're such a good big brother.
1046
00:45:59,556 --> 00:46:02,258
[Zeke] I think having
another brother
1047
00:46:02,292 --> 00:46:04,093
is really cool
1048
00:46:04,128 --> 00:46:06,929
because once he gets older,
1049
00:46:06,964 --> 00:46:10,867
we might all do
1050
00:46:10,901 --> 00:46:15,404
a lot of fun stuff if we're
really close together.
1051
00:46:15,439 --> 00:46:18,374
[dramatic music playing]
1052
00:46:20,277 --> 00:46:23,012
[indistinct] baby.
1053
00:46:23,046 --> 00:46:24,714
[Brandy] So, this is Grayson.
1054
00:46:24,748 --> 00:46:27,717
He's the very last 5114.
1055
00:46:27,751 --> 00:46:30,820
He was born
on the 25th of August
1056
00:46:30,854 --> 00:46:33,022
at 3:47.
1057
00:46:33,056 --> 00:46:36,392
This family that we have
has been primarily
1058
00:46:36,426 --> 00:46:38,394
because of the artificial
insemination
1059
00:46:38,428 --> 00:46:39,896
and this donor.
1060
00:46:39,930 --> 00:46:41,564
And we just wanna let
our kids know
1061
00:46:41,632 --> 00:46:43,199
that we're so blessed
1062
00:46:43,233 --> 00:46:44,534
for each and every one of them
1063
00:46:44,568 --> 00:46:46,369
and that they all mean
so much to us
1064
00:46:46,403 --> 00:46:48,704
and we're not
the perfect parents,
1065
00:46:48,739 --> 00:46:52,074
but we sure enjoy the journey
and being with them
1066
00:46:52,109 --> 00:46:55,845
and trying to learn as we go.
1067
00:46:55,879 --> 00:46:57,914
It kind evens things out
because before,
1068
00:46:57,948 --> 00:46:59,182
as you all know,
1069
00:46:59,216 --> 00:47:01,450
we have two moms
and a little sister.
1070
00:47:01,485 --> 00:47:02,485
And it was just me and Zeke.
1071
00:47:02,519 --> 00:47:04,287
So now, it, kinda, evens out
1072
00:47:04,321 --> 00:47:07,590
the estrogen to testosterone
in the house.
1073
00:47:07,624 --> 00:47:09,158
The what?
1074
00:47:09,193 --> 00:47:10,993
[laughs]
1075
00:47:11,028 --> 00:47:12,728
What's that mean?
1076
00:47:12,763 --> 00:47:15,665
[jet ski revving]
1077
00:47:23,907 --> 00:47:27,143
[Nancy C] I was not able
to go to the last reunion.
1078
00:47:27,177 --> 00:47:29,712
And when Alexis came back,
1079
00:47:29,746 --> 00:47:33,449
she was very emotionally
absent with us
1080
00:47:33,483 --> 00:47:37,587
and so we felt
very rejected by her.
1081
00:47:37,621 --> 00:47:40,590
Even from the time I picked
her up at the airport,
1082
00:47:40,624 --> 00:47:43,259
you know, she didn't embrace me,
1083
00:47:43,293 --> 00:47:45,761
she didn't say,
"Hey, it's great to see you,
1084
00:47:45,796 --> 00:47:47,263
I missed you,"
1085
00:47:47,297 --> 00:47:50,099
it was, like,
she didn't wanna be home.
1086
00:47:50,133 --> 00:47:51,734
I think the part of it
is that...
1087
00:47:51,768 --> 00:47:54,136
About the rejection
that my mom and Luke feel
1088
00:47:54,171 --> 00:47:57,039
is that... They feel that,
like, at least to me,
1089
00:47:57,074 --> 00:47:59,275
they're not enough, kind of.
1090
00:47:59,309 --> 00:48:02,511
And, I mean, that's not true,
1091
00:48:02,546 --> 00:48:04,380
but it's also a little true.
1092
00:48:04,414 --> 00:48:07,817
Like I do feel
this thing missing
1093
00:48:07,851 --> 00:48:09,986
and I do, like, for myself
1094
00:48:10,020 --> 00:48:12,488
need to go and fill that.
1095
00:48:14,324 --> 00:48:15,958
So as much as I love them,
1096
00:48:15,993 --> 00:48:18,527
no, they're not enough
in some ways.
1097
00:48:18,562 --> 00:48:20,229
And, yeah, that's hurtful and...
1098
00:48:20,264 --> 00:48:23,266
But, yeah, that's true,
so I can't change that.
1099
00:48:23,300 --> 00:48:25,801
[Nancy C] You know,
I will say that I want her
1100
00:48:25,836 --> 00:48:28,871
to love her siblings
and I want them to love her
1101
00:48:28,906 --> 00:48:32,842
and I do genuinely feel
that way,
1102
00:48:32,876 --> 00:48:35,811
but I also feel
that our little family
1103
00:48:35,846 --> 00:48:39,615
is uniquely special
because we share
1104
00:48:39,650 --> 00:48:41,217
our day-to-day lives together.
1105
00:48:41,251 --> 00:48:43,452
And when, you know,
when we're depressed,
1106
00:48:43,487 --> 00:48:45,221
when we're sick,
we're going through
1107
00:48:45,255 --> 00:48:47,056
all the tough times together.
1108
00:48:47,090 --> 00:48:50,526
You can, kind of, juxtapose
that to my siblings,
1109
00:48:50,560 --> 00:48:52,728
like, we don't live together
1110
00:48:52,763 --> 00:48:55,865
and we share this huge problem.
1111
00:48:55,899 --> 00:48:59,502
And we're able to empathize
with one another
1112
00:48:59,536 --> 00:49:02,672
despite the fact
that we live so far away.
1113
00:49:02,706 --> 00:49:07,009
So, that needs to count
for something, too.
1114
00:49:07,044 --> 00:49:08,377
[Nancy] I understand that.
1115
00:49:08,412 --> 00:49:10,579
I think that's a really
valid point,
1116
00:49:10,614 --> 00:49:13,349
is the affinity that you feel
1117
00:49:13,383 --> 00:49:17,019
because you share
this quest, this identity,
1118
00:49:17,054 --> 00:49:19,622
this pursuit that no one else
shares with you,
1119
00:49:19,656 --> 00:49:21,557
I completely get that.
1120
00:49:21,591 --> 00:49:25,394
You know, we can empathize
with the separation
1121
00:49:25,429 --> 00:49:27,096
that you've experienced
from your siblings,
1122
00:49:27,130 --> 00:49:29,098
but I'm simply talking about
1123
00:49:29,132 --> 00:49:32,068
the way we feel, I think,
is also very legitimate.
1124
00:49:32,102 --> 00:49:35,338
And I think that you should
show empathy for that as well.
1125
00:49:35,372 --> 00:49:37,673
I never even felt, like, "Ugh,
I don't wanna be with them,"
1126
00:49:37,708 --> 00:49:39,342
I didn't wanna be
with anybody, you know,
1127
00:49:39,376 --> 00:49:42,545
not specifically you,
I just wanted to be by myself.
1128
00:49:42,579 --> 00:49:45,581
So, yeah.
1129
00:49:48,218 --> 00:49:51,220
[dramatic music playing]
1130
00:49:55,092 --> 00:49:56,459
[Alexis] I've known
my whole life
1131
00:49:56,493 --> 00:49:58,194
that I came from a sperm donor.
1132
00:49:58,261 --> 00:50:00,696
I mean, when I was,
like, three years old,
1133
00:50:00,731 --> 00:50:02,932
I didn't know
in the same way I know now,
1134
00:50:02,966 --> 00:50:04,600
but I still knew that
there was something different
1135
00:50:04,634 --> 00:50:06,569
from most other people.
1136
00:50:06,603 --> 00:50:09,005
I always really wanted a dad
and I would always ask my mom
1137
00:50:09,039 --> 00:50:11,007
"Mom, when am I gonna
get a dad?"
1138
00:50:11,041 --> 00:50:13,109
And until, like,
third or fourth grade,
1139
00:50:13,143 --> 00:50:16,112
all I knew was that
I had a donor,
1140
00:50:16,146 --> 00:50:18,180
but I didn't know
anything about him.
1141
00:50:18,215 --> 00:50:21,784
Ever since then, my curiosity
has just grown exponentially.
1142
00:50:21,818 --> 00:50:24,353
And then, in middle school,
I started looking for him.
1143
00:50:24,388 --> 00:50:26,956
And then it just
all led up to here.
1144
00:50:26,990 --> 00:50:29,992
[dramatic music playing]
1145
00:50:34,598 --> 00:50:36,332
[Alexis] I guess the first
thing I ever did
1146
00:50:36,366 --> 00:50:37,666
in terms of looking
for the donor
1147
00:50:37,701 --> 00:50:39,535
is I went on ancestry.com.
1148
00:50:39,569 --> 00:50:41,504
I just looked up
people born in 1969
1149
00:50:41,538 --> 00:50:43,305
in Fort Collins, Colorado.
1150
00:50:43,339 --> 00:50:46,108
And I hoped that, like,
somehow I'd find him like that
1151
00:50:46,143 --> 00:50:48,944
and nothing.
1152
00:50:48,979 --> 00:50:52,114
I learned that he was, like,
top 20 in the nation in track.
1153
00:50:52,149 --> 00:50:54,583
I ordered track record books.
1154
00:50:54,618 --> 00:50:56,118
And, of course, as soon
as I got this, I was, like,
1155
00:50:56,153 --> 00:50:57,887
"That's him,"
obviously it isn't.
1156
00:50:57,921 --> 00:51:00,956
And I, like, highlighted
all the ones that say 1969
1157
00:51:00,991 --> 00:51:02,992
and I, like, Googled all of them
1158
00:51:03,026 --> 00:51:05,194
and that was
a fruitless endeavor.
1159
00:51:05,228 --> 00:51:06,929
Just shows you
how huge of a world it is
1160
00:51:06,963 --> 00:51:09,965
and that it is really tough
to find people.
1161
00:51:10,033 --> 00:51:11,801
I just like
keeping stuff like this
1162
00:51:11,835 --> 00:51:14,403
to, kinda, make connections
with him, I don't know,
1163
00:51:14,438 --> 00:51:16,572
but he's probably
in here somewhere.
1164
00:51:16,606 --> 00:51:19,175
So, I've probably read
his name 500 times before,
1165
00:51:19,209 --> 00:51:23,179
but just don't know
which one it is.
1166
00:51:23,213 --> 00:51:25,414
When I first met my dad
or my stepdad,
1167
00:51:25,449 --> 00:51:27,817
whatever you wanna call him,
1168
00:51:27,851 --> 00:51:29,819
I really didn't like him.
1169
00:51:29,853 --> 00:51:32,455
And it never really felt
like he was part of my life,
1170
00:51:32,489 --> 00:51:34,623
even though he lived with me,
he was just that guy
1171
00:51:34,658 --> 00:51:36,992
that lived in my house.
1172
00:51:37,027 --> 00:51:39,195
He's a really critical person.
1173
00:51:39,229 --> 00:51:42,631
He's not very affectionate.
1174
00:51:42,666 --> 00:51:44,300
[Javier] I always criticize
1175
00:51:44,334 --> 00:51:45,935
because that was the way
1176
00:51:45,969 --> 00:51:47,970
that my parents were,
you know, they were all...
1177
00:51:48,004 --> 00:51:49,972
Always trying
to tell me to do...
1178
00:51:50,006 --> 00:51:51,974
Not because they didn't love
me, but, you know, the...
1179
00:51:52,008 --> 00:51:55,978
And I... And in the long-term,
I think it helped me out
1180
00:51:56,012 --> 00:51:59,148
when they were very strict,
you know, they were like,
1181
00:51:59,182 --> 00:52:00,983
"You need to do this,
you need to do that."
1182
00:52:01,017 --> 00:52:03,686
They never said, "Oh, Javier,
you're doing it great," okay?
1183
00:52:03,720 --> 00:52:05,821
I never heard that from my...
1184
00:52:05,856 --> 00:52:08,657
from my... from my dad
or my mom.
1185
00:52:08,692 --> 00:52:10,559
My father was always working
1186
00:52:10,594 --> 00:52:13,696
and when years went by
and I got older
1187
00:52:13,730 --> 00:52:15,264
and I had kids,
1188
00:52:15,298 --> 00:52:18,200
I realized that he never
expressed himself too much,
1189
00:52:18,235 --> 00:52:21,670
but now I know that he really
loved me a lot, so...
1190
00:52:21,705 --> 00:52:24,473
Because I'm repeating
the same story.
1191
00:52:24,508 --> 00:52:27,076
Javier has never upfront
discussed his feelings
1192
00:52:27,110 --> 00:52:32,481
about the donors-sibling
situation with me,
1193
00:52:32,516 --> 00:52:34,917
but I just kind of know
he's supportive of it.
