Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Melissa Gilbert Finds Three Biological Brothers After Genealogy Lead

A fifth cousin’s DNA research traced siblings on her birth mother’s side, and Gilbert says she will publish a fuller account on Substack.

Overview

  • Gilbert announced this week that she discovered three biological brothers she did not know she had and has begun meeting them.
  • She named the brothers as Matt, Laird Steven E. Paine and Mark, noting that Mark died years earlier and is survived by a son.
  • The match came after Gilbert connected through a consumer genealogy app with a fifth cousin whose research identified the siblings on her birth mother’s side.
  • Gilbert said she and brother Matt are becoming especially close as they exchange family history and that the reunion emphasizes family ties rather than her public profile.
  • She has joined Substack to share a longer, which she described as “jaw-dropping,” account of the adoptions and reported family history while one outlet says a possible fourth biological brother has been identified but not yet contacted.