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Man uses DNA test to reunite with mother

Posted at 7:58 AM, Jul 06, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-07 11:19:10-04

KGUN9 is helping two Southern Arizonans connect with their heritage via DNA tests.

In January, Good Morning Tucson anchor Pat Parris told you the stories of Sue Amundsen and Clint Miller, both who were adopted at birth from states with sealed records.

With our help, Amundsen found her birth mother days after receiving her test results.

Miller's journey has taken much longer. He longed to get in touch with her.

"I would like to say thank you," he said. "Other than that, I have no expectations. Thank you for life!"

Miller started looking for his mother after receiving test results from 23 and Me. The first test wasn't viable. Six weeks later, a second test revealed that 69 percent of his DNA originated from Great Britain, and 8 percent was from Ireland. The testing didn't offer much help in finding close relatives.

However, he did receive notifications of three first cousins. He managed to get in touch with one of them via LinkedIn.

"She broke the news to me, what my mother's name was," Miller said. "She had fallen out of touch with her aunt. I was able to track down a phone number for Tony Greene, who lives in Oklahoma, where I grew up."

Miller then called his birth mother within minutes.

"I said, 'Hi Toni, this is Clint Miller. And I think you're my birth mother.' She said 'When's your birthday?' I told her. She said, 'Where were you born?' 'I believe a naval hospital at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California.' She said 'I am your birth mother.' It was pretty remarkable."

Miller found out his mother had just graduated high school and decided to give him up for adoption. She never kept in contact with his father, and she never had any more kids. 

They both have hazel eyes, as Miller discovered when she sent him her first-ever selfie. After a series of phone calls, Miller came to a realization.

"I woke up crying. It hit me I knew her voice. I've always known her voice. I hadn't heard it in 47 years. The first thing I told her after she said she was my mom, I told her 'thank you.' Because it's what I've always wanted to say is 'thank you.' "

We will bring you Miller's reunion with his mother and update you on his quest to find his birth father.