1194
00:52:34,951 --> 00:52:37,219
I'm Catholic
and I'm very religious
1195
00:52:37,254 --> 00:52:41,257
and I don't believe
too much in this situation
1196
00:52:41,291 --> 00:52:47,263
where you maneuver
or manage life, you know.
1197
00:52:47,297 --> 00:52:50,232
But now that Alexis is here,
you know, of course,
1198
00:52:50,300 --> 00:52:54,403
she's entitled to all
the love that I can give.
1199
00:52:54,437 --> 00:52:56,038
And it's sad,
of course, I don't know
1200
00:52:56,072 --> 00:53:00,409
what would've happened to me
in that situation,
1201
00:53:00,443 --> 00:53:03,112
you know, because I had
the perfect family.
1202
00:53:03,146 --> 00:53:07,049
I do think having Javier
in my life has...
1203
00:53:07,083 --> 00:53:09,985
propelled me to want to find
my biological father because,
1204
00:53:10,020 --> 00:53:11,654
like, even though I love Javier,
1205
00:53:11,688 --> 00:53:13,255
he was never enough.
1206
00:53:13,290 --> 00:53:15,758
In situations
where it's been really bad
1207
00:53:15,792 --> 00:53:17,493
or bumpy with Javier,
1208
00:53:17,527 --> 00:53:19,595
I've always imagined
what would it be like
1209
00:53:19,629 --> 00:53:21,764
if my real my dad
was there instead or...
1210
00:53:21,798 --> 00:53:25,301
"My real dad."
1211
00:53:25,335 --> 00:53:27,136
Yeah.
1212
00:53:29,773 --> 00:53:31,440
[Lisa] Babe, you wanna get
some of your stuff
1213
00:53:31,474 --> 00:53:33,943
- and start packing?
- [Sadie] Sure.
1214
00:53:33,977 --> 00:53:36,946
[Lisa] We're gonna be there
for four days.
1215
00:53:36,980 --> 00:53:39,481
Sadie and I are packing up
to go to the reunion
1216
00:53:39,516 --> 00:53:41,650
in Breckenridge, Colorado.
1217
00:53:41,685 --> 00:53:43,319
There's gonna be a ton
of people,
1218
00:53:43,353 --> 00:53:45,888
so that's good
and can be overwhelming,
1219
00:53:45,922 --> 00:53:48,324
but we're gonna meet
some new siblings.
1220
00:53:48,358 --> 00:53:50,226
Which is always a good thing,
1221
00:53:50,260 --> 00:53:53,095
I'm glad people are starting
to reach out and come out.
1222
00:53:53,129 --> 00:53:54,964
And we're gonna see
some people we haven't seen
1223
00:53:54,998 --> 00:53:57,466
since the California reunion,
1224
00:53:57,500 --> 00:54:00,035
so we're looking forward
to all of that.
1225
00:54:00,070 --> 00:54:02,605
You have all your cameras
and film?
1226
00:54:02,639 --> 00:54:03,672
Chargers?
1227
00:54:03,707 --> 00:54:05,374
[Sadie] I'll get those.
1228
00:54:05,408 --> 00:54:07,176
These time around, I haven't
talked to the siblings
1229
00:54:07,210 --> 00:54:08,811
as much over the year,
1230
00:54:08,845 --> 00:54:10,379
some of the relationships
with the siblings
1231
00:54:10,413 --> 00:54:12,381
have kind of mellowed out
because...
1232
00:54:12,415 --> 00:54:14,383
well, we're just, like,
growing up and getting older.
1233
00:54:14,417 --> 00:54:16,329
And at first, it was
really exciting
1234
00:54:16,353 --> 00:54:17,953
because it was like
a new thing in our life.
1235
00:54:17,988 --> 00:54:19,722
And then after a while,
it kind of becomes like
1236
00:54:19,756 --> 00:54:21,624
a normal thing.
1237
00:54:21,658 --> 00:54:23,826
And there's also so many
siblings, so it's hard to get
1238
00:54:23,860 --> 00:54:26,362
as excited every time
you meet like a new one,
1239
00:54:26,396 --> 00:54:28,364
even though it's always
interesting.
1240
00:54:28,398 --> 00:54:31,166
And also, like, long-distance
relationships are always hard,
1241
00:54:31,201 --> 00:54:33,302
you know, the communication
and everything,
1242
00:54:33,336 --> 00:54:37,172
so I'm not really sure
how it'll be this time around.
1243
00:54:38,541 --> 00:54:41,543
[whimsical music playing]
1244
00:54:50,587 --> 00:54:52,021
[Margot]
Baking a goat cheese, peach,
1245
00:54:52,055 --> 00:54:54,056
caramelized onion, basil tarts.
1246
00:54:54,090 --> 00:54:56,625
Just a little something
to whip up for the family.
1247
00:54:56,660 --> 00:54:59,228
We've got 32 people,
1248
00:54:59,262 --> 00:55:02,765
and everybody has every kind
of eating lifestyles
1249
00:55:02,799 --> 00:55:04,733
and it's just fun.
1250
00:55:07,237 --> 00:55:08,671
[woman] You can have two,
there's more.
1251
00:55:08,705 --> 00:55:10,239
- I'm starving.
- And you can have a napkin
1252
00:55:10,273 --> 00:55:11,373
- if you want.
- Thank you.
1253
00:55:11,408 --> 00:55:13,876
Chelsea, do you want one?
1254
00:55:13,910 --> 00:55:15,544
Yes, please.
1255
00:55:15,578 --> 00:55:18,881
[indistinct chatter]
1256
00:55:18,915 --> 00:55:21,250
[laughter]
1257
00:55:21,284 --> 00:55:22,918
[Jack] I wanna ask you
if you remember
1258
00:55:22,952 --> 00:55:24,620
making this decision?
1259
00:55:24,654 --> 00:55:28,691
No. I do not. I don't.
1260
00:55:28,725 --> 00:55:30,893
Here in Breckenridge
for the fourth reunion.
1261
00:55:30,927 --> 00:55:33,696
We have biggest group
of siblings that we ever had.
1262
00:55:33,730 --> 00:55:36,699
There's Zeke, Hannah, Sadie,
1263
00:55:36,733 --> 00:55:39,401
Neylan, Alexis, Mattie,
1264
00:55:39,436 --> 00:55:41,870
Danny, Lily, Nick,
1265
00:55:41,905 --> 00:55:44,940
Johnny, Bradley, me Jack,
1266
00:55:44,974 --> 00:55:47,443
and Grayson.
1267
00:55:47,477 --> 00:55:49,078
[Johnny] I completely regret
1268
00:55:49,112 --> 00:55:51,880
not coming to
the other reunions already,
1269
00:55:51,915 --> 00:55:53,682
because one of the ways
I kind of cope
1270
00:55:53,717 --> 00:55:55,017
with the whole donor dad thing
1271
00:55:55,051 --> 00:55:57,886
is kind of just
not thinking about it.
1272
00:55:57,921 --> 00:56:00,923
You know, it's kind of hard
to not think about it
1273
00:56:00,957 --> 00:56:04,126
when you're surrounded by,
you know, 13 other kids
1274
00:56:04,160 --> 00:56:05,594
that have the same
donor dad as you.
1275
00:56:05,628 --> 00:56:07,196
How can you not think
about the donor?
1276
00:56:07,230 --> 00:56:08,931
I've constantly been
talking about it,
1277
00:56:08,965 --> 00:56:10,566
ever since I got here,
all we've been talking about
1278
00:56:10,600 --> 00:56:12,067
is like how much we look alike
1279
00:56:12,102 --> 00:56:13,736
and like the donor
and it feels good.
1280
00:56:13,770 --> 00:56:15,971
And I wish I had done it
earlier in my life
1281
00:56:16,005 --> 00:56:19,475
and maybe I wouldn't be...
I wouldn't have had issues,
1282
00:56:19,509 --> 00:56:21,977
like, personal issues if I had
done it earlier in life.
1283
00:56:22,011 --> 00:56:24,313
[indistinct chatter]
1284
00:56:24,347 --> 00:56:26,148
You should get this,
you should get this.
1285
00:56:26,182 --> 00:56:28,517
Come on, look at their noses
bounce right now.
1286
00:56:28,551 --> 00:56:30,686
[Jack] This being
the fourth reunion,
1287
00:56:30,720 --> 00:56:32,421
the other three
I just couldn't make it
1288
00:56:32,455 --> 00:56:34,323
or financial stuff.
1289
00:56:34,357 --> 00:56:36,325
I come from a family where...
1290
00:56:36,359 --> 00:56:37,993
flying a plane is a big deal
1291
00:56:38,027 --> 00:56:39,661
and just the fact
that my parents
1292
00:56:39,696 --> 00:56:42,431
were willing to spend
that money and get me out here
1293
00:56:42,465 --> 00:56:44,400
and be able to meet
all these people,
1294
00:56:44,434 --> 00:56:45,934
hit me really hard on the plane.
1295
00:56:45,969 --> 00:56:48,337
I was just like, "Oh, wow."
1296
00:56:48,371 --> 00:56:52,775
It was just all excitement,
and it's still all excitement.
1297
00:56:52,809 --> 00:56:54,176
[Bradley] I've known about
my siblings
1298
00:56:54,210 --> 00:56:56,412
for almost like
two or three years now.
1299
00:56:56,446 --> 00:56:57,813
At first I was a bit nervous
1300
00:56:57,847 --> 00:56:59,515
about like finding out
about them.
1301
00:56:59,549 --> 00:57:01,316
I'm not really
like a people person,
1302
00:57:01,351 --> 00:57:05,220
but here it's a lot easier
to get know like each other
1303
00:57:05,255 --> 00:57:07,756
and I was a lot less nervous
because I can actually, like,
1304
00:57:07,791 --> 00:57:09,992
you know, pinpoint things
that we had in common,
1305
00:57:10,026 --> 00:57:12,161
rather than like talking
on the phone for like a week
1306
00:57:12,195 --> 00:57:13,262
and still being nervous.
1307
00:57:15,432 --> 00:57:18,400
[guitar music playing]
1308
00:57:19,602 --> 00:57:22,604
[indistinct chatter]
1309
00:57:54,204 --> 00:57:55,471
[Alexis] Yesterday,
all the siblings
1310
00:57:55,505 --> 00:57:56,839
slept at the big house.
1311
00:57:56,873 --> 00:57:58,006
[Lily] Yeah. That was awesome.
1312
00:57:58,041 --> 00:57:59,741
Yeah, we stayed up all night.
1313
00:57:59,776 --> 00:58:00,943
Stayed up until 5:00
1314
00:58:00,977 --> 00:58:02,611
and then woke up at like 9:30.
1315
00:58:02,645 --> 00:58:04,980
[Lily] Some others didn't...
1316
00:58:05,014 --> 00:58:07,316
I don't know
who that was, though.
1317
00:58:08,651 --> 00:58:10,452
Also, it's kind of random,
1318
00:58:10,487 --> 00:58:12,788
but don't you guys feel
like you have these mannerisms
1319
00:58:12,822 --> 00:58:14,456
like stuck in the back
of your head, and, like,
1320
00:58:14,491 --> 00:58:15,891
you just don't feel
comfortable doing them
1321
00:58:15,925 --> 00:58:18,293
in, like, real world
or at your school,
1322
00:58:18,328 --> 00:58:19,995
and because you're with
all your siblings,
1323
00:58:20,029 --> 00:58:21,830
- like, let them loose?
- [Alexis] Yeah.
1324
00:58:21,865 --> 00:58:23,265
Like you didn't even know
you had it in you.
1325
00:58:23,333 --> 00:58:24,433
- [Alexis] Yeah.
- [Lily] Yeah.
1326
00:58:24,467 --> 00:58:26,635
[Alexis] No, that's true.
1327
00:58:26,669 --> 00:58:28,070
I'm really... I'm really shy
at school.
1328
00:58:28,104 --> 00:58:29,438
A spaz.
1329
00:58:29,472 --> 00:58:32,074
Last reunion,
I walked into the room
1330
00:58:32,108 --> 00:58:34,243
and I had really nothing
to compare it to,
1331
00:58:34,277 --> 00:58:36,879
so I wasn't... Honestly,
I wasn't disappointed.
1332
00:58:36,913 --> 00:58:39,715
But now that I have
something compare it to,
1333
00:58:39,749 --> 00:58:44,720
this reunion, it's like, wow.
That it's truly different.
1334
00:58:44,754 --> 00:58:47,289
This reunion
has really blown my mind
1335
00:58:47,323 --> 00:58:48,957
and just the things we do
1336
00:58:48,992 --> 00:58:52,294
and how fast
we warmed up to each other
1337
00:58:52,328 --> 00:58:53,996
is actually incredible.
1338
00:58:54,030 --> 00:58:55,898
I've never seen
anything like it.
1339
00:58:55,932 --> 00:58:58,634
And I think the reason that
we connect so much quicker
1340
00:58:58,668 --> 00:59:00,302
is because...
1341
00:59:00,336 --> 00:59:02,271
one, because obviously
we share the same father,
1342
00:59:02,305 --> 00:59:04,206
but I think it's so much
more than that.
