Episode 6
Season 8 Episode 6 | 58mVideo has Closed Captions
Stephen gets a big family reunion in Show Low, Arizona. Jarrell has a teary reunion.
The texting game between the teams ratchets up as the grand prize draws near. A sudoku type challenge has the teams counting and second guessing their math skills. The twins learn more about their father and his family through a close connection. JT meets someone with an emotional and inspiring story. Jurrell finally gets all the answers he’s been looking for about his past.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Episode 6
Season 8 Episode 6 | 58mVideo has Closed Captions
The texting game between the teams ratchets up as the grand prize draws near. A sudoku type challenge has the teams counting and second guessing their math skills. The twins learn more about their father and his family through a close connection. JT meets someone with an emotional and inspiring story. Jurrell finally gets all the answers he’s been looking for about his past.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch Relative Race
Relative Race is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipDan: Previously on Relative Race...
The twin sisters are on the rise.
Both: [surprised gasps] Dan: Team Black got their first win, while Team Green and Red tied for last place.
We're not giving out a strike.
All: [celebratory gasps /exclamations] - [laughing] Dan: Stephen learned from his two brothers that his dad is still alive.
Steve: Oh my goodness!
Dan: JT was told heartbreaking news about his mother’s death.
- Our mom was murdered 10 years ago.
- [sniffling] [heartfelt music] Dan: And Jarrell learned that his Aunt Tina fostered him and his mother when he was only a few months old.
- And I took you and your mom home with me that day.
- [quiet sobs] Dan: DNA tells us who we are and where we came from.
Following their own DNA, four teams are racing-- - Love you!
- Pedal to the metal!
Dan: --to win $50,000-- Christine: Go, go!
Dan: --and to find their family.
[knocking] [theme music] ♪ Dan: It's Day 6, and our teams are halfway through Relative Race.
They've traveled hundreds of miles and discovered dozens of new relatives.
Today, Team Black, Pam and Christine, start their race in Durango, Colorado, with a five-minute head start for finishing in first place yesterday.
Team Blue, JT and Kaleigh, begin in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Stephen and Susan, Team Green, start their race in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
In Rising Sun, Indiana, Team Red, Jarrell and Amauni, begin their race by saying goodbye to Jarrell's Aunt Tina and Uncle Gene.
[heartfelt music] ♪ Jarrell: You fostering my mom, and then me getting put in the foster home and then getting put up for adoption, you guys didn't even know when there was an actual chance that, you know, I could've stayed with the family.
[sniff] - We were asking about you and looking for you and like, "Where is the baby?"
And we were not getting any answers until it got to the point where... Gene: Papers was already signed.
- Papers were already signed, and you were gone!
Nobody told us anything.
- The family had options to keep me in the family, but the system had other plans.
It just really hurts that-- to know that I might be leaving here soon, you know.
[emotional sigh] Amauni: Go ahead and let it out.
- [soft sobs] Amauni: You can come back.
It's okay.
Jarrell: It's just, I finally figured out what actually happened, and how much my family actually tried to fight for me.
- Hopefully, uh, what we're telling and what we're explaining will lead to a stronger future and a stronger relationship, and the past cannot be forgotten, but the future can always be gained.
Jarrell: I think the last piece of this puzzle for me to fulfill is for me to find my mom, and I think she will have all the answers that I'm looking for and all the answers that everybody else is wonderin'.
[sigh] [sniff] Dan: In Gulfport, Mississippi, JT and his sister Brandy reminisce on the family connections that JT has made so far.
JT: I've noticed, you know, everybody that I've met in our family so far has just been super just caring.
Like, give you the shirt off their back.
That's crazy, 'cause, I mean, I've always been that way too, and seems like mom was that way too now, and you're that way.
Having my relatives on both sides of the family, you can really start to see just the connections that each of us all share.
It's just cool how that little characteristic of everybody runs in everybody.
- Yeah, we're some very caring people.
JT: It's hard to say goodbye to my sister Brandy because we just met.
It's like, I want more time.
I want way more time.
I have been away for 30 years, and I got 30 years of making up to do.
♪ Dan: In Rio Rancho, New Mexico, Team Green is waking up to the smell of bacon.
[bacon sizzling] - Good morning!
It's Day 6 on Relative Race.
We're over here planning.
I'm about to do something I've never done before, and that's have breakfast with my brothers I got BJ over here-- - Mornin'!
- --I got Chase over here!
We're about to have some protein!
Some bacon!
Just so grateful for these moments that I get to share with them, and, you know, anything I can do to spend time and just meet these guys is amazing.
This is the best breakfast so far.
And it makes it even better that I'm sharing it with my brothers.
All right, I'm gonna eat!
Get outta here, guys!
- Bye!
