A dad made discovery about his son’s true biological father after taking a DNA test, revealing an unexpected IVF clinic mix-up years ago.
A couple’s lives changed unexpectedly after an at-home DNA test revealed their 13-year-old son had a different biological father.
This discovery came from an IVF clinic mix-up years earlier.
Donna and Vanner Johnson from Salt Lake City shared their story on “This Morning.”
They were joined by Devin McNeil, their son’s biological father, and his wife, Kelly.
The dad discovers unexpected truth about ‘son’ from a random DNA test
Donna and Vanner Johnson have two sons, Vanner Jr. and Tim, both now teenagers.
While their sons always had distinct personalities, the couple never questioned their genetic heritage.
It wasn’t until they decided to take a DNA test for fun that they made a shocking discovery.
Vanner explained that they were curious about their own genetics and thought it would be fun for their sons to see which genes they inherited.
However, when the test results came back, they were stunned to find that Tim’s results listed “biological father – unknown.”
This revelation immediately raised concerns, but Vanner never questioned his wife’s faithfulness.
Given that Tim was conceived via IVF, the Johnsons began to suspect a potential clinic error.
The father discovers Tim’s true biological parents
Tim was born in 2007 at the University of Utah Center for Reproductive Medicine.
The Johnsons had successfully conceived their first child naturally before that.
Donna recalled that Tim was a “delightful baby.”
Although he had a different temperament from his brother, they never suspected anything unusual.
After the DNA test raised suspicions, the couple decided to conduct additional tests without telling Tim why.
These tests eventually led them to Devin McNeil, a man living in Colorado, and DNA confirmed that Devin was Tim’s biological father.
He accepts the truth despite the confusion
When Devin received the news, he admitted that it was a shocking revelation. ‘
“That’s not a call you expect,” he said.
“It took multiple conversations before we confirmed it was true.”
Vanner recalled the emotional moment when he told Tim about his biological origins.
During a car ride to get ice cream, he explained the situation, to which Tim responded simply, “Really? Well, you’re still my Dad.”
The dad builds a new relationship with his son Tim’s biological parents
This discovery came from more than one test.
The Johnsons wanted to understand how the mix-up happened at the clinic.
After finding out the truth, they contacted Devin and his wife, Kelly, and started talking, which later led to a friendship.
The Johnsons and McNeils began building a relationship through phone calls and exchanging photos.
Eventually, both families decided to meet in person.
Devin described his first meeting with Tim as “really great.”
Tim asked many questions about Devin’s life, including how tall he was as a teenager and if he had braces.
Tim’s foster parents and biological parents take legal action against the IVF clinic
As the Johnsons and McNeils grew closer, they also decided to take legal action against the IVF clinic for the distress caused by the mix-up.
They have filed a lawsuit, aiming to hold the clinic accountable for the error.
In response to the lawsuit, a spokesperson for the clinic issued a statement.
“While we cannot comment on patient cases without consent, nor on ongoing litigation, the safety and care of our patients is always our top priority.
If concerns about care arise, we evaluate our procedures and make necessary improvements to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.
Our providers and staff strive to deliver excellent care.”