As a couple celebrated 10 years of marriage, a DNA test revealed something that left them "sick to their stomach".
Celina Quinones, who frequently shares snippets of her family life on TikTok, shared the shocking discovery with her followers, sparking a mix of reactions online.
DNA tests, which have become increasingly popular for tracing heritage and family health history, can sometimes yield unexpected results — as was the case for Celina.
Celina had initially taken the 23andMe DNA test to trace her family ancestry. What began as an innocent attempt to explore her heritage quickly turned unsettling.
"I started really diving into my DNA because I wanted to find out my heritage," she explained during an appearance on the Love Don’t Judge podcast.
"My daughter is really dark-skinned, and my son has curly hair. My middle child is light-skinned, and everyone would ask, ‘What are you, what are you?’ I couldn’t really give an answer except Native American.”
Despite wanting to delve into her heritage, Celina got quite the surprise when the results arrived.
The test revealed she and her husband were between third and fifth cousins. The news left Celina grappling with difficult questions, particularly because they had three children together.
“I was thinking, ‘Should we get a divorce? Are we even supposed to be together?’” she recalled.
Celina has made light of the situation on TikTok, but she admitted that people's comments can still impact her.
“I did not know it was going to blow up that big,” Celina admitted. “One person on there said, ‘This is so disturbing, why would you marry your cousin?’”
Celina and Joseph's relatives hadn’t recognized one another at their wedding, which had taken place after a whirlwind four-month relationship.
It was later revealed that a key family connection had been missed due to Joseph’s grandmother being adopted.
If you're wondering whether Celina and Joseph stayed together - they did and have now been married for 17 years.
On TikTok, Celina also explained that in Colorado, it’s not uncommon for people to be related without realizing it.
"Colorado seems so big, but it’s really not that big. Everyone knows everyone, and most likely, everyone is related. We're probably fourth, maybe fifth cousins," she shared.
Facing criticism from some corners, Celina stood firm in defense of her marriage.
“Let me divorce him because we didn’t know. Let me just tell our kids their parents are not together anymore because of other people’s opinions,” she responded in a post addressing the backlash.
In another video, Celina reflected on her initial reaction to the revelation, saying: "I did my DNA test I think in 2016, and yeah, it was devastating because I was like 'babe, we're related. Are we even supposed to be together? This is weird.' It really freaked me out."
Despite the initial shock, Celina is content with the life she and Joseph have built together.
"I wouldn’t change it for the world... Cousband and wife for life!" she said, adding: "There is a reason why good couples look alike. I am just over here raising awareness."
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