- Later!
[clock ticking] [tense music] Christine: We're waking up a bit early this morning because we won yesterday's benefit of a five-minute head start.
[notification sounding] - Here we go.
Christine, we have our text!
It came in!
Christine: What?
This early?
- Yes, I know!
Christine: Oh my gosh!
- Okay.
Good morning, teams, and welcome to Day 6 of Relative Race.
This five-minute head start is a huge advantage.
Team Black will be traveling to Flagstaff, Arizona.
Our cousins Toni and Tara made us breakfast this morning, but we gotta go.
Your time starts now!
Christine: Come on, Pam!
All right.
Oh my gosh, you guys, we got the text.
We have to go.
We are on the clock!
Tara: Like, right now?
Christine: Yes!
Right now.
Thank you for everything!
- Thank you!
Nice to meet you.
Christine: We're on the clock!
Come on!
Tara: Go, go, go!
- Bye!
We love you!
♪ [notification sounding] - Good morning, teams, and welcome to Day 6 of Relative Race.
Jarrell: Team Red will be traveling to Greenfield, Indiana.
Kaleigh: Team Blue will be traveling to Vicksburg, Mississippi.
- And Team Green will be traveling to Show Low, Arizona.
- Today's first place prize is a five-minute video call with anyone of your choice.
- Your time starts now!
We gotta go!
Later guys!
Chase: Later.
- Love you, sis!
Love you!
- Do you know where it's at?
Tina: [laughing] - 'Kay!
Uncle Gene came through, helped us map it out, gave us the directions.
We're ready to go.
Kaleigh: Are you coming?
Vicksburg, Mississippi.
We know the area well, he's worked there, he's got his adoptive family that lives there, we're just getting really lucky with our locations right now.
Steve: Bye, bros!
Chase: Later, man.
- Good luck!
- All right.
♪ Amauni: Take a right on outta here.
Kaleigh: We go straight out.
Christie: Winners all the way!
Day 10, baby!
Pam: That's right!
- ♪ 74 West.
♪ [with country twang] ♪ Thank your Uncle Gene!
♪ Steve: Gonna go left.
Susan: Left?
- Yeah.
- Let's make this a great day.
Steve: Ooh, 'kay.
- We're good!
- Great day!
Smash!
Susan: [laughing] Pam: Get out the Colorado map first, so we can make sure we're getting through Colorado fine.
Christine: That's what I was lookin' for.
Kaleigh: You can turn right up here?
JT: Yeah.
- Go, go, go, go, go!
- Oh, sorry, sorry, sorry.
Thanks.
Singer: ♪ The race is on!
♪ ♪ ♪ The race is on!
♪ ♪ [music ends] ♪ Kaleigh: Did you think we were gonna make it this far?
- No.
Kaleigh: I didn't either!
I'm-- - And make it this far without a strike so far-- - I'm impressed.
- --is completely blowing my mind.
- I'm impressed.
Dan: Hoping to maintain their clean track record of no strikes thus far, Team Blue, JT and Kaleigh, are departing Gulfport, Mississippi, and heading to Vicksburg, Mississippi.
They have an allotted time of 3 hours and 32 minutes.
- I got a message for Team Green.
- Okay.
- All right.
Send it.
[notification sounding] - Message!
[smack] - That was a good one!
Ha!
- They do have it nice and warm for us, don't they?
- Yeah, they do!
Steve: Just livin' in second place.
- Yeah.
Dan: Knowing Team Blue is flying under the radar, Team Green, Stephen and Susan, are racing from Rio Rancho, New Mexico, to Show Low, Arizona.
Their allotted time today is 4 hours and 10 minutes.
- [devious laugh] - [laughing] - That was a good one.
- It's a competition.
- Yeah!
- They don't have any strikes.
I need them to get a strike!
Susan: Yeah!
♪ Pam: You know what, at this point, I ain't gonna lie, I hope we meet our biological father in the next few days.
I mean, I would really love to meet Monique and Arnold on this journey.
I think that would just be awesome.
Like, that's two more huge pieces to the puzzle, you know.
Christine: Mm-hm.
Pam: You know, we keep talking with family members about it and everything.
It's like, the more I talk about it, the more I want it.
You know what I mean?
Dan: With hopes of meeting their biological father and sister, Team Black, Pam and Christine, are leaving Durango, Colorado, en route to Flagstaff, Arizona.
Their allotted time is 5 hours and 4 minutes.
Pam: I really wanna meet Monique.
Us four sisters, we gotta get this thing going, you know, the four of us.
Christine: Right?
Quad squad.
- The quad squad!
That's right!
Christine: [laughing] Pam: That's cute.
[phone ringing] - We got a phone call?
- That was a real phone call!