1343
00:59:04,240 --> 00:59:05,974
We're talking about...
Yesterday about this
1344
00:59:06,009 --> 00:59:09,144
and it's kind of just
that we've been brought up
1345
00:59:09,178 --> 00:59:10,946
with this mystery in our lives
1346
00:59:10,980 --> 00:59:13,482
and having that mystery
in your life
1347
00:59:13,516 --> 00:59:16,518
and that driving curiosity
to find it, but you can't.
1348
00:59:16,553 --> 00:59:19,154
So when you find
a piece of it...
1349
00:59:19,188 --> 00:59:21,156
Well, 22 pieces of it,
1350
00:59:21,190 --> 00:59:23,292
then it's like
I need to put these together
1351
00:59:23,326 --> 00:59:26,728
and it's so exciting
and it's very surreal,
1352
00:59:26,763 --> 00:59:28,530
but I love it.
1353
00:59:29,966 --> 00:59:31,533
[Sadie] We're gonna play
the audio tape we have.
1354
00:59:31,568 --> 00:59:32,968
- [woman] Ready, guys?
- [Sadie] Bradley
1355
00:59:33,002 --> 00:59:34,269
Apparently they can hear it
from there,
1356
00:59:34,304 --> 00:59:36,038
so, it's pretty wild.
1357
00:59:36,072 --> 00:59:38,340
[woman] This is the audio tape
of donor 5114.
1358
00:59:38,374 --> 00:59:42,511
Today's date
is October 23rd, 1996.
1359
00:59:42,545 --> 00:59:45,514
[man] Hello.
My donor number is 5114.
1360
00:59:45,548 --> 00:59:48,116
I'm six-feet one inch tall.
1361
00:59:48,151 --> 00:59:51,520
I have a medium build.
1362
00:59:51,554 --> 00:59:55,157
I have straight brown hair
and brown eyes.
1363
00:59:55,191 --> 00:59:59,728
My skin color is slightly
olive, and I tan easily.
1364
00:59:59,762 --> 01:00:01,363
I have full lips
1365
01:00:01,397 --> 01:00:03,999
and normally an athletic build,
1366
01:00:04,033 --> 01:00:05,867
like when I work out,
1367
01:00:05,902 --> 01:00:07,502
I seem to get
results quickly, but...
1368
01:00:07,537 --> 01:00:09,938
[laughs]
1369
01:00:09,973 --> 01:00:14,810
[man] My mother originates
from Germany and England
1370
01:00:14,844 --> 01:00:17,713
and my father originates
from Germany.
1371
01:00:17,747 --> 01:00:20,949
At home, they say
that I'm most like my father.
1372
01:00:20,984 --> 01:00:22,884
I see both of them in me,
actually.
1373
01:00:22,919 --> 01:00:24,186
[woman] And how is that
that you're most
1374
01:00:24,220 --> 01:00:25,787
like your father they say?
1375
01:00:25,822 --> 01:00:28,056
[man] My father really
has tunnel vision
1376
01:00:28,091 --> 01:00:29,691
when it comes to doing things.
1377
01:00:29,726 --> 01:00:33,729
And so I seem to have focus
similar to his.
1378
01:00:33,763 --> 01:00:36,732
[woman] And what would do if
you had more time or money?
1379
01:00:36,766 --> 01:00:39,768
I would learn to play
an instrument well.
1380
01:00:39,802 --> 01:00:41,703
I've picked up
the guitar a few times,
1381
01:00:41,738 --> 01:00:45,807
but I haven't had time
to really learn it well.
1382
01:00:45,842 --> 01:00:47,275
[Sadie] Was that your
first time hearing it?
1383
01:00:47,310 --> 01:00:48,877
[Jack] No. I've heard it before
1384
01:00:48,911 --> 01:00:50,445
but it was like
really crappy audio.
1385
01:00:50,480 --> 01:00:51,880
- Oh, okay.
- Because I think someone
1386
01:00:51,914 --> 01:00:54,349
like recorded it
on their phone and sent to me.
1387
01:00:54,384 --> 01:00:55,684
[Alexis] That was...
I think that was me.
1388
01:00:55,718 --> 01:00:56,952
I think that was you. But I...
1389
01:00:56,986 --> 01:00:58,520
Like I could barely even hear it
1390
01:00:58,554 --> 01:01:00,722
and I just heard,
"I wish them all the luck."
1391
01:01:00,757 --> 01:01:02,457
That's all I heard. But...
1392
01:01:02,492 --> 01:01:04,559
It's like every time I listen
to it with another sibling
1393
01:01:04,594 --> 01:01:06,228
it's a little different
because you can just
1394
01:01:06,262 --> 01:01:08,930
connect it... Just...
You can connect things more.
1395
01:01:08,965 --> 01:01:11,166
To me, it just sounds
really like familiar,
1396
01:01:11,200 --> 01:01:12,334
like we know him from somewhere
1397
01:01:12,368 --> 01:01:14,169
- but, like where?
- Yeah.
1398
01:01:14,203 --> 01:01:16,838
The first time I heard it,
it kind of like freaked me out
1399
01:01:16,873 --> 01:01:18,674
a little bit, but it didn't...
1400
01:01:18,708 --> 01:01:19,775
[Jack] He just sounds like
1401
01:01:19,809 --> 01:01:21,610
- Nick so much.
- Yeah.
1402
01:01:21,644 --> 01:01:23,412
He's got a really nice
voice like it's just...
1403
01:01:23,446 --> 01:01:25,514
Like, you know, how certain
people like with those voices,
1404
01:01:25,548 --> 01:01:26,848
so it's like,
it just soothes you
1405
01:01:26,883 --> 01:01:28,517
- to hear it.
- [Alexis] Yeah.
1406
01:01:28,551 --> 01:01:30,419
What I don't get is, like,
how there can be one dude
1407
01:01:30,486 --> 01:01:32,688
- that looks like all of us.
- [Neylan] Mmm-hmm.
1408
01:01:32,722 --> 01:01:34,389
Because sometimes
you see someone with their mom
1409
01:01:34,424 --> 01:01:36,091
and you're like, oh, God.
They look so much like them.
1410
01:01:36,125 --> 01:01:37,526
And then you see
their dad, and you're like,
1411
01:01:37,560 --> 01:01:38,794
they look like them, too,
like a lot.
1412
01:01:38,828 --> 01:01:40,128
- [Alexis] What? Yeah.
- [Jack] Mmm-hmm.
1413
01:01:40,163 --> 01:01:43,165
[whimsical music playing]
1414
01:01:47,437 --> 01:01:50,405
[Nancy] So we have seven kids
born in 1998,
1415
01:01:50,440 --> 01:01:52,407
six in 1999,
1416
01:01:52,442 --> 01:01:55,544
and then there's sort
of a fallow period for 2000,
1417
01:01:55,578 --> 01:01:57,846
and then two in 2001,
1418
01:01:57,880 --> 01:02:01,083
and then Zeke was born in 2004,
1419
01:02:01,117 --> 01:02:05,420
and then we have
baby Grayson 2014.
1420
01:02:05,455 --> 01:02:07,122
[Jack] That's a big gap
1421
01:02:07,156 --> 01:02:10,192
between like Mattie and Grayson.
1422
01:02:10,226 --> 01:02:11,827
[Mattie] My 18th birthday
is coming up
1423
01:02:11,861 --> 01:02:14,496
and I feel like there's a lot
of the younger siblings
1424
01:02:14,530 --> 01:02:16,932
way more interested in finding
the donor than I am,
1425
01:02:16,966 --> 01:02:20,268
but I am gonna definitely, like,
1426
01:02:20,303 --> 01:02:22,070
contact the Cryobank
and, like, request
1427
01:02:22,105 --> 01:02:24,406
for a picture and, like,
contact and stuff,
1428
01:02:24,440 --> 01:02:27,142
but I just kind of want to see
what they'll say.
1429
01:02:27,176 --> 01:02:29,745
I won't necessarily, like,
1430
01:02:29,779 --> 01:02:32,013
want to go meet him
if he does wanna meet.
1431
01:02:32,048 --> 01:02:34,649
But I feel, like,
just so they could like know,
1432
01:02:34,684 --> 01:02:36,818
like whenever they turn 18,
1433
01:02:36,853 --> 01:02:40,822
if he'll wanna, like,
meet them and stuff.
1434
01:02:40,857 --> 01:02:44,326
[dramatic music playing]
1435
01:02:46,329 --> 01:02:47,763
[Nancy] You know,
you try to kind of wonder
1436
01:02:47,797 --> 01:02:49,598
what his life is like now.
1437
01:02:49,632 --> 01:02:51,166
I mean, he donated for you guys
1438
01:02:51,200 --> 01:02:55,270
like 20, 18, 19, 17 years ago.
1439
01:02:55,304 --> 01:02:57,405
And he was in his late 20s then,
1440
01:02:57,440 --> 01:03:00,342
so he's probably
in his mid-40s now.
1441
01:03:00,376 --> 01:03:02,544
And, you know,
think about how different
1442
01:03:02,578 --> 01:03:04,613
your life is gonna be
in 20 years.
1443
01:03:04,680 --> 01:03:08,416
And I'm willing to bet
that, when he donated,
1444
01:03:08,451 --> 01:03:13,088
he didn't fully
appreciate what he was doing,
1445
01:03:13,122 --> 01:03:15,157
that he didn't understand
that he was helping
1446
01:03:15,191 --> 01:03:17,159
to create all of you.
1447
01:03:17,193 --> 01:03:18,827
[Alexis] He obviously
has the right to his privacy.
1448
01:03:18,861 --> 01:03:20,695
But I mean I also think
we have the right
1449
01:03:20,730 --> 01:03:22,164
to at least some information
1450
01:03:22,198 --> 01:03:24,699
and, like, at least
more than we have now
1451
01:03:24,734 --> 01:03:26,868
and then what he...
When he donated,
1452
01:03:26,903 --> 01:03:30,138
he, like, should have
considered the future
1453
01:03:30,173 --> 01:03:32,140
and what he was gonna
be like in 20 years.
1454
01:03:32,175 --> 01:03:33,542
I'm not saying that
it's not right to ask
1455
01:03:33,576 --> 01:03:35,243
or it's not ask right to...
1456
01:03:35,278 --> 01:03:39,314
I mean, I would like to know
some things too, you know.
1457
01:03:39,348 --> 01:03:43,151
It's just, you know,
sometimes what we feel like
1458
01:03:43,186 --> 01:03:45,187
he needs to do,
he may not think that.
1459
01:03:45,221 --> 01:03:48,690
He may not even have this
as a priority.
1460
01:03:48,724 --> 01:03:51,326
[Lily] I feel like I'd want a
mystery
1461
01:03:51,360 --> 01:03:54,930
more than I'd want
an unfulfilled,
1462
01:03:54,964 --> 01:03:57,532
- like void in my...
- Yeah. Me too.
1463
01:03:57,567 --> 01:04:00,969
And I'm like more interested
in, like, sibling stuff
1464
01:04:01,003 --> 01:04:05,207
than like dad stuff,
like I don't...
1465
01:04:05,241 --> 01:04:08,210
I've never, like, wanted
to really meet him.
1466
01:04:08,244 --> 01:04:10,212
I just wanna, like,
know what he looks like.
1467
01:04:10,246 --> 01:04:12,814
[Johnny] For me, at least,
I'm in it for you guys.
1468
01:04:12,849 --> 01:04:16,318
I've talked hours on end
with you guys
1469
01:04:16,352 --> 01:04:18,787
and I see myself
in you guys, you know?
1470
01:04:18,821 --> 01:04:22,224
[Danny] The most main reason
that we are here
1471
01:04:22,258 --> 01:04:25,393
every year meeting each other
is not to find the donor
1472
01:04:25,428 --> 01:04:26,661
but it's to be with each other,
1473
01:04:26,696 --> 01:04:28,763
because the connection
we've grown
1474
01:04:28,798 --> 01:04:31,132
is probably stronger than any
connection you could find,
1475
01:04:31,167 --> 01:04:34,814
so I'm satisfied
with having what we have here
1476
01:04:34,838 --> 01:04:36,605
because what we have here
is amazing.
1477
01:04:36,639 --> 01:04:38,607
[Alexis] And I'm realizing
that more and more
1478
01:04:38,641 --> 01:04:41,076
as time passes by, like I...
1479
01:04:41,110 --> 01:04:43,245
Even though it's kind of hard
to picture my life
1480
01:04:43,279 --> 01:04:45,614
without ever knowing
who the donor is, I can do it
1481
01:04:45,648 --> 01:04:47,883
but I cannot picture my life
1482
01:04:47,917 --> 01:04:51,319
without any of my siblings,
like, it's impossible.
1483
01:04:51,354 --> 01:04:54,356
[whimsical music playing]
1484
01:04:57,026 --> 01:04:59,227
[Danny] The trip was really,
really fun.
