A couple in Colorado who have been married for more than a decade were shocked after a DNA test revealed they’re blood related.
Celina and Joseph Quinones met at a Halloween party over a decade ago, fell in love and eventually got married.
However, when Joseph recently decided to explore his ancestry, the couple submitted a DNA test, and the results nearly ended their marriage.
“When I realized that we were cousins, I was a little sick to my stomach,” Celina admitted on the web series Love Don’t Judge.
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Joseph was mortified when the test confirmed they were third to fifth cousins.
“I thought we were supposed to get divorced, but then I started thinking that for our children we need to stay together. You’re not supposed to be with your cousin, but it happened that way,” Celina shared.
The couple decided that their love for each other was enough to make things work, but it took a while for their three kids to process the startling revelation.
Their son admitted he often feels a “bit weird about it,” as it’s not “something you want to brag about,” noting his parents were unaware they were related when they met.
“It’s kind of normal because they’re my parents and they’ve been married a long time,” their daughter added.
After Joseph and Celina’s story went viral online, they were bombarded with hate messages regarding their unconventional marriage. But the couple haven’t let the trolls get to them.
“We found out almost 11 years in and three years later, it’s not something you just walk away from,” Joseph argued.
Celina noted their family’s future “holds a lot more good,” and said that her and her husband’s main priority is their children.
“I just want to see our kids succeed,” she said.