Amauni: What?
- [laughing] - Hello?
Jarrell: We actually got a phone call, and it was Uncle Gene.
- Hold on, Uncle Gene!
Amauni: I'm excited, 'cause I might be able to video chat with my kids.
Jarrell: We miss 'em.
They're a bundle of joy, and, you know, they keep us-- they keep us goin' day by day.
Amauni: It made us feel good to know that he was still thinking about us and he was wishing us well.
Thank you, Uncle Gene.
- Thank you, Uncle Gene!
Dan: Knowing they have a chance to win a video conference call home, Team Red, Jarrell and Amauni, are focused on their drive from Rising Sun, Indiana, to Greenfield, Indiana, with an allotted time of 1 hour and 40 minutes.
Kaleigh: I wanna get first so we get that video chat.
Christine: I'm trying to get the first-place prize today 'cause I wanna see my babies!
Steve: You know who I'd like to call?
I'd like to call Craig, my uncle from Day 1.
Let him know that I met his niece, my sister.
Susan: I think that would mean the world to him.
- We're gunning for first today!
Let's go!
Team Green!
[soft pop music] [upbeat music] Susan: Looking for a sign on a tree.
Both: [laughing] - There's nothing around!
There's nothing!
Dan: As the teams get closer to their destination cities, their focus shifts into high gear as they frantically search for a city selfie.
Jarrell: What?
- Flagstaff City limit.
- Yep.
Turn right.
Pam: You think it's too far?
Christine: Nope, turn right!
- Right there.
- Vicksburg National Park.
Right there.
Boom!
Yes!
Susan/Steve: Show Low!
Susan: City limit!
Amauni: Yep, right here.
Kaleigh: Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!
♪ Pam: Where is it?
- 'Kay, it's far!
Steve: Let's go, baby!
- Should be good right here.
- Okay.
Christine: Come on!
You have the phone!
Steve: Get in there!
♪ [camera shutter sounding] ♪ [notification sounding] ♪ [notification sounding] Jarrell: Oh, we gotta text, we gotta text!
Welcome to Greenfield, Indiana.
- Your challenge is located at-- - Nikolaus Holmstead Park.
- 519 Piute Road.
Christine: Let's go!
- Let's go, let's go!
- Let's go!
Jarrell: We're going to Brandywine Park.
Kaleigh: [squeal] ♪ - Boom!
We are here, the flag is right there, we're gonna park right in front of it.
Let's go!
♪ Pam: Let's get going!
♪ [paper ripping] - Hurry!
What's it say?
- Put 2 & 2 Together.
Dan: The challenge for Day 6 is Put 2 & 2 Together.
Teams must unscramble the number puzzle and place the numbers in the correct order, both vertically and horizontally, to match the end total.
If any row does not match the end number, they must reset the entire board.
Once all the rows and columns add up to their end numbers, the challenge is complete.
- Let's go!
Steve: Let's go!
Jarrell: All right, come on.
- All right, drop 'em!
I'm gonna be the director first!
Amauni: I direct first!
[tiles clattering] Jarrell: Wow, that was loud!
Amuani: [laughing] The director gets the final say, so Jarrell, don't argue with me.
Get a 9.
Jarrell: Get a 9?
- My far left.
Pam: Come on, put it in there!
Christine: I'm trying!
Pam: Oh my gosh!
Christine: My gosh!
Pam: Okay.
Oh, it's-- Oh my gosh, it wasn't shut.
- I got this, I got this.
Pam: All right.
Kaleigh: All right.
Do a 1 and then do a 0 on top of that one.
Let's go ahead and just get 'em solved up and down all across the board.
Steve: Let's do a 3 on the bottom.
Susan: Are you sure?
Are you sure?
Steve: Yeah.
Steve: I don't wanna half to redo this.
We gonna get this right the first time.
Steve: I love numbers, I play Sudoku a lot, I'm really good at it, so I thought we were gonna just knock this one out of the park.
All right, so where you just put the 3, put an 8.
Susan: Come on, baby.
Steve: No, no, no, no, no!
Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Take it out, take it out.
Ooh.
Susan: Just think, think.
- Um.
So, I have done this amount of math in my head as an adult, but not with a time restraint and not with the pressure that this challenge created.
Put a 2 at the bottom!
Susan: Okay.
Jarrell: Do I make the Relative Race 1, 'cause that'd be 30.
The double R is a wild tile.
It could be anything from 0 to 9.
- Okay.
Jarrell: And now you got 30.
- Give me a 1 on the last one.
We tried to come up with a quick strategy to work on the 30 row first.
We thought that if we knocked out the biggest number, we could build the smaller numbers.
You wanna try the free space?
We don't have a choice, or we have to start over.
Try the free space.
