Page 25 - HOH_Neat

A9
LOCAL Saturday 14 May 2022

Brother and sister meet for the first time in Aruba

It’s never too late to find my family and it says we’re come to Aruba often. They
where you came from, and related’ and I said I’m not are loyal visitors who have
potentially find your family. really sure how,” Pennie ex- been coming to our island
Dan Bruder tells the story of pressed. for more than 20 years, and
how he found his sister Pen- visit us 3 to 4 times a year.
nie Arneson after 65 years, He then explained to her Pennie lives with her hus-
and finally met her here in that he’s also related to an- band Greg Arneson and
Aruba. other person who then Pen- their family in Fort Lauder-
nie told him was her son, dale, Florida, while Dan
Dan Bruder was adopted expressing that “if you’re and his wife Helene Bruder
when he was just 8 weeks related to me, you’d be re- live in New Jersey. “Pen-
old. His adoptive moth- lated to him”. He continued nie saw that we posted
er and father along with telling Pennie about the pictures of our trip and she
their family were and are other people showing up, said ‘oh I see you were
his family, and “that’s all I and mentioned Debbie, in Aruba’” which lead to well both of us will remove and not their upbringing,
ever knew. My mom and who is Pennie’s sister, which Dan telling her they would the chicken and eat the seeing how they we’re
dad always offered to help helped her conclude that be coming to Aruba on a crumbles,” Pennie shared. brought up differently, but
me find my biological rela- Dan was her relative from trip soon, and Pennie then So now, even the Ducks still have very distinctive
tively, and I always said her father’s side, “his DNA is told him that they would be have gained a relative! similarities like the pet ducks
‘no, I’m good, I’m comfort- actually closer to me than there as well. and chicken crumbles, “It’s
able’” said Dan. His mother my sister Debbie who i was “I feel like I’ve known him duck’s and chickens, a
and father passed away a raised with,” Pennie add- For Dan, it’s the first time forever,” Pennie said of her ‘foul’ relationship,” Pennie
few years ago, but always ed. he has ever met a blood brother, adding that “there joked.
maintained until the end relative, “I’m 66 years old was no awkwardness when
that they were willing to This was the start of what and I’d never met a blood we met, I felt very com- It’s a wonderful story to
help him find his biological would later become the relative.” When asked what fortable.” Dan explained share, not only because it is
family. Eventually Dan de- reunion of two siblings, motivated Dan to take the that “it exceeded my ex- opening something person-
cided to make use of an- who never knew of the DNA test, he explained pectations. It’s such a piv- al and starting a conversa-
cestry, 23andme and such, other’s existence before. that “getting older you otal milestone and you’re tion about many different
which led to him being able They started to “communi- recognize the value and hoping that it’s not some- wonderful topics, but it’s a
to see his family tree and all cate and speak often, we importance of family, and one weird, but it has been story that we can all learn
the connections. His results facetimed, and then CO- I just had that curiosity that amazing.” from and take something
ended up identifying Pen- VID-19 hit so we kind of put started to itch more.” Pen- with us, seeing that it’s nev-
nie as a relative, “Dan con- the brakes on the idea of nie had no idea she had It’s a very unique opportu- er too late to find who we
tacted me and said ‘I was meeting.” any other siblings, “At first nity for the both Dan and are and where we come
adopted and I checked Dan and his wife Helene I didn’t know where he fit Pennie alike, to know how from. “If we could be kind
in,” said Pennie. much of who they are and of the catalyst to some-
what they do has been in- thing good, that’s a good
After meeting each other fluenced by their genetics feeling,” Dan concluded.q
and personally getting to
spend with together, the
two have realized they
have the most peculiar
things in common which
are very interesting, for in-
stance, they both have
Ducks as pets, which are
surely not common pets to
have, and the most interest-
ing yet funniest thing they
have in common you ask?
“you know how you get a
bucket of fried chicken?,