A married couple recalls the shocking moment they discovered they were related as cousins, 17 years into their relationship and with three children.
People often explore their family trees to learn about their ancestry and use DNA tests to uncover fascinating details about their heritage.
Celina and Joseph Quinones from Colorado experienced a surprising revelation when they found out they were actually cousins.
The couple had been together for 17 years and married for a decade when Celina decided to explore her genealogy.
To her surprise, she discovered a family connection with her own husband.
Speaking on the YouTube channel Love Don’t Judge, Celina explained: “A DNA test confirmed that we are third to fifth cousins.”
“In my head, I thought we were supposed to get divorced,” she added.
“But then I started thinking to myself, for our children, for our household – we need to keep it together.”
She described this period in their lives as a ‘pivotal moment’.
In the video, when asked about her feelings on the matter, their daughter expressed: “It’s kind of normal because they’re my parents, and there’s nothing really weird about it.”
Their son commented: “Sometimes I feel a bit weird about it, because it’s not something you want to brag about.”
He mentioned that the situation may have been different if the discovery had been made before his parents were married.
The mom took to TikTok to share a video explaining their unique situation and why she feels at ease accepting it.
Celina expressed: “I wouldn’t change it for the world… Cousband and wife for life!
“There is a reason why good couples look alike. I am just over here raising awareness.
“I ain’t gonna let a little bit of blood destroy what we created, this beautiful family.”
The family has faced significant online criticism for staying together after learning about their connection.
In response to the negativity, Celina stated: “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.
“No thank you, we will just be staying cousins, spouses, and lovers forever.
“Now go throw up in your mouth some more.”