Christine: So 8...1?
This is a 1?
Pam: Yeah, uh, a 1.
Okay, 3, 2-- Okay, yeah, that's not gonna work.
- This is going to irritate me.
I think the hardest thing for us was trying to figure out which numbers went where towards the end.
- We gotta place that 9 first.
- Uh, yeah, that's what I was trying the first time.
Christine: What do you wanna do?
You wanna start over again?
Pam: Okay.
All right, all right, all right.
[buzzer] [crash] [tiles clattering] Susan: Yes, yes!
Steve: That's 4... Oh, that's it!
That's it!
Susan: Yes, yes, yes!
So-- Steve: Okay.
Susan: All right, carefully put them in, carefully put them in.
Come on, baby, you got this.
Steve: All right!
- [short laugh] - Once we did that, and I was able to get there and organize all of them, and then she was just calling them out as we were putting them in, we knocked that thing out of the park!
Susan: 2!
3, 3, 3!
3!
[shrieking] 3!
Steve: Ah!
[ding ding ding] Steve: Whoo!
Whoo!
Your relative lives at-- Both: 4273 Branding Iron Loop!
- Let's go!
Amauni: Okay, uh... - You got two 2s, and the double R. Amauni: Put up-- Make the Relative Race one a 1.
Christine: All right, what do we have left, what do we have left?
Pam: Uh, 2, 2, 3, 3.
Christine: Finally got it down to four number placements.
- Do a 2 on top of the 5.
Amauni: Come on, we about to get it.
Hurry up, hurry up!
Get the 2s in!
It doesn't matter, just put them in!
Pam: Yes, yes, yes, yes, that's it!
That's it!
- 3, 3 on the 4, 3.
Amauni: Come on, come on!
[ding ding ding] Okay, let's go, let's go!
Jarrell: Let's go!
Amauni: Come on, let's go!
Pam: That's it!
[ding ding ding] Christine: We got it, we got it!
Pam: Yes!
Kaleigh: And do the Relative Race as the number 1.
JT: Number 1?
Kaleigh: Yep!
[ding ding ding] That's it, that's it!
Come on, come on, come on, come on!
[paper ripping] - Your relative lives at-- - 329 5th Avenue.
Come on!
Kaleigh: 1455 Parkside Drive.
Let's go, go, go, go, go!
Steve: Let's go, Team Green!
- Country Club.
- You got it?
Okay.
- Yes, I got it!
[cars accelerating] - What's that?
Pine... - Pinedina?
I don't know, baby, it's hard to see 'em.
Steve: Okay, I'm not gonna ask anymore.
You're getting upset with me.
- Well, no!
Don't start that.
Don't start that.
- What's it say?
- I can't see it is what I'm saying.
I'm trying!
- Uh-oh.
- Ooh, whoa, whoa.
Where'd you come from?
Come on!
Jarrell/Amauni: What are you doing?
Kaleigh: We stop at the first gas station we see.
Thank you.
We're running up to everyone, asking for directions, but nobody wants to help us.
This is so frustrating.
I've never in my life-- - This is our bad day, this is our bad day.
It's okay.
Everybody has one.
This is our bad one.
[tense music] Pam: Just wanna keep going towards town until we either find a gas station or a human being-- - Okay.
- --that will help us.
Amauni: So, this is 4th Avenue.
Where there is a 4th, there is a 5th!
- Always.
Steve: 9 somethin', knot somethin'... - Baby, I'm doin' the best I can.
- Okay, Wagon Wheel Road again.
- Okay?
Do you hear me?
- Yes.
- I'm doing the best I can.
I'm driving-- - Well, it looked like you had no interest.
- No!
I'm trying!
I've looked at every sign!
Kaleigh: There's nobody here!
I've never been inside a town where there's, like, nobody!
Pam: Look, there's a gas station right there.
Christine: Okay, perfect.
Steve: Pull over.
- In here?
Steve: Sure.
- Do you wanna ask these people?
- Sure.
- We're running out of ideas.
I really hope these people know where to go.
Do you guys know where Branding Iron Loop is?
- Yes?
Where?
I can't believe it!
They know right where to go.
Okay.
- Thank y'all so much!
- Thank you so much!
Dan: With addresses finally in hand, the chase is on for all four teams to find their next relative.
- Branding Iron Loop.
- Okay.
You got his directions exactly, right?
- I mean, he said go past to the next light.
I mean, that seems far.
Jarrell: Yep, 5th Avenue, 5th Avenue.
- Okay.
- Numbers, numbers, look at the numbers.
Amauni: These are big numbers, so we gotta go down this way.
- Big numbers.
Amauni: Yeah, they're gettin' smaller this way-- - Okay.
- --so just keep going this way.