1485
01:04:59,262 --> 01:05:01,496
I definitely feel like
I've, like, connected
1486
01:05:01,530 --> 01:05:03,665
with the siblings
on like a whole new level
1487
01:05:03,733 --> 01:05:06,201
and we've all opened up
about more things
1488
01:05:06,235 --> 01:05:11,039
and more experiences
that we can all relate to.
1489
01:05:11,073 --> 01:05:13,541
[Mattie] This trip, I learned
we all, like, struggle
1490
01:05:13,576 --> 01:05:15,377
with the same stuff emotionally,
1491
01:05:15,411 --> 01:05:17,679
and that's, like, really cool
to know that we're, like,
1492
01:05:17,713 --> 01:05:19,614
all going through
the same stuff.
1493
01:05:19,649 --> 01:05:21,149
It's gonna, like, suck,
like, leaving,
1494
01:05:21,183 --> 01:05:22,884
like I've already cried,
1495
01:05:22,919 --> 01:05:25,387
I'm just gonna miss
everyone so much.
1496
01:05:29,892 --> 01:05:32,327
[Danny] It never gets easier
to pack up and leave
1497
01:05:32,361 --> 01:05:34,195
just because with each meet-up,
1498
01:05:34,230 --> 01:05:36,865
you get closer and closer
with every sibling
1499
01:05:36,899 --> 01:05:38,934
and it's just harder to go.
1500
01:05:38,968 --> 01:05:40,335
Almost feels like
1501
01:05:40,369 --> 01:05:43,471
it's just, like,
our right to be together,
1502
01:05:43,506 --> 01:05:45,173
I don't know.
1503
01:05:45,207 --> 01:05:48,209
[whimsical music playing]
1504
01:05:53,716 --> 01:05:55,150
[Brandy] On the way home
from Breckenridge,
1505
01:05:55,184 --> 01:05:57,352
we had a hard time because
1506
01:05:57,386 --> 01:05:59,854
Daniel just had a meltdown
and cried a lot
1507
01:05:59,889 --> 01:06:03,458
and he was yelling a lot
and we were yelling a lot
1508
01:06:03,492 --> 01:06:06,094
and just...
I think there was just this
1509
01:06:06,128 --> 01:06:08,797
sense of disconnect
1510
01:06:08,831 --> 01:06:11,866
and, you know, he was saying
that, you know,
1511
01:06:11,901 --> 01:06:15,737
he just doesn't think
that we'll ever understand
1512
01:06:15,771 --> 01:06:20,108
how he feels and how important
everybody is to him
1513
01:06:20,142 --> 01:06:22,277
to the point of making us
1514
01:06:22,311 --> 01:06:25,580
feel kind of like we didn't
matter as much to him.
1515
01:06:25,614 --> 01:06:29,751
When we came back
from Breckenridge,
1516
01:06:29,785 --> 01:06:32,187
Daniel decided to go see
his grandparents
1517
01:06:32,221 --> 01:06:34,122
and my ex in Clovis.
1518
01:06:34,156 --> 01:06:39,127
And...
1519
01:06:39,161 --> 01:06:41,496
he just went to go spend
some time with her.
1520
01:06:47,036 --> 01:06:48,536
[Danny] After Breckenridge,
1521
01:06:48,571 --> 01:06:50,538
I definitely felt like
I found a lot of myself
1522
01:06:50,573 --> 01:06:52,674
during that meet-up
and I just came home
1523
01:06:52,708 --> 01:06:55,276
and I kind of felt like
that Albuquerque,
1524
01:06:55,311 --> 01:06:56,845
I was more focused
on being the person
1525
01:06:56,879 --> 01:06:58,046
that people wanted me to be
1526
01:06:58,080 --> 01:06:59,748
and not being the person
I wanted to be.
1527
01:06:59,782 --> 01:07:01,983
And so I decided to go ahead
1528
01:07:02,018 --> 01:07:06,621
and move down to Clovis
with my other mom.
1529
01:07:06,655 --> 01:07:09,824
[Brandy] She's not been
a really big part of his life
1530
01:07:09,859 --> 01:07:11,659
and it's not something
I'm excited about
1531
01:07:11,694 --> 01:07:13,428
or that I want.
1532
01:07:13,462 --> 01:07:15,363
But he wants to get to know her
1533
01:07:15,398 --> 01:07:17,265
and I didn't fight it.
1534
01:07:17,333 --> 01:07:19,734
Legally, I could fight it
and he could be here with me,
1535
01:07:19,769 --> 01:07:22,604
but there's just
this disconnect with him.
1536
01:07:22,638 --> 01:07:24,406
And so I don't wanna push it
1537
01:07:24,440 --> 01:07:26,274
because I don't wanna
push him away.
1538
01:07:29,011 --> 01:07:31,079
[Danny] I kind of feel like
my moms took this whole move
1539
01:07:31,113 --> 01:07:32,847
a little too personal
1540
01:07:32,882 --> 01:07:35,250
and made it more about them
than they should have
1541
01:07:35,284 --> 01:07:37,652
because it wasn't necessarily
1542
01:07:37,686 --> 01:07:39,354
about them at all,
with this whole move.
1543
01:07:39,388 --> 01:07:40,955
It was more about me
1544
01:07:40,990 --> 01:07:42,190
and ever since the time
I was five,
1545
01:07:42,224 --> 01:07:43,858
I had always been the older one
1546
01:07:43,893 --> 01:07:45,427
looking after all the kids.
1547
01:07:45,461 --> 01:07:46,995
So it's nice to only, like,
1548
01:07:47,029 --> 01:07:49,798
be responsible
for myself for once.
1549
01:07:52,201 --> 01:07:53,935
[Brandy] He doesn't confide
in me anymore
1550
01:07:53,969 --> 01:07:56,004
and I know a lot of it
is the teenage stuff.
1551
01:07:56,038 --> 01:07:59,407
And I know he's growing
and he's becoming independent.
1552
01:07:59,442 --> 01:08:02,677
But it really feels like
my heart's broken.
1553
01:08:02,711 --> 01:08:05,613
I just... I just want
some more time with him.
1554
01:08:07,416 --> 01:08:09,717
[Francesca] Even though
we know we're good parents
1555
01:08:09,752 --> 01:08:11,586
and we know we're doing
all that we can,
1556
01:08:11,620 --> 01:08:13,688
it just makes you
question, like,
1557
01:08:13,722 --> 01:08:15,390
what did I do wrong?
1558
01:08:15,424 --> 01:08:17,692
Maybe if he wouldn't have had
1559
01:08:17,726 --> 01:08:21,229
so much of the sibling
family unit,
1560
01:08:21,263 --> 01:08:23,932
you know, what he have pulled
away from us like he is.
1561
01:08:23,966 --> 01:08:27,001
And I think that's what's
kind of making us
1562
01:08:27,036 --> 01:08:28,636
regret our decision a little bit
1563
01:08:28,671 --> 01:08:30,805
to foster the connections
1564
01:08:30,840 --> 01:08:33,575
between the siblings and Daniel.
1565
01:08:45,921 --> 01:08:47,722
[woman] Are you excited
about being 18?
1566
01:08:47,756 --> 01:08:49,491
[Mattie] Yes, I am.
1567
01:08:49,525 --> 01:08:51,259
Ever since I can remember,
1568
01:08:51,293 --> 01:08:54,863
like, whenever we, like, found
the siblings and everything,
1569
01:08:54,897 --> 01:08:57,465
I would always feel like,
"Oh, yeah, I'm the oldest."
1570
01:08:57,533 --> 01:08:59,667
It was always so, like,
distant in the future
1571
01:08:59,702 --> 01:09:01,536
and I wasn't, like, thinking,
1572
01:09:01,570 --> 01:09:04,405
"Oh, like, this will
actually happen someday."
1573
01:09:04,440 --> 01:09:07,575
[woman] So if you're thinking
that if you were the only one
1574
01:09:07,610 --> 01:09:09,944
and you might not really
have so much interest
1575
01:09:09,979 --> 01:09:12,380
in contacting the Cryobank,
1576
01:09:12,414 --> 01:09:15,550
are you feeling pressure
because people are coming?
1577
01:09:15,584 --> 01:09:18,486
Yeah, I know that they're all,
like, expecting it
1578
01:09:18,521 --> 01:09:23,158
and I'm like 95% sure
I'll probably call Latrice.
1579
01:09:23,192 --> 01:09:26,327
But you would be fine
with maybe just a picture?
1580
01:09:26,362 --> 01:09:28,897
- [Mattie] Yeah.
- That would be interesting.
1581
01:09:28,931 --> 01:09:30,732
- [Mattie] If he's ugly...
- What if you get it? Yeah.
1582
01:09:30,766 --> 01:09:32,901
What if you get it
and he's ugly,
1583
01:09:32,935 --> 01:09:36,437
- "how would that go?"
- That would be interesting.
1584
01:09:36,472 --> 01:09:39,941
[whimsical music playing]
1585
01:09:39,975 --> 01:09:41,342
- [Mattie] Hi.
- Hi.
1586
01:09:43,479 --> 01:09:44,379
- [Mattie] Hi.
- [Julia] Hi.
1587
01:09:44,413 --> 01:09:45,980
[Mattie] How are you?
1588
01:09:46,015 --> 01:09:48,383
Hi, nice to meet you.
1589
01:09:48,417 --> 01:09:51,419
[upbeat music playing]
1590
01:10:06,802 --> 01:10:08,736
[laughs]
1591
01:10:08,771 --> 01:10:13,474
[all] ♪ Happy birthday To you ♪
1592
01:10:13,509 --> 01:10:18,079
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
1593
01:10:18,113 --> 01:10:23,484
♪ Happy birthday, Dear Mattie ♪
1594
01:10:23,519 --> 01:10:28,289
♪ Happy birthday to you ♪
1595
01:10:28,324 --> 01:10:29,924
[cheering]
1596
01:10:29,959 --> 01:10:32,293
-[woman] Watch your hair,
-Watch your hair.
1597
01:10:32,328 --> 01:10:33,962
[cheering]
1598
01:10:33,996 --> 01:10:35,463
[laughter]
1599
01:10:35,497 --> 01:10:37,532
- [man] Go, go, go, go.
- [woman] Blow it out.
1600
01:10:37,566 --> 01:10:39,100
[screams]
1601
01:10:39,134 --> 01:10:41,269
[woman] What happened?
1602
01:10:41,303 --> 01:10:43,104
- [man] Oh my God.
- [woman] Oh my God.
1603
01:10:43,138 --> 01:10:46,541
[cheering]
1604
01:10:46,575 --> 01:10:49,577
[phone rings]
1605
01:10:54,083 --> 01:10:55,383
[Mattie] Hello.
1606
01:10:55,417 --> 01:10:56,784
[Latrice] Hello,
this is Latrice.
1607
01:10:56,819 --> 01:10:58,453
Hi, Latrice,
this is Mattie Overmeyer
1608
01:10:58,487 --> 01:11:00,288
from 5114.
1609
01:11:00,322 --> 01:11:02,857
I just turned 18
and I was just wondering,
1610
01:11:02,891 --> 01:11:04,692
like, about contacting the donor
1611
01:11:04,727 --> 01:11:08,040
and, like, the process I had
to go through and everything.
1612
01:11:08,064 --> 01:11:09,964
[Latrice] Oh, okay.
Happy birthday.
1613
01:11:09,999 --> 01:11:12,000
- Thank you.
- [Latrice] Uh, so, basically
1614
01:11:12,034 --> 01:11:14,636
what I have to do
is that I have to put in
1615
01:11:14,670 --> 01:11:17,005
a request to locate the donor,
1616
01:11:17,039 --> 01:11:19,707
um, because the donor
is anonymous,
1617
01:11:19,742 --> 01:11:21,276
it's not guaranteed
1618
01:11:21,310 --> 01:11:24,178
that he will respond
to our enquiries.
1619
01:11:24,213 --> 01:11:27,181
But we will definitely do
our due diligence
1620
01:11:27,216 --> 01:11:29,617
and try to reach out
to him to find out
1621
01:11:29,652 --> 01:11:32,620
how he feels
about communicating.
1622
01:11:32,655 --> 01:11:36,190
So, um, from the time
I turn in the information,
1623
01:11:36,225 --> 01:11:38,993
it can take anywhere between
four to six weeks
1624
01:11:39,028 --> 01:11:40,828
before I get his whereabouts.
1625
01:11:40,863 --> 01:11:44,599
And we generally attempt
at least three times
1626
01:11:44,633 --> 01:11:47,368
and if he doesn't reply
within three attempts,
1627
01:11:47,403 --> 01:11:49,537
then we have to assume
that he doesn't want
1628
01:11:49,571 --> 01:11:51,539
to, um, communicate.
1629
01:11:51,573 --> 01:11:53,007
And at that point,
1630
01:11:53,075 --> 01:11:56,010
we will have to respect
his wishes.
1631
01:11:56,045 --> 01:11:58,212
If you have any additional
questions before I get back
1632
01:11:58,247 --> 01:12:00,381
in contact with you,
Just give me a call.
