ORLANDO, Fla. – When News 6 anchor Lisa Bell found out she had a biological half-brother after doing an AncestryDNA test, she messaged him immediately.
Bell said she knew she had half-siblings out there, but had had idea how to find them.
"Prior to doing AncestryDNA, I knew that I had some siblings out there but I had no clue how to find them, their names, where they might be or really any way to contact them, but I knew they were out there because my aunts had actually met them decades ago," said Bell.
Bell actually met her birth father Donnie 12 years ago, before he passed away. She had done research and found out who her birth parents were. She had spoken to all of her father's sisters before-- so when she finally got in touch with her half-brother, Rob, she decided it would be a good idea to include her aunts on a conference call Skype so that they could meet him, too.
Bell said she knew her aunts and cousins were still missing Donnie, and was hoping meeting Rob would mean a lot to them.
So she got all of them on the call and then called Rob-- immediately everyone commented on how much like Donnie Rob looks. They said he especially resembled him from the profile, and they all have similar eyebrows.
"So many people who met Don really adored him and to meet someone who is so much like him in so many ways, they look alike, they have several things in common, common interests, so that's what's been really fascinating," said Bell.
The talk with the family revealed Rob even has many of the same interests Donnie had. They both like to surf, and both prefer gardening with plants that provide food for people.
"I felt really good afterward, after talking to him, I think it was cathartic for my aunts especially," said Bell.
The family ended the call saying how nice it was to have been able to be reunited right before Thanksgiving, and they spoke about potential plans to meet up in 2018.