Pam: Basically, we're going through this neighborhood to get back over here.
He said go all the way down till you can only go left or right.
- He just said, go to the next light and then turn left.
That's all he said!
- [indistinct] once we ask somebody directions, you need to write down verbatim what they say.
Steve: I did, baby.
- I'm trusting you.
- I wrote it down.
- Okay.
Jarrell: Well, we on the right street, we know that.
- Yeah.
- We got a long way to go though.
[tense music] - I don't know.
At this point...I mean, I can go that way and look.
Kaleigh: He said keep going straight.
He said-- Go straight!
- Kaleigh, calm down!
I'm goin'!
Dang!
It's okay!
Calm down!
- Well, you're just sitting there, not going anywhere.
- Is it not a stop sign?
[tense music] Christine: Right off the gate, I went the wrong way.
We should've went left instead of right.
- Sparrow-- Oh my!
There's a detour.
- There's a detour.
Pam: Okay, we gotta turn around.
- Here's the light.
- Okay.
And he said turn left at the light?
Steve: No.
- Okay.
Tell me-- - Okay, stop!
- Tell me what to do.
- Stop!
Susan: Tell me what to do.
Steve: We're gonna go through this, 'cause it's Buck Springs.
The very next left is our street.
- Okay.
- If-- if-- Let's say we're going back to 4th Street.
Where would you go?
You don't know.
- Yeah, we need to go back towards the middle of town.
- [gasp] Uh, this is the interstate!
Steve: Turn left!
Right here.
Susan: I am, I am, I am!
Steve: Whoo!
- Yes, baby, yes!
- Let's go, Team Green!
4273.
Susan: All right.
Right here, right here, right here, right here!
Steve: [exhale] All right.
- You ready for this, baby?
Steve: Yes, I'm ready.
- Oh my gosh!
- [nervous laugh] - Who is this?
Steve: Who?
Woman: Hello!
Both: Hi!
Steve: Hi!
Um, I'm Steve, this is my wife, Susan.
- Hi.
- Hi, I'm Sam.
- I know a Sam.
Sam: Yes.
- Are you my niece?
- Yes.
Steve: You're my niece?!
Sam: Hi!
Steve: [laughing] - How are you?
Steve: I'm so good!
Oh my gosh!
You're so pretty too!
- Thank you.
Are you okay?
Steve: Yeah.
Sam: Okay.
- Yeah, I'm all right.
On Day 4, when I met my sister, Jen, she told me that she had a daughter, and her name was Sam, and I really wanted to meet her.
- I am Samantha Harrell.
I am Steve's niece.
Jennifer is my mother, who is also his sister.
- I just met my sis-- your mom.
I just met her the day before yesterday.
Sam: How was that?
- Amazing.
- I'm Jennifer Macke, and I'm your sister.
Steve: You're my sister.
[tearful laughter] You know, I knew I had a sister-- Sam: Yeah?
- --um, 'cause of the baby picture that I had.
And then getting to meet her and then seeing how we look alike and the eyes, um-- Sam: Oh yeah.
You got the eyes and the smile.
Steve: You know, so- [laughing] I have my mom's smile.
Charlene's smile.
- Oh yeah, you do.
Steve: It looks like I'm trying too hard-- - Oh yeah.
Like you're forcing it.
Steve: Yes, yes!
- Always.
Always.
Steve: But it's not!
It's 100% genuine!
Sam: Yep.
- [short laugh] - It just looks that way!
- Yep.
Steve: Um, oh my gosh!
I was hoping I was gonna get to meet you.
I didn't realize it was gonna be, like, so soon!
Susan: Yeah.
Steve: That's awesome.
You knew my mom, right?
- Yes, we were very close.
Steve: Yeah?
- Very, very, very, very close.
She was my #1.
- Really?
Sam: Yeah.
- I'm so sorry you lost her.
- I've had time, but I think about her every day.
Susan: Yeah?
Sam: I have a surprise for you.
- Yeah?
- If you want to walk with me around the corner right there?
- Yeah!
- All right!
- I love surprises!
Sam: Let's go!
[gasp] [excited laughter] I get to see you again already?
Jen: Yes!
Steve: [excited laughter] - Yay!
- [laughing] Oh, she's so pretty!
- Thank you!
- We've been talking, you know, non-stop about my sister, Jen, and wanting to see her again and reconnect.
Susan: We missed you so much already.
- Thank you so much.
- Yeah, absolutely!
- I've missed Stephen a lot.
I think about him a lot, I think about the possibilities of what we get to do, what the things we have coming for our families.
- I get more time!
- You get more time!
- Yay!
- Ah!
[soft music] Pam: All right, all right.
Christine: I can't see anything.
- Well, tr-try!