1633
01:12:00,416 --> 01:12:02,684
Have a wonderful birthday
and I'll talk to you soon.
1634
01:12:02,718 --> 01:12:04,218
Thank you, thank you so much.
1635
01:12:04,253 --> 01:12:06,421
[Latrice] Okay. Bye-bye.
1636
01:12:06,455 --> 01:12:09,123
Kind of surprised me
like during the phone how,
1637
01:12:09,158 --> 01:12:11,793
like, emotional, like,
I kind of felt, like,
1638
01:12:11,827 --> 01:12:13,561
because, you know, like,
no matter what he says,
1639
01:12:13,595 --> 01:12:15,897
it's gonna probably
change our lives forever.
1640
01:12:15,931 --> 01:12:17,432
I don't know. Like we've
been waiting for this
1641
01:12:17,466 --> 01:12:19,233
for so long and like
it's just crazy
1642
01:12:19,268 --> 01:12:21,669
that actually... The time.
1643
01:12:21,737 --> 01:12:22,870
[Mattie] Yeah.
1644
01:12:27,543 --> 01:12:30,244
[Ben] Julia, like, and me,
like, we've always like
1645
01:12:30,279 --> 01:12:32,280
been curious about the dad
1646
01:12:32,314 --> 01:12:33,581
and like what it would be like
1647
01:12:33,615 --> 01:12:35,583
if we had a dad kind of thing.
1648
01:12:35,617 --> 01:12:37,218
We've always been like
lucky to have
1649
01:12:37,252 --> 01:12:38,686
like the moms that we do,
1650
01:12:38,721 --> 01:12:41,055
but like having a dad
would be like different,
1651
01:12:41,090 --> 01:12:44,258
like, we're not like asking
for one, we're just like...
1652
01:12:44,293 --> 01:12:46,427
We just like kind of
wanna know, yeah.
1653
01:12:46,462 --> 01:12:48,596
[Julia] And it's just like
1654
01:12:48,630 --> 01:12:52,033
how you not wanna meet
people you gave life to,
1655
01:12:52,067 --> 01:12:55,370
like how could that not
mean something to you?
1656
01:12:55,404 --> 01:12:57,405
And also I just wonder
like if he has kids
1657
01:12:57,439 --> 01:12:58,706
- because that's like...
- Yeah. Yeah.
1658
01:12:58,741 --> 01:13:00,408
...that could be like
two, three,
1659
01:13:00,442 --> 01:13:02,276
four more half-siblings
that we don't even know about.
1660
01:13:02,311 --> 01:13:04,779
[Julia] Yeah. Probably hard
for them now,
1661
01:13:04,813 --> 01:13:05,780
- because like...
- Yeah.
1662
01:13:05,814 --> 01:13:07,148
...they're his dad.
1663
01:13:07,182 --> 01:13:09,450
Some, like, 20-something
other half-kids
1664
01:13:09,485 --> 01:13:11,018
came in and started
to talk to my dad,
1665
01:13:11,053 --> 01:13:12,587
I'd be like, "Um,
get the hell out of here."
1666
01:13:12,621 --> 01:13:14,255
- I will not be...
- [woman] Yeah.
1667
01:13:14,289 --> 01:13:16,357
I would kind of look like,
I'd be like, "Errr."
1668
01:13:16,392 --> 01:13:18,960
Yeah. There's like
a lot of stuff that, like,
1669
01:13:18,994 --> 01:13:21,329
he has to like factor
and then like
1670
01:13:21,363 --> 01:13:23,208
so many things
that, like, saying yes
1671
01:13:23,232 --> 01:13:25,099
could affect in his life.
1672
01:13:25,134 --> 01:13:27,168
Maybe he's just
as nervous as we are.
1673
01:13:27,202 --> 01:13:30,171
Yeah. Because
I'd be more nervous
1674
01:13:30,205 --> 01:13:31,939
if I were in his situation.
1675
01:13:31,974 --> 01:13:33,908
It's like we have each other.
1676
01:13:33,942 --> 01:13:36,944
He has... Who knows who he has
1677
01:13:36,979 --> 01:13:40,248
to, like, go through
this with, I guess.
1678
01:13:40,282 --> 01:13:43,284
[dramatic music playing]
1679
01:13:50,459 --> 01:13:52,794
[Latrice] "This is
interesting. In 20 years",
1680
01:13:52,828 --> 01:13:54,595
I would like to be
happy with my family
1681
01:13:54,630 --> 01:13:56,364
and free to live life together.
1682
01:13:56,398 --> 01:13:59,801
My goal is to be balanced
physically and mentally.
1683
01:13:59,835 --> 01:14:02,303
Ultimately he would
like to understand
1684
01:14:02,337 --> 01:14:03,971
"the truth of our existence."
1685
01:14:04,006 --> 01:14:05,740
Okay.
1686
01:14:05,774 --> 01:14:08,843
[dramatic music playing]
1687
01:14:10,913 --> 01:14:12,847
Hi, it's Latrice, how are you?
1688
01:14:12,881 --> 01:14:14,248
Good, thank you.
1689
01:14:14,283 --> 01:14:16,350
Wanna let you know
that I have a request
1690
01:14:16,418 --> 01:14:20,822
for a donor location
for a number 5114.
1691
01:14:20,856 --> 01:14:22,390
If we're lucky
1692
01:14:22,424 --> 01:14:24,692
and a donor responds
to our enquiries,
1693
01:14:24,726 --> 01:14:26,427
it can go two ways.
1694
01:14:26,462 --> 01:14:27,929
The donor will either agree
1695
01:14:27,963 --> 01:14:29,197
or he won't agree.
1696
01:14:29,231 --> 01:14:30,832
The hard part for me
1697
01:14:30,866 --> 01:14:32,811
is contacting the offspring
1698
01:14:32,835 --> 01:14:34,402
to let them know
that he doesn't want
1699
01:14:34,436 --> 01:14:36,537
to participate in communicating.
1700
01:14:36,572 --> 01:14:41,008
I try to deliver
the blow as passionately
1701
01:14:41,042 --> 01:14:43,244
and, you know, empathetic
1702
01:14:43,278 --> 01:14:46,247
and sympathetically
as I possibly can
1703
01:14:46,281 --> 01:14:49,250
because the offsprings
are anticipating
1704
01:14:49,284 --> 01:14:51,385
there's some hope that,
you know,
1705
01:14:51,420 --> 01:14:53,821
we've reached out to this guy,
he's responded,
1706
01:14:53,856 --> 01:14:56,224
but then he doesn't
wanna participate.
1707
01:14:56,258 --> 01:14:57,692
Once a donor says no,
1708
01:14:57,726 --> 01:14:59,594
we have to, you know,
accept that
1709
01:14:59,628 --> 01:15:01,662
and move on and it's just...
1710
01:15:01,697 --> 01:15:03,064
It's devastating to have
1711
01:15:03,098 --> 01:15:06,300
to make that phone call
to the offsprings.
1712
01:15:06,335 --> 01:15:09,337
[dramatic music playing]
1713
01:15:11,773 --> 01:15:14,275
[Mattie] A lot of the siblings
once they found out
1714
01:15:14,309 --> 01:15:18,246
that I was getting
the call today, um,
1715
01:15:18,280 --> 01:15:20,715
like Danny started crying
at school and had to,
1716
01:15:20,749 --> 01:15:22,650
like, go home and a lot of them
1717
01:15:22,684 --> 01:15:25,052
were just like freaking out
and so was I.
1718
01:15:25,087 --> 01:15:26,888
It was like...
1719
01:15:26,922 --> 01:15:28,890
It's just like super anxious
1720
01:15:28,924 --> 01:15:31,792
and like...
And she's calling me.
1721
01:15:31,827 --> 01:15:33,327
Okay.
1722
01:15:36,965 --> 01:15:38,733
Hello.
1723
01:15:38,767 --> 01:15:40,568
[Latrice] Hi,
may I speak to Mattie?
1724
01:15:40,602 --> 01:15:42,770
Hi, how are you?
1725
01:15:42,804 --> 01:15:44,438
[Latrice] Hi, Mattie,
it's Latrice Allen
1726
01:15:44,473 --> 01:15:46,641
from the Cryobank.
I'm good, how are you?
1727
01:15:46,675 --> 01:15:49,110
- I'm good.
- [Latrice] Good.
1728
01:15:49,144 --> 01:15:50,578
Well, I want to give you a call
1729
01:15:50,646 --> 01:15:52,580
to give you an update,
1730
01:15:52,614 --> 01:15:55,883
um, I did speak with the donor.
1731
01:15:55,918 --> 01:16:01,722
The bottom line is that
he is willing to communicate,
1732
01:16:01,757 --> 01:16:05,126
um, anonymously facilitated
through me.
1733
01:16:05,160 --> 01:16:09,730
He needs a little bit
more time to iron out
1734
01:16:09,765 --> 01:16:12,500
whatever the thought process
needs to be.
1735
01:16:12,534 --> 01:16:15,213
So he says it's not a problem
1736
01:16:15,237 --> 01:16:16,804
if it's gonna happen,
1737
01:16:16,838 --> 01:16:18,940
but the issue is just
when it's gonna happen
1738
01:16:18,974 --> 01:16:22,143
because he needs to make sure
that he's 100% comfortable
1739
01:16:22,177 --> 01:16:24,312
that his family
will be protected
1740
01:16:24,346 --> 01:16:26,547
once he starts to communicate.
1741
01:16:26,582 --> 01:16:29,317
Okay. Wow.
1742
01:16:29,351 --> 01:16:30,451
[Latrice] And then if you have
1743
01:16:30,485 --> 01:16:32,353
specific questions for him,
1744
01:16:32,387 --> 01:16:34,622
depending on the confidentiality
1745
01:16:34,656 --> 01:16:36,457
of the questions, he will answer
1746
01:16:36,491 --> 01:16:38,392
whatever he's comfortable
with answering
1747
01:16:38,427 --> 01:16:41,562
and then, you know,
give you a bio of himself.
1748
01:16:41,597 --> 01:16:43,364
I don't know if you're
allowed to tell me this,
1749
01:16:43,398 --> 01:16:45,499
but so he does like have
1750
01:16:45,534 --> 01:16:47,435
his own like family
and everything?
1751
01:16:47,469 --> 01:16:48,436
Like does he have his own kids?
1752
01:16:48,470 --> 01:16:50,304
[Latrice] Yes, he does.
1753
01:16:50,339 --> 01:16:51,806
Yes, he does.
1754
01:16:51,840 --> 01:16:53,941
Do you know how many there are?
1755
01:16:53,976 --> 01:16:55,042
[Latrice] I do, but I'd have to
1756
01:16:55,077 --> 01:16:56,210
let him let you know that.
1757
01:16:56,244 --> 01:16:57,712
Okay. Thank you so much,
1758
01:16:57,746 --> 01:16:59,880
I can't wait
to hear back from you.
1759
01:16:59,915 --> 01:17:01,682
[Latrice] Okay. No problem,
you're welcome
1760
01:17:01,717 --> 01:17:04,385
- and have a great weekend.
- You too, thank you.
1761
01:17:04,419 --> 01:17:06,954
[Latrice] Okay. All righty.
Bye-bye.
1762
01:17:08,323 --> 01:17:11,025
- What the heck?
- [woman] That's exciting.
1763
01:17:11,059 --> 01:17:12,960
How do you sit with that?
1764
01:17:12,995 --> 01:17:14,295
What did you expect?
1765
01:17:14,329 --> 01:17:16,030
- Is that what you thought?
- Not that.
1766
01:17:16,064 --> 01:17:17,632
[woman] What did you think?
1767
01:17:17,666 --> 01:17:19,100
Did you think he would say no?
1768
01:17:19,134 --> 01:17:20,901
- Yes.
- [woman] You did? Oh.
1769
01:17:20,936 --> 01:17:24,438
[laughs] You were hoping
the easy way out.
1770
01:17:26,241 --> 01:17:28,509
[Mattie] Hello.
1771
01:17:28,543 --> 01:17:29,877
- Hello.
- Hi.
1772
01:17:29,911 --> 01:17:32,079
- [Mattie] Can you hear me?
- Yes.
1773
01:17:32,114 --> 01:17:33,547
- Yes.
- Mmm-hmm.
1774
01:17:33,582 --> 01:17:37,551
[Mattie] Okay.
So, he's alive, good news.
1775
01:17:37,586 --> 01:17:40,421
And he said yes
1776
01:17:40,455 --> 01:17:43,557
to contacting me anonymously
1777
01:17:43,592 --> 01:17:46,527
through the Cryobank,
but he doesn't wanna contact
1778
01:17:46,561 --> 01:17:49,130
from anyone else
who is under the age of 18.
1779
01:17:49,164 --> 01:17:51,699
And he has own family and kids.
1780
01:17:51,733 --> 01:17:54,669
And I'm gonna send him
like a bio of like stuff.
1781
01:17:54,703 --> 01:17:57,038
[woman] So like if he gets
to know you better,
1782
01:17:57,072 --> 01:17:59,040
he might like reveal his name?
