#310 Father Founded: DNA Reuniting Amerasians with Their American Bio Fathers

We explore the powerful work of Father Founded, an organization dedicated to reuniting Amerasian families separated by war. It shares the heartwarming story of Scott McMullen, a retired firefighter and veteran, who discovered his long-lost daughter through the group's efforts. Marny Klump, a dedicated volunteer, uses her skills in genetic genealogy to help Amerasians locate their biological fathers across continents.

 

I do want to offer a warning that our conversation includes sensitive topics like young adult death, sexual assault, and childhood abuse. These topics may not be suitable for children or people who have had these experiences themselves. 

 

Scott's journey involves fathering a son in the Philippines, marrying the mother to bring him to the U.S., and later learning he had another child in the Philippines and connecting with his daughter Sherlyn, who was adopted and raised in another country. Despite challenges, Scott and Sherilyn have formed a close bond, united by their shared Amerasian experience. Scott Mcmullen is a father of 6, who retired in 2020 after 40 years as a Firefighter/EMT. He served 26 years in The Air Force Reserves as a Firefighter. He was elected to and served eight years on the Mount Vernon Washington city Council. He then recruited and helped the first three Hispanic people get elected to the Mount Vernon, Washington City Council. I thought it was unfair to have no Hispanic representation when his city’s population was 36% Hispanic. He and his brother flew to the Philippines to meet his biological daughter and her family. He lives part time in Angeles city, Philippines and was honored to have attended his grandchild's wedding!

 

Marny Klump, a Father Founded volunteer, shares how she became involved in reuniting families through genealogy and DNA testing, driven by the belief that everyone has the right to know their origins. The discussion emphasizes the importance of accessing biological family history and the challenges faced in the process. Marny was born in Toronto, Canada and moved to the United States when she was 16. She and her family currently live outside of Richmond, Virginia. Marny started doing her husband’s family tree in 2014. In early 2016, she started working with a group to help people put the pieces of their puzzles together. In August 2016, she learned how to use DNA to help those with misattributed parentage locate their biological family members. In April 2020, one of those cases led her to Father Founded, where she has been volunteering to help Amerasians with their quest to know their birth fathers.

 

You can learn more about Father Founded on their website here and donate here.

 

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DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our social media lead is Kajal Patel. Our Outreach Intern is Liv Davidson. And our logo Graphic Designer is Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC. 

 

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