Dan: Winding their way around Flagstaff, Team Black is struggling to find their relative.
Christine: You're driving too fast!
- Well, I-- I can see and drive, so I'll just do it.
55...5400.
♪ [soft music] Ah!
It's Monique!
Oh my gosh!
♪ Our sister came running out the house, I immediately recognized her.
She ran out to us and just embraced us like-- like she's known us her entire life.
Christine: Hi!
Monique: Look at you two!
You're so beautiful!
- Thank you!
You are too!
- I think I'm in shock.
Pam: I am too.
- You know, I just...It's...
I don't even-- I can't even-- Pam: I can't believe this is happening!
- No.
I'm Monique Bonomo, 41 years old, and I am Pamela and Christina's oldest sister.
I've been looking for them as long as I can remember.
It's something that I've always wanted.
I've never known a time that I haven't known about you guys.
- Yeah?
Monique: So.
- That's cool.
Pam: Thank you so much for being a part of this.
Monique: You're welcome.
Thank you for doing this.
- She's been waiting every day for this.
Oh my gosh!
It's so nice to finally meet you!
I can't believe that all of this is coming to fruition.
I mean, it's just-- It's so much to wrap your head around, and I can't believe that this is our life right now.
It's a-- it's incredible.
Wow.
- Now we're not the oldest.
All: [laughing] - Yeah, I'm the oldest.
Brenda couldn't believe that it was actually real, so... Pam: Yeah.
- It's-- it's, like... Pam: It still feels like that for me.
It still feels like that.
Monique: And what she said is the same exact words.
I'm mind blown.
It's, like-- Pam: Yeah.
- --this is a very surreal moment.
I really am lost for words.
I just...It's...It's amazing.
It's, like, I can see both-- both, you know, but definitely... definitely mom.
I can definitely see the features of Diana, our mom, and our dad, Arnold.
You also have a younger brother-- - What?
Monique: And two other sisters.
- Wow!
On our biological father's side, right?
- Yeah.
Pam: And you-- you talk to him a good bit or...?
- Yeah.
Pam: You do still?
- Yeah.
Pam: Okay.
- Yeah.
Christine: We had no idea we had so many siblings.
Pam: It's mind blowing.
Christine: Yeah.
Pam: It's amazing, and it means that we get to have more people in our life to love, and they've been loving us this whole time, so-- - Right.
- --we're excited.
We're totally excited to get to know everybody.
JT: Parkway Drive?
Kaleigh: That was Parkway.
We need Parkside.
JT: Okay.
Well, there's probably Parkside.
- We definitely got the strike today.
100% have the strike, so...
It'll be on your side, 'cause mine's even numbers.
JT: 1449.
- That's 55, right here.
Right here.
Stop right here, stop right here.
It was just absolutely beautiful and serene outside, and that helped us to switch over from stressed and upset about how wrong everything went just to this peaceful feeling.
[knocking] ♪ - Hey, how are you?
JT: Good, how are you?
- I'm doing great, man.
JT: I'm JT, and this is my wife, Kaleigh.
- Hi.
- I'm Matthew.
JT: Nice to meet you, Matthew.
Matthew: Nice to meet ya.
- So, who are you related to?
- I'm related to you.
- And how are we related?
- Your first cousin off your father's side.
JT: Ah, what's up, dude?
Matthew: How you doing?
JT: I'm good!
I could tell with all the tattoos!
- [laughing] Y'all have a good journey?
- Yeah, yeah.
It's been a rough day.
- Yeah.
- You look like dad.
- So, you live here in Vicksburg?
Matthew: Yes, I've been here for 16 months.
JT: Okay.
I work at the hospital a good bit sometimes on the ambulance.
- Yes.
I come up here to a rehab center, and I graduated it, and I help people now.
That's my calling.
As long as I'm helping somebody, it's... - That's awesome.
It just makes me happy to meet him and just get to spend this time to talk to him and just... We're gonna be best buddies.
- Here we are.
329, 329.
Where's it at, where's it at?
This time, I was actually nervous, my leg was shaking.
It was just a lot going through my mind.
Amauni: He doesn't know anything, so I'm really, really, really excited.
Jarrell: I am adopted since I was 15 months old.
- Look at this, and all this was taken at the hospital.
You were one-and-a-half years old.
There you are!
Jarrell: My adoptive mom has been very supportive of me since day one.
- You need to have closure.
You need to find out what you can.
Even if it's your mother, relatives, somebody that-- related to you, and whatever the outcome might be, it's gonna be beautiful.
And I love you so much.
Jarrell: I love you too.
[soft music] On this journey, I've found two brothers, three cousins, a aunt and uncle.
I can't wait to see who's next.
[tense music] Amauni: Go!
- 232.
Amauni: 329, right here!