1783
01:17:59,074 --> 01:18:00,541
Maybe, I don't know.
1784
01:18:00,575 --> 01:18:02,476
It's gonna be a step at a time.
1785
01:18:02,511 --> 01:18:04,111
[woman] Well, that's good,
it's a good start
1786
01:18:04,146 --> 01:18:06,747
and like whatever
he's comfortable with.
1787
01:18:06,782 --> 01:18:09,350
This is good news though, guys.
1788
01:18:09,384 --> 01:18:11,452
Yeah, I'm excited.
1789
01:18:11,486 --> 01:18:12,920
I didn't have to cry.
1790
01:18:12,954 --> 01:18:14,355
[laughs]
1791
01:18:16,158 --> 01:18:19,160
[dramatic music playing]
1792
01:18:21,396 --> 01:18:24,098
[Mattie] I've always
been telling myself
1793
01:18:24,132 --> 01:18:26,901
that I didn't necessarily care
1794
01:18:26,935 --> 01:18:28,335
about the donor
1795
01:18:28,370 --> 01:18:29,904
and I didn't care about
1796
01:18:29,938 --> 01:18:31,105
what his answer was
1797
01:18:31,139 --> 01:18:32,673
and I didn't wanna meet him.
1798
01:18:32,708 --> 01:18:37,144
And now that I know
that his answer is yes,
1799
01:18:37,179 --> 01:18:38,979
it's kind of scary
1800
01:18:39,014 --> 01:18:41,649
that I let my guard down now
1801
01:18:41,683 --> 01:18:43,451
that he said yes to contact
1802
01:18:43,485 --> 01:18:46,087
because now is the time
that I really,
1803
01:18:46,121 --> 01:18:49,356
like, could get rejected
like as a person,
1804
01:18:49,391 --> 01:18:50,958
like, with him reading my bio
1805
01:18:50,992 --> 01:18:53,160
and like actually
seeing who I am
1806
01:18:53,195 --> 01:18:55,329
and, like,
seeing a picture of me.
1807
01:18:55,363 --> 01:18:58,132
And then if he says like,
1808
01:18:58,166 --> 01:18:59,734
"Stop contacting me,"
or whatever,
1809
01:18:59,768 --> 01:19:02,336
then that would
really be rejection,
1810
01:19:02,370 --> 01:19:05,706
so that's kind of scary.
1811
01:19:05,741 --> 01:19:07,908
[woman] Mattie, has that
protection mechanism in her
1812
01:19:07,943 --> 01:19:10,711
that if she doesn't know
what the answer is gonna be,
1813
01:19:10,746 --> 01:19:13,180
she's gonna protect herself
from that answer.
1814
01:19:13,215 --> 01:19:15,382
And now that she's found out
that he is willing
1815
01:19:15,450 --> 01:19:17,985
to have a connection to them,
1816
01:19:18,019 --> 01:19:21,021
I think she's cautiously
optimistic but excited
1817
01:19:21,056 --> 01:19:23,524
and way more than she ever
dreamed she would be.
1818
01:19:23,558 --> 01:19:26,594
[dramatic music playing]
1819
01:19:34,169 --> 01:19:37,171
[birds chirping]
1820
01:19:42,878 --> 01:19:44,512
[Lorie] I've been excited today,
1821
01:19:44,546 --> 01:19:45,579
I've been nervous,
1822
01:19:45,614 --> 01:19:47,314
I've been crying,
1823
01:19:47,349 --> 01:19:49,150
not sure why.
1824
01:19:49,184 --> 01:19:51,986
Just I guess the enormity
of the whole thing,
1825
01:19:52,020 --> 01:19:53,854
you know, that it's like
finally over,
1826
01:19:53,889 --> 01:19:55,923
that he's coming back.
1827
01:19:55,957 --> 01:19:57,825
He hasn't lived here
in two and a half years
1828
01:19:57,859 --> 01:20:01,195
so that's gonna be kind of
a little nervous
1829
01:20:01,229 --> 01:20:03,931
about just living with him again
1830
01:20:03,965 --> 01:20:07,234
and he's changed so much
and I think I have changed
1831
01:20:07,269 --> 01:20:10,504
and it'll be interesting
to see how that all plays out
1832
01:20:10,539 --> 01:20:13,908
of coming back together again
after two and a half years
1833
01:20:13,942 --> 01:20:16,410
as two different people.
1834
01:20:16,444 --> 01:20:18,579
It's gonna be interesting.
1835
01:20:18,613 --> 01:20:21,615
[dramatic music playing]
1836
01:20:25,220 --> 01:20:27,388
[Lorie] Having decided
that he's coming home,
1837
01:20:27,422 --> 01:20:28,823
I've been, you know,
an empty nester
1838
01:20:28,857 --> 01:20:30,691
for two and a half years,
1839
01:20:30,725 --> 01:20:34,061
and I look at the future,
it's awful nice.
1840
01:20:34,095 --> 01:20:36,197
Really hopeful, you know.
1841
01:20:36,231 --> 01:20:38,699
He's done a lot
of good hard work.
1842
01:20:38,733 --> 01:20:40,801
I wanna see him and know
1843
01:20:40,836 --> 01:20:43,838
that he's not getting back
on another airplane.
1844
01:20:43,872 --> 01:20:45,639
That's the best part.
1845
01:20:45,674 --> 01:20:48,809
Just knowing that he's not
going away again.
1846
01:20:48,844 --> 01:20:50,578
There he is.
1847
01:20:50,612 --> 01:20:54,548
[dramatic music playing]
1848
01:20:54,583 --> 01:20:55,583
[Lorie] How are you doing?
1849
01:20:55,617 --> 01:20:57,518
Where is your stuff?
1850
01:20:57,552 --> 01:20:58,719
[indistinct]
1851
01:20:58,753 --> 01:21:01,121
Oh, how was your flight?
1852
01:21:01,156 --> 01:21:03,257
It's good.
1853
01:21:03,291 --> 01:21:05,259
Back home for good.
1854
01:21:06,661 --> 01:21:08,128
[Nathan] Coming home,
1855
01:21:08,163 --> 01:21:09,830
it doesn't really feel real yet,
1856
01:21:09,865 --> 01:21:11,966
I came back with a lot
more self-confidence
1857
01:21:12,000 --> 01:21:13,400
and definitely patience,
1858
01:21:13,435 --> 01:21:15,135
like, understanding for others.
1859
01:21:15,170 --> 01:21:16,604
I guess it'll probably
hit me sooner
1860
01:21:16,638 --> 01:21:18,205
and when I start like school
and all that,
1861
01:21:18,240 --> 01:21:20,040
that I'm here for good
and I'm really not,
1862
01:21:20,075 --> 01:21:22,576
like, gonna go anywhere else.
1863
01:21:22,611 --> 01:21:24,478
[Lorie] Ooh, what's this?
1864
01:21:24,512 --> 01:21:26,747
[Nathan] Oh, I, like,
put all the pictures in there.
1865
01:21:26,781 --> 01:21:29,583
You made this
out of surgical tape.
1866
01:21:29,618 --> 01:21:32,253
- Mmm-hmm.
- [Lorie] Physically, I mean,
1867
01:21:32,287 --> 01:21:34,221
I sent away a little boy,
you know,
1868
01:21:34,256 --> 01:21:37,057
I sent away
a little scrawny thing
1869
01:21:37,092 --> 01:21:40,995
and they sent me back
this man, you know.
1870
01:21:41,029 --> 01:21:42,930
That's cool to see, you know,
1871
01:21:42,964 --> 01:21:45,432
because I love
who he's becoming, uh, I do.
1872
01:21:45,467 --> 01:21:47,101
He's a good person.
1873
01:21:48,436 --> 01:21:50,437
Oh, how did you get
that picture?
1874
01:21:50,472 --> 01:21:51,872
They sent it to me.
1875
01:21:51,907 --> 01:21:53,307
- [Nathan] Cool.
- [Lorie] So sweet,
1876
01:21:53,341 --> 01:21:56,543
that was Fanny,
that was his dog in school.
1877
01:21:56,578 --> 01:21:57,978
[Nathan] Coming back home,
1878
01:21:58,013 --> 01:21:59,546
I think it's gonna be
a lot easier
1879
01:21:59,581 --> 01:22:02,283
to like use the skills
that I got just to like
1880
01:22:02,317 --> 01:22:04,685
get along with my mom
and like work things out,
1881
01:22:04,719 --> 01:22:06,820
like use communication,
actually get things done.
1882
01:22:06,855 --> 01:22:09,189
There's always gonna
be things in the beginning
1883
01:22:09,224 --> 01:22:10,624
that's still gonna, like,
1884
01:22:10,659 --> 01:22:12,660
take getting used to
but it's just nice
1885
01:22:12,694 --> 01:22:15,496
to like have my freedom
and be able to like
1886
01:22:15,530 --> 01:22:17,731
kind of run my own life
and take some control
1887
01:22:17,766 --> 01:22:19,934
over that,
because it's been awhile.
1888
01:22:19,968 --> 01:22:21,302
[knocks on door]
1889
01:22:24,539 --> 01:22:26,340
- [Neylan] Hi.
- Hey, what's up?
1890
01:22:28,376 --> 01:22:29,810
Hi, Neylan.
1891
01:22:29,844 --> 01:22:31,345
Oh, my gosh,
look how tall you've got.
1892
01:22:31,379 --> 01:22:32,646
I haven't seen you in, like,
1893
01:22:32,681 --> 01:22:34,848
look at you, taller than he is.
1894
01:22:34,883 --> 01:22:35,983
Well, it's been a
long time, so...
1895
01:22:36,017 --> 01:22:36,984
[Lorie] It's been what?
1896
01:22:37,018 --> 01:22:37,985
You haven't seen her since,
1897
01:22:38,019 --> 01:22:39,553
uh, like California, right?
1898
01:22:39,587 --> 01:22:41,555
Mmm-hmm. Like two and a half,
three years.
1899
01:22:41,589 --> 01:22:43,324
[Lorie] Two and a half...
Almost three years. Yeah.
1900
01:22:43,358 --> 01:22:45,326
- Wow.
- [Neylan] There were days
1901
01:22:45,360 --> 01:22:47,127
whenever I'd be
sitting there thinking
1902
01:22:47,162 --> 01:22:49,563
about the siblings
and everything.
1903
01:22:49,597 --> 01:22:51,465
And I just get really
emotional and I was like,
1904
01:22:51,533 --> 01:22:53,033
"I miss Nathan so much."
1905
01:22:53,068 --> 01:22:54,868
And like I'd tell my mom
and she was like,
1906
01:22:54,903 --> 01:22:56,503
"I know you do, Neylan."
1907
01:22:56,538 --> 01:22:58,839
And so I think it was like
really exciting
1908
01:22:58,873 --> 01:23:01,342
for us whenever we heard
that he was coming back.
1909
01:23:01,376 --> 01:23:02,910
Because I think me and him
1910
01:23:02,944 --> 01:23:05,179
like really clicked
whenever we were 13.
1911
01:23:05,213 --> 01:23:06,914
- [Nathan] Yeah.
- [Neylan] So,
1912
01:23:06,948 --> 01:23:09,016
it kind of sucked
not being able to like grow
1913
01:23:09,050 --> 01:23:11,251
on that together
for a few years,
1914
01:23:11,286 --> 01:23:13,754
but like now we can
because he's back
1915
01:23:13,788 --> 01:23:17,224
and we can talk all the time
if we wanted to.
1916
01:23:17,258 --> 01:23:18,625
You don't want a shot
of this one?
1917
01:23:18,660 --> 01:23:21,362
[Nathan] Nice.
1918
01:23:21,396 --> 01:23:22,463
[Neylan]
I'm not sure if everyone
1919
01:23:22,497 --> 01:23:23,731
is gonna get the tattoo,
1920
01:23:23,765 --> 01:23:25,199
I know some of them already have
1921
01:23:25,233 --> 01:23:26,900
but just with the number.
1922
01:23:26,935 --> 01:23:28,736
And they've gotten it
in place where, like,
1923
01:23:28,770 --> 01:23:30,604
it's not very noticeable.
1924
01:23:30,638 --> 01:23:32,239
I don't know, I'd like...
I'd get the tattoo,
1925
01:23:32,273 --> 01:23:34,575
I don't know how much
I'd want the sperm
1926
01:23:34,609 --> 01:23:36,210
floating around on my leg,
1927
01:23:36,244 --> 01:23:39,747
but I'd get the numbers,
it's cool.
1928
01:23:39,781 --> 01:23:41,882
[Neylan] So we found
a new sibling,
1929
01:23:41,916 --> 01:23:44,885
she's from Hawaii,
so that's pretty cool.
1930
01:23:44,919 --> 01:23:46,787
There she is.
1931
01:23:46,821 --> 01:23:51,025
That makes 22 siblings
counting all of us together.
1932
01:23:51,059 --> 01:23:52,559
[Nathan] And she's 17?
1933
01:23:52,594 --> 01:23:54,762
- [Neylan] Yeah.
- [Nathan] Nice.
1934
01:23:54,796 --> 01:23:57,197
[Neylan] I was nervous
to see him again
1935
01:23:57,232 --> 01:23:59,433
because I don't know,
I haven't seen him in forever.
1936
01:23:59,467 --> 01:24:00,968
So I was kind of scared
that it...
1937
01:24:01,002 --> 01:24:02,469
Like, things had changed so much
1938
01:24:02,504 --> 01:24:03,470
that we wouldn't get along
1939
01:24:03,505 --> 01:24:05,406
as well as we did before.
1940
01:24:05,440 --> 01:24:07,408
[Nathan] I was on
the same page as Neylan
1941
01:24:07,442 --> 01:24:08,976
just because it's
kind of weird, like,
1942
01:24:09,010 --> 01:24:11,111
not seeing someone
for such a long time
1943
01:24:11,146 --> 01:24:12,479
like two and a half years.
1944
01:24:12,514 --> 01:24:14,459
But the connection
is still there,
1945
01:24:14,483 --> 01:24:16,784
which I'm, like, glad to see
1946
01:24:16,818 --> 01:24:18,986
so it's good to be back.
1947
01:24:19,020 --> 01:24:21,588
[birds chirping]
1948
01:24:21,623 --> 01:24:24,658
[dramatic music playing]
1949
01:24:26,895 --> 01:24:28,695
[Mattie] After my 18th birthday,
1950
01:24:28,730 --> 01:24:31,465
I was waiting to hear
back from Latrice.
1951
01:24:31,533 --> 01:24:34,435
And I was just kind of
not really sure
1952
01:24:34,469 --> 01:24:37,638
how to proceed with everything.
1953
01:24:37,672 --> 01:24:39,773
I was always kind of
hesitant about it
1954
01:24:39,808 --> 01:24:42,509
and I was doing it
for the other siblings
1955
01:24:42,544 --> 01:24:45,512
but also for myself.
And I don't know.
1956
01:24:45,547 --> 01:24:47,214
It's kind of one of those things
1957
01:24:47,248 --> 01:24:49,650
where you're putting yourself
so far out there
1958
01:24:49,684 --> 01:24:52,786
and you're not sure what
the results are gonna be.
1959
01:24:52,821 --> 01:24:55,823
I got kind of very anxious
and nervous about it
1960
01:24:55,857 --> 01:24:58,692
just because I didn't
wanna have to be the one,
1961
01:24:58,726 --> 01:25:02,496
like, if he did reject
having contact with me.
1962
01:25:02,530 --> 01:25:04,731
That for myself
would've been hard to handle,
1963
01:25:04,766 --> 01:25:08,669
but then also having to tell
all the other half-siblings,
1964
01:25:08,703 --> 01:25:10,871
I didn't want to be
the one to, kind of,
1965
01:25:10,905 --> 01:25:12,573
break their hearts, in a sense,
1966
01:25:12,607 --> 01:25:15,809
especially those who
really do want to contact
1967
01:25:15,877 --> 01:25:18,545
the donor and end up
meeting him and everything.
1968
01:25:18,580 --> 01:25:22,249
And I don't know.
It was a lot of pressure.
1969
01:25:22,283 --> 01:25:24,518
It's not that I didn't want to
1970
01:25:24,552 --> 01:25:27,354
because I did,
1971
01:25:27,388 --> 01:25:29,556
but I don't know,
1972
01:25:29,591 --> 01:25:31,525
I'm just comfortable
with my life.
1973
01:25:37,432 --> 01:25:40,901
[crickets chirping]
1974
01:25:40,935 --> 01:25:43,170
[Sadie] All right.
So right now, I just got, um,
1975
01:25:43,204 --> 01:25:44,838
an email from the Cryobank
1976
01:25:44,873 --> 01:25:47,908
that's forwarding
the information
1977
01:25:47,942 --> 01:25:49,510
my donor applied to, um,
1978
01:25:49,544 --> 01:25:51,545
because I wrote in
when I turned 18
1979
01:25:51,579 --> 01:25:53,080
about a month ago.
1980
01:25:53,114 --> 01:25:55,482
Um, to see if he wanted contact,
1981
01:25:55,517 --> 01:25:57,251
so, um, right now
1982
01:25:57,285 --> 01:26:00,254
I'm gonna go open the email.
1983
01:26:00,288 --> 01:26:02,789
It's almost 12:30 AM.
1984
01:26:04,025 --> 01:26:05,025
All right.
1985
01:26:07,295 --> 01:26:08,795
There's a photo.
1986
01:26:15,136 --> 01:26:17,404
He said he loves
my funky dreads.
1987
01:26:19,941 --> 01:26:21,875
He said, "There's not a day
that I do not think"
1988
01:26:21,910 --> 01:26:23,944
about you and your siblings.
1989
01:26:23,978 --> 01:26:26,747
I have had many nights
with little sleep pondering
1990
01:26:26,781 --> 01:26:28,549
and considering your lives.
1991
01:26:28,583 --> 01:26:30,117
The answers I have found
have made me feel
1992
01:26:30,151 --> 01:26:32,252
incredibly touched,
thankful, and proud.
1993
01:26:32,287 --> 01:26:34,321
I'm grateful that
for whatever reason
1994
01:26:34,355 --> 01:26:36,056
and from whatever
I gather so far,
1995
01:26:36,090 --> 01:26:37,925
that people that chose
to have you appear
1996
01:26:37,959 --> 01:26:40,561
to have done a great job.
1997
01:26:40,595 --> 01:26:42,629
Right now, I feel deeply
appreciated for this
1998
01:26:42,664 --> 01:26:44,798
opportunity to learn of your...
1999
01:26:44,832 --> 01:26:46,934
Of you and your wanting
to know more about me.
2000
01:26:46,968 --> 01:26:48,635
Thank you for sharing
your picture, information,
2001
01:26:48,670 --> 01:26:49,937
"and questions."
2002
01:26:52,574 --> 01:26:55,075
He's so nice.
2003
01:26:55,109 --> 01:26:57,911
The response really has
exceeded my expectations.
2004
01:26:57,946 --> 01:26:59,379
He sent so much.
2005
01:26:59,414 --> 01:27:02,849
I sent maybe like
10 short questions
2006
01:27:02,884 --> 01:27:06,386
and he's responded with
in-depth paragraphs
2007
01:27:06,421 --> 01:27:08,522
that are really thoughtful
2008
01:27:08,556 --> 01:27:11,625
and just seems like
2009
01:27:11,659 --> 01:27:14,728
it comes from the heart
and he's truly interested
2010
01:27:14,762 --> 01:27:16,630
and wants to share
the information,
2011
01:27:16,664 --> 01:27:17,998
which is nice.
2012
01:27:18,032 --> 01:27:19,266
He's not just doing it
2013
01:27:19,300 --> 01:27:22,469
to answer some questions
and please me.
2014
01:27:22,503 --> 01:27:26,240
He seems to want to share
and want to connect a bit.
2015
01:27:27,642 --> 01:27:30,677
All of a sudden, I get this
text from Sadie.
2016
01:27:30,712 --> 01:27:33,647
Do you want to see
pictures of the donor?
2017
01:27:33,681 --> 01:27:35,716
I was just, like, out
to dinner with my grandparents
2018
01:27:35,750 --> 01:27:37,184
and then started to text me
2019
01:27:37,218 --> 01:27:38,619
and I was just, like,
"Oh, my gosh.
2020
01:27:38,653 --> 01:27:40,153
What's going on?"
2021
01:27:40,188 --> 01:27:41,855
And they're like,
"Mattie, get off the phone."
2022
01:27:41,889 --> 01:27:43,790
I'm like, "I can't,
I can't get off my phone,
2023
01:27:43,825 --> 01:27:45,225
you don't understand."
2024
01:27:45,260 --> 01:27:47,861
I screamed and shut the computer
2025
01:27:47,895 --> 01:27:49,796
and ran to my room.
2026
01:27:49,831 --> 01:27:51,965
That's my dad.
2027
01:27:52,033 --> 01:27:54,368
My mom had just pulled out
of the driveway
2028
01:27:54,402 --> 01:27:57,137
and it was like,
"Mom, come back."
2029
01:27:57,171 --> 01:27:59,006
But she got back
and I was, like, crying
2030
01:27:59,040 --> 01:28:00,607
and holding my phone
and she was, like,
2031
01:28:00,642 --> 01:28:02,442
"What's wrong?" And I was like,
2032
01:28:02,477 --> 01:28:04,911
- "Here."
- Come on.
2033
01:28:04,946 --> 01:28:06,713
Oh, my God.
2034
01:28:06,748 --> 01:28:08,548
[Daniel] It's, like, so surreal,
2035
01:28:08,583 --> 01:28:11,885
like, it's hard to think that...
2036
01:28:11,919 --> 01:28:15,589
This is the person
that I have been hunting
2037
01:28:15,623 --> 01:28:18,091
and wondering about
for my whole life.
2038
01:28:18,126 --> 01:28:20,894
I had school today
and I didn't go. [laughs]
2039
01:28:20,928 --> 01:28:23,463
I was too, like, emotionally,
like, paralyzed
2040
01:28:23,498 --> 01:28:25,766
to do any
of my homework or study.
2041
01:28:25,800 --> 01:28:28,068
I don't think it's still,
like, hit me yet,
2042
01:28:28,102 --> 01:28:30,937
but every single time
I say it, I start to cry.
2043
01:28:30,972 --> 01:28:33,240
It doesn't seem real.
2044
01:28:33,274 --> 01:28:35,842
Sadie, she sends them
and I couldn't look at them,
2045
01:28:35,877 --> 01:28:37,778
so I gave it
to my friends and they...
2046
01:28:37,812 --> 01:28:39,379
And I sat
on the other side of them
2047
01:28:39,414 --> 01:28:41,181
and, like, they were all
lined up on the couch
2048
01:28:41,215 --> 01:28:43,583
in this dorm and I was, like,
2049
01:28:43,618 --> 01:28:45,052
"Can you look at them?"
2050
01:28:45,086 --> 01:28:46,253
And they were like, "Yeah."
2051
01:28:46,287 --> 01:28:47,254
And so I gave them the phone
2052
01:28:47,288 --> 01:28:49,456
and they're, like,
2053
01:28:49,490 --> 01:28:52,125
"He's hot." [laughs]
2054
01:28:52,160 --> 01:28:55,095
I showed my friends today
at basketball
2055
01:28:55,129 --> 01:28:56,930
and they're like,
"Wow. Like, that's you.
2056
01:28:56,964 --> 01:28:58,665
Like, you look
exactly like him."
2057
01:28:58,733 --> 01:29:00,667
I wished me and him
looked more alike
2058
01:29:00,702 --> 01:29:03,136
because I don't really see
any features that we share.
2059
01:29:03,171 --> 01:29:05,772
Some of the other boys
look a lot like him.
2060
01:29:05,807 --> 01:29:08,175
Our noses are, like,
exactly the same.
2061
01:29:08,209 --> 01:29:09,910
Literally, if you Photoshopped
2062
01:29:09,944 --> 01:29:12,179
all of our faces
into one person.
2063
01:29:12,213 --> 01:29:13,580
Like, it just makes sense,
2064
01:29:13,614 --> 01:29:15,282
like, everything
makes sense now.
2065
01:29:15,316 --> 01:29:17,984
I won't have to wonder anymore.
2066
01:29:18,019 --> 01:29:19,419
Like, I don't look
at a guy and be like,
2067
01:29:19,454 --> 01:29:20,654
"Oh, you could be my dad."
2068
01:29:20,688 --> 01:29:23,023
Like I know what he looks like.
2069
01:29:23,057 --> 01:29:26,326
[dramatic music playing]
2070
01:29:26,361 --> 01:29:28,962
[Alexis] Turning 18 was like
the most anticipated birthday
2071
01:29:28,996 --> 01:29:30,664
of my entire life because I knew
2072
01:29:30,698 --> 01:29:31,965
I was able to possibly
2073
01:29:32,033 --> 01:29:33,500
come in contact with the donor.
2074
01:29:33,534 --> 01:29:35,502
When I got the email
from the Cryobank,
2075
01:29:35,536 --> 01:29:38,271
there was like an attachment,
and that attachment
2076
01:29:38,306 --> 01:29:40,073
was the letter
from the donor to me.
2077
01:29:40,108 --> 01:29:42,509
What he had saved it as was,
2078
01:29:42,543 --> 01:29:44,411
"To Alexis."
2079
01:29:44,445 --> 01:29:47,748
And that already had me,
like, this.
2080
01:29:47,782 --> 01:29:50,517
One of the most impactful
things that he said
2081
01:29:50,551 --> 01:29:53,487
in his letter was, "I think
about you every day."
2082
01:29:53,521 --> 01:29:54,955
I don't know how to explain
2083
01:29:54,989 --> 01:29:58,191
how I felt about that in words.
2084
01:29:58,226 --> 01:30:01,161
It meant so much to me
2085
01:30:01,195 --> 01:30:02,829
that he said that.
2086
01:30:02,864 --> 01:30:04,598
Three days later I was in class
2087
01:30:04,632 --> 01:30:07,100
and I just broke down
completely.
2088
01:30:07,135 --> 01:30:08,769
And I think it was just this...
2089
01:30:08,803 --> 01:30:11,738
Like a realization
and processing of, like,
2090
01:30:11,773 --> 01:30:13,740
not just that
he had contacted me
2091
01:30:13,775 --> 01:30:15,242
but what that meant
2092
01:30:15,276 --> 01:30:18,845
and all of the emotions
behind that.
2093
01:30:18,880 --> 01:30:22,115
I was really just blown away.
2094
01:30:22,150 --> 01:30:24,918
I mean, I could almost
feel like a physical,
2095
01:30:24,952 --> 01:30:27,020
uh, something, you know.
2096
01:30:27,054 --> 01:30:30,957
I mean, it was just
so incredible,
2097
01:30:30,992 --> 01:30:33,593
incredible to meet this person
2098
01:30:33,628 --> 01:30:36,163
because I felt,
like, I was meeting him
2099
01:30:36,197 --> 01:30:37,431
even though, you know,
2100
01:30:37,465 --> 01:30:39,399
there was no name
attached to it.
2101
01:30:39,467 --> 01:30:42,736
Um, and I still...
I still can't get over it.
2102
01:30:42,770 --> 01:30:44,571
I felt like Javier
was really happy for me
2103
01:30:44,605 --> 01:30:45,939
because he knew
that it was something
2104
01:30:45,973 --> 01:30:47,908
that I've wanted
for a really long time.
2105
01:30:47,942 --> 01:30:49,309
He's kind of shy
about expressing
2106
01:30:49,343 --> 01:30:51,778
his emotions
but he can be very sweet.
2107
01:30:51,813 --> 01:30:54,014
Um, so he just kind of
ruffled my head
2108
01:30:54,048 --> 01:30:56,450
and he's like [speaking Spanish]
2109
01:30:56,484 --> 01:30:58,418
which means, like, "Oh,
you found your dad, huh?"
2110
01:30:58,453 --> 01:31:00,520
This is something that is you...
2111
01:31:00,555 --> 01:31:03,824
As a human being,
you need to have this.
2112
01:31:03,858 --> 01:31:05,592
And I think I see Alexis
also, like,
2113
01:31:05,626 --> 01:31:08,495
before, she was more,
you know, anxious
2114
01:31:08,529 --> 01:31:10,497
to see what was gonna happen
2115
01:31:10,531 --> 01:31:12,165
because she had to be 18,
but now that...
2116
01:31:12,233 --> 01:31:14,901
like this, a lot of relief.
2117
01:31:14,936 --> 01:31:18,371
And if she's relieved
we are relieved for sure.
2118
01:31:18,406 --> 01:31:20,574
I think, uh, before I turned 18,
2119
01:31:20,608 --> 01:31:22,409
a lot of my frustration
2120
01:31:22,443 --> 01:31:25,378
lied in not necessarily
not knowing who the donor was
2121
01:31:25,413 --> 01:31:27,047
but not knowing whether
I would ever know
2122
01:31:27,081 --> 01:31:29,082
who the donor was,
so the uncertainty.
2123
01:31:29,116 --> 01:31:33,653
Honestly, I've always had
a little bit of self-doubt,
2124
01:31:33,688 --> 01:31:36,022
"Did I make a selfish decision
2125
01:31:36,057 --> 01:31:38,925
by choosing to have her
by myself?"
2126
01:31:38,960 --> 01:31:43,430
And I think that this
has brought her so much joy
2127
01:31:43,464 --> 01:31:46,800
and also validation
that I don't think
2128
01:31:46,834 --> 01:31:50,403
I'm gonna feel that
as frequently as I have.
2129
01:31:52,406 --> 01:31:54,841
[Alexis] So I wrote
the donor back and this is
2130
01:31:54,876 --> 01:31:57,811
how I ended my letter to him,
2131
01:31:57,845 --> 01:32:00,213
"I'm also very happy
to be in contact with you."
2132
01:32:00,248 --> 01:32:02,282
It does feel very unreal
as it is something
2133
01:32:02,316 --> 01:32:03,984
that has always seemed
like a very far way
2134
01:32:04,018 --> 01:32:05,619
and uncertain thing.
2135
01:32:05,653 --> 01:32:07,454
I have of course wondered
and thought about you
2136
01:32:07,488 --> 01:32:09,122
and your family every day
2137
01:32:09,156 --> 01:32:10,457
for as long as I can remember.
2138
01:32:10,491 --> 01:32:12,392
So your response means a lot.
2139
01:32:12,426 --> 01:32:13,894
Like you've hoped,
your being a donor
2140
01:32:13,928 --> 01:32:16,229
has for sure resulted
many happy families.
2141
01:32:16,264 --> 01:32:18,164
Meeting these families,
and my brothers and sisters,
2142
01:32:18,199 --> 01:32:19,633
has brought
a whole lot of friendship,
2143
01:32:19,667 --> 01:32:22,435
love, and support
into all of our lives.
2144
01:32:22,470 --> 01:32:26,473
I feel very grateful as do
my siblings and their parents.
2145
01:32:26,507 --> 01:32:28,875
"Looking forward
to our next correspondence."
2146
01:32:28,910 --> 01:32:31,912
[dramatic music playing]
2147
01:32:33,748 --> 01:32:36,750
[birds chirping]
2148
01:32:50,798 --> 01:32:54,234
[man] Today's date
is November 3rd, 2017.
2149
01:32:54,268 --> 01:32:57,270
This is Donor 5114.
2150
01:32:57,305 --> 01:32:58,872
My being a donor
has been on my mind
2151
01:32:58,906 --> 01:33:00,574
through the years.
2152
01:33:00,608 --> 01:33:03,510
As a donor, you have
an opportunity to ponder
2153
01:33:03,544 --> 01:33:06,012
and to care about something
2154
01:33:06,047 --> 01:33:08,315
that is going to exist
2155
01:33:08,349 --> 01:33:11,718
that is out of your control.
2156
01:33:11,752 --> 01:33:14,554
The decision for me
to become an anonymous donor
2157
01:33:14,589 --> 01:33:17,057
was out of respect
to the parents.
2158
01:33:17,091 --> 01:33:19,993
I felt, like,
removing me as a variable
2159
01:33:20,027 --> 01:33:22,829
would help parents
to create a nurturing
2160
01:33:22,863 --> 01:33:26,433
and stable environment
without any distractions.
2161
01:33:26,467 --> 01:33:29,502
But I certainly was hopeful
2162
01:33:29,537 --> 01:33:31,605
that I would get information
2163
01:33:31,639 --> 01:33:33,607
and learn as much as I could
2164
01:33:33,641 --> 01:33:35,175
about how they were all doing.
2165
01:33:35,209 --> 01:33:36,776
I think if I hadn't,
2166
01:33:36,811 --> 01:33:39,412
it would probably
start eating at me.
2167
01:33:41,248 --> 01:33:44,317
It's hard to imagine
being the genetic half
2168
01:33:44,352 --> 01:33:46,019
to so many people.
2169
01:33:46,053 --> 01:33:47,954
People that are related to you
2170
01:33:47,989 --> 01:33:49,789
in a significant way
2171
01:33:49,824 --> 01:33:52,225
after not knowing them ever
2172
01:33:52,259 --> 01:33:54,995
in person
for much of their life.
2173
01:33:55,029 --> 01:33:58,331
I've given some thought
to what it might be like
2174
01:33:58,366 --> 01:34:01,434
for some of the offspring
to have the curiosity
2175
01:34:01,469 --> 01:34:05,005
about who their
biological father might be.
2176
01:34:05,039 --> 01:34:07,007
That's really one big reason
2177
01:34:07,041 --> 01:34:08,508
why I'm participating in this,
2178
01:34:08,542 --> 01:34:11,511
is so that I can help them
2179
01:34:11,545 --> 01:34:13,279
finally deal
with those questions,
2180
01:34:13,314 --> 01:34:16,883
uh, and have answers
to those questions.
2181
01:34:16,917 --> 01:34:19,185
I would love to meet
each of the kids,
2182
01:34:19,220 --> 01:34:21,588
you know, I think it would be
a really neat experience.
2183
01:34:21,622 --> 01:34:23,023
I'm very curious to meet them
2184
01:34:23,057 --> 01:34:26,226
and to learn
from their experiences
2185
01:34:26,260 --> 01:34:27,761
and to see how things are going.
2186
01:34:27,795 --> 01:34:32,165
And the best part
of being a donor so far
2187
01:34:32,233 --> 01:34:34,567
is knowing that I helped people
2188
01:34:34,602 --> 01:34:37,270
and knowing that people
that really wanted
2189
01:34:37,304 --> 01:34:40,340
to have a family
were able to have a family.
2190
01:34:40,374 --> 01:34:43,076
So my wife and I are going
through this together.
2191
01:34:43,110 --> 01:34:45,412
I'm looking forward
to all of the experiences
2192
01:34:45,446 --> 01:34:48,214
that can be shared.
The answers I've found
2193
01:34:48,249 --> 01:34:50,283
have made me feel
incredibly touched,
2194
01:34:50,317 --> 01:34:52,919
thankful, and proud.
2195
01:34:58,759 --> 01:35:01,828
[birds chirping]
2196
01:35:19,780 --> 01:35:23,183
[Nathan] If I never connected
with any of the siblings,
2197
01:35:23,217 --> 01:35:25,351
I think my life
would be a lot different.
2198
01:35:25,386 --> 01:35:26,920
I think as a person,
2199
01:35:26,954 --> 01:35:29,756
I'd still be relatively the same
2200
01:35:29,790 --> 01:35:31,691
but I would definitely
be missing out
2201
01:35:31,726 --> 01:35:34,260
on some great relationships
and bonds with people
2202
01:35:34,295 --> 01:35:36,529
that you can't really
get any other way.
2203
01:35:39,433 --> 01:35:41,101
[Danny] Growing up like
when you're in middle school
2204
01:35:41,135 --> 01:35:43,303
and high school,
having people that
2205
01:35:43,337 --> 01:35:45,238
you can relate to
and fall back on,
2206
01:35:45,272 --> 01:35:48,475
it just really
has created such an amazing
2207
01:35:48,509 --> 01:35:50,009
support system for me.
2208
01:35:50,044 --> 01:35:51,644
And I don't know,
2209
01:35:51,679 --> 01:35:53,646
I just don't think
I question myself
2210
01:35:53,681 --> 01:35:55,615
as much as I used to.
2211
01:35:57,485 --> 01:35:58,985
[Mattie]
Through the whole process,
2212
01:35:59,019 --> 01:36:01,421
it was just mostly like
a self-discovery,
2213
01:36:01,455 --> 01:36:04,357
like, all of the things
that I went through
2214
01:36:04,391 --> 01:36:05,825
and the people that I met,
2215
01:36:05,860 --> 01:36:08,595
it helped lead me
to who I am now.
2216
01:36:08,629 --> 01:36:10,396
I've learned to be more curious
2217
01:36:10,431 --> 01:36:11,731
and to not push the limits
2218
01:36:11,766 --> 01:36:13,266
but test it a little.
2219
01:36:15,002 --> 01:36:17,737
[Neylan] This experience
has thought me that
2220
01:36:17,772 --> 01:36:19,739
your family is more than like
2221
01:36:19,774 --> 01:36:22,742
who is right there with you
all the time.
2222
01:36:22,777 --> 01:36:24,511
And you can feel close
to somebody
2223
01:36:24,545 --> 01:36:27,647
that lives in Alaska or,
like, across the country
2224
01:36:27,681 --> 01:36:29,716
from you or wherever they are.
2225
01:36:29,750 --> 01:36:31,151
It's just how you choose
2226
01:36:31,185 --> 01:36:34,387
to build that relationship.
2227
01:36:34,421 --> 01:36:38,024
[Alexis] To my younger self,
I would say
2228
01:36:38,058 --> 01:36:39,926
you can come into this world mad
2229
01:36:39,960 --> 01:36:42,228
about how you were conceived
2230
01:36:42,263 --> 01:36:44,664
but you also have to realize
2231
01:36:44,698 --> 01:36:47,200
that you function
completely independently
2232
01:36:47,234 --> 01:36:48,802
from any of those other factors
2233
01:36:48,836 --> 01:36:50,537
and that you are your own person
2234
01:36:50,571 --> 01:36:52,405
and that it does not matter.
2235
01:36:52,439 --> 01:36:54,207
At the end of the day,
2236
01:36:54,241 --> 01:36:56,910
you're still you, and it's okay.
2237
01:36:56,944 --> 01:37:00,013
[dramatic music playing]
2238
01:37:12,426 --> 01:37:15,461
[dramatic music playing]