Celina and Joseph Quinones, a seemingly happy couple married for over a decade, were left reeling after a DNA test revealed an unsettling truth—they are cousins. The couple, who share three children, took a 23andMe DNA test to trace their ancestry but found themselves questioning the future of their relationship after the shocking discovery.
Celina, who initiated the search into her family tree, was eager to uncover her heritage, especially since her children displayed different physical traits. “My daughter has dark skin, my son has curly hair, and my middle child is light-skinned,” she said. She never expected that the DNA results would show that she and her husband Joseph, who had been married for 10 years, were actually related.
“When I saw the results, I was sick to my stomach,” Celina shared. The revelation left her grappling with whether their marriage should continue, as she pondered, “Are we supposed to be together?”
The couple, who had a whirlwind romance before marrying just four months after meeting, had no idea of their familial connection. Despite both families attending the wedding, no one had made the connection. Celina even remarked that both her and Joseph’s grandmothers had bonded at the wedding, but nothing had clicked at the time.
After the DNA discovery, Celina shared their story on TikTok, thinking the bizarre twist was worth a laugh. But the video quickly gained viral attention, accumulating millions of views, and the couple was met with a flood of judgmental comments. Many questioned how they had not noticed their resemblance and expressed concern for their children, with one commenter writing, “I feel bad for the kids, hopefully people don’t bully them.”
Despite the backlash, Celina and Joseph chose to stay together. “This was after we already had three kids, and all of them were healthy,” Celina said, noting that the discovery, though shocking, didn’t change their relationship or the bond they shared with their children.
The couple, who are still together, have come to terms with the unusual situation. Celina now says she feels liberated after going public, stating, “It is what it is. If others can love no matter what, why can’t I love my cousin by accident?”
Interestingly, their discovery has also sparked the couple’s desire to help others avoid such surprises. They launched a dating platform called “Before We Be,” aimed at preventing individuals from unknowingly entering relationships with their relatives.