- 329, right here!
Amauni: 329!
Jarrell: Whoo!
Amauni: Nowhere to park, but it's right here!
Jarrell: [clapping] Yes!
[soft music] - Ready?
♪ Come on!
- [grunt] ♪ [soft laughter] - My name's Jarrell.
- I'm Amauni.
- I am your mother.
I'm Vicky.
- Oh!
[soft claps] Never.
It wasn't by my choice at all.
You was taken from me.
I was young, foster care.
I didn't have a choice.
I really didn't.
I always loved you, never gave up on looking for you, and now I got this special Mother's Day gift.
- Mm-hm.
Amauni: Hi!
- How are you?
Both: [laughing] - Nice to meet you!
Vicky: Nice meetin' you!
[laughing] - Mm-hm.
It was breathtaking.
I just felt a lot of love when she hugged me, and, you know, it's that mother-son hug that I've always wanted.
And, you know, obviously, I got a lot of those from my adoptive mother, but, you know, getting-- getting a hug from your biological mother is-- It's a whole different story.
Amauni: Thank you.
Jarrell: Mm-hm.
Vicky: I felt so much relief, and it seemed like my heart just was where it was at when I gave birth to him.
Y'all can come on in!
All: [softly laughing] ♪ Dan: In Vicksburg, Mississippi, JT and Kaleigh are connecting with JT's cousin, Matthew.
Matthew: How was the journey with the-- with the family?
- It's been a good journey, man.
It's been a great journey.
It's been an amazing journey.
Getting just to meet everybody, it's life changing.
Matthew: I'm excited.
I'm glad to finally meet you.
- I'm glad to finally meet you.
So, tell me about yourself.
Matthew: I was born in Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula.
I then moved to Biloxi, made it to the 11th grade, quit school.
You know, got in with the wrong crowd, fought through years of addiction, you know, made the wrong decision, served 10 years through the state penitentiary in Mississippi, moved to Vicksburg, come up here to a rehab, graduated, then they seen something in me, and made me a counselor and a manager over the facility.
I got married and picked up a job at a grocery store, and a year later, the manager to the store, man, changed my life around and built that trust with the community and that store, man.
My wife's happy, my son's happy.
Life couldn't be better.
JT: I'm jumping for joy for him, man, 'cause he's done a lot with himself, and it's-- I'm ready to watch that just continue to grow.
- Now, me doing right, doing the right thing, raising my family and being a father, that's what's making amends to them, and I'm glad you get to see me like this today.
JT: Man, I'm proud of you.
Like, for real.
Like, that's truly a blessing from God right there.
My man, that's awesome that you turned your life around, and what you've done with yourself, that's honestly, truly amazing.
- Thank you.
- He's been through a lot, and he's come up a long way, and I'm so proud of him.
I want a hug!
Matthew: Come here, man.
Yes sir.
- I like everything about Matthew, like, his story, his vibe, his personality, his smile, his hug.
I can't wait to just see where this goes.
It's gonna be a great, long relationship with my cousin.
You look good, man.
You're lookin' good.
[soft music] Dan: In Flagstaff, Arizona, the twins are learning more about their biological father, Arnold, from their newly-discovered sister, Monique.
Monique: I'm so happy that you two are here.
And, so, I wanted to show you a little bit about our dad.
Christine: Okay.
- Here is pictures of mom and dad when they got married.
Christine: Wow!
Yes.
Pam: Nose, eyes.
Yeah, Christine, you look exactly like him.
Monique: These are your siblings on, um, our dad's side.
Alan, Samantha, and Rachel.
Pam: Wow.
Is Arnold married now?
- Yeah.
Pam: Okay.
It's just hard to wrap your head around the growing tree and fathom exactly how many people we may be related to and still have yet to meet.
- Did he know about us?
- Oh yeah, yes, he did.
He has a, um, like one of the polaroids that I have of you two girls.
He carried that with him for as long as I can remember in-- in his briefcase from work.
- That's sweet.
Would you say that your relationship with him is a good one?
Monique: It's been touch and go, you know, we're back and forth-- - Okay.
Monique: --kind of thing.
Just because of the distance.
I'm not there all the time, you know.
I kinda... - But it's not like he just forgot about us?
- No.
- Him not being there, is that something that you can explain?
Or is that something that you feel comfortable, like, having him explain?
- I think that he should answer those questions.
He's gonna know the real story, and he can actually, um, express how he feels about that if you do get a chance to meet him.
Pam: After speaking with Monique a little bit about our biological father, Arnold, um, we got to hear what her relationship was like with him, and it's-- it was a lot to process and a little difficult to hear, but, at this point, I think we're very hopeful that we'll get to meet him and get our questions answered that have always been in the back of our minds.
Monique: Our mom, she thought about you two on a daily basis, you know, for up until the time that she passed.
She never stopped caring and loving for you.
It broke her.
And I'm so sad that she's not here.
- Well, it hurts.
I mean, it hurts every time we hear it.
I mean, it was only a few years ago, and I just wish we could've caught her in this life, 'cause I feel like we could've helped her with her struggles and just let her know that look, I mean, we're okay.
We won't get that opportunity, so it's-- it breaks my heart.
- 'Cause she definitely... She would've been over the moon.
- It breaks my heart to see the pain in my sister's eyes.
I feel like I'm experiencing all these things through them, and it-- it does, it hurts my heart.
- Not for a moment did she not love you or care for you.
- I believe it.
Monique: Yeah.
- I really do.
Thank you so much for being a part of this.
Monique: Thank you.
♪ Pam: Now that we've learned so much and we know he's still alive and that our biological mother isn't, now it's like the questions are aflood, and I'm sure there's answers.
Why didn't you take the opportunity to come take care of us or help or...?
You left our mother broken.
[sniffle] It's-- I'm -- I can't even imagine what it's like to be in that position, to struggle with that every day, the unknowing of us, and... Where were you?
♪ Dan: In Show Low, Arizona, Stephen is sharing all that he's learned about his newfound family with his sister, Jennifer, and niece, Sam.
- So, who did you guys get to meet yesterday?
Steve: I met two brothers on my dad's side.
- Oh, wow!
Steve: Remember how I told you there was like a one in five chance that my dad was alive?
Jen: Yes.
Steve: He's alive.
- [gasp] Steve: Yep.
[joyful laughter] Jen: That's so awesome for you!
- And I met-- So I met two brothers, Chase and BJ.
Jen: Chase and BJ, okay.
- Okay.
And then there's two more brothers and two sisters.
- That is amazing!
Steve: Yep!
- Congratulations!
- Thank you!
Jen: Oh my gosh!
- In the middle of talking to my sister, Jen, this great realization comes to me.
If we get first, when we video call Craig-- - [gasp] - --we can-- we can show him his niece!
So they will actually get to see each other for the first time.
- If we win first today, we get to video call for five minutes with anyone we want.
Steve: Anybody.
Jen: Anyone.
- And we chose Craig.
- So, I hope you win!
Steve/Susan: Yes!
Steve: And we think it went good!
- That's awesome!
- So, we were just gonna tell him, but now that you're here, we get to video and show everybody!
We had this plan in place all day long.
We were gonna video call Craig and give him an update about everything we learned out, we found my sister, which is his niece, and we're sitting here with her daughter.
And then, you know what?
[gravel crunching] [soft music] - So, it looks like there's someone else?
- What the?
- What?
- [screaming] [excited laughter] Oh, you got to meet her!
We were gonna video call you!
Susan: Oh my gosh!
- [excited laughter] Susan: It's so good to see you!
This is crazy!
- Like, we just had a surprise with my sister.
I'm like, I meet her daughter, I got my sister, and now my uncle's here, and we get to tie all this together... not only for me, but for my sister, Jen, and for Uncle Craig.
- I understand you are my uncle.
- Yes.
Jen: Our uncle, I should say.
- Yes.
- Yes.
Craig: Yes.
- Yeah, so that is amazing.
Craig: Yes.
Jen: Okay, come back.
Sorry!
Steve: Oh my gosh!
- Oh!
Jen: You see this gentleman pull up, and you physically see your mom, you know, in just a different form, but you see him, you know, the face, the features, it's all your mom.
You're looking at your, your uncle.
- Really?
Craig: You look like my dad.
- Oh my gosh.
Craig: And my grandmother.
You look like my grandfather, you look like my grandmother.
Susan: Aw!
Craig: Yeah, she looks so much like my Nana, uh, Philbrook, like my Aunt Janette, and I feel like I just know immediately that it's her.
Jen: It's completely unreal how much you look like mom.
- Yeah?
Jen: The resemblance, and Sam can contest, but it's like really looking in a mirror.
Sam: It really is.
- It really is.
Sam: The eyes.
Jen: The eyes.
The smile.
You have her for, you know, 30 years, and you know nobody else, and then you see a different relative, and you're like, "That's my mom!"
Those are her genes.
So, it's wonderful to see you.
- When I saw the-- the photograph, I certainly felt like she was my sister, you know?
- Yeah.
Yeah.
♪ I would like to give you this picture for your house and for you to have.
- Thank you so much.
- Memories are important.
[heartfelt piano music] ♪ - Thank you so much.
Jen: You're very welcome.
You're very welcome.
Craig: I think without Steve doing this, going on this journey, this just-- It wouldn't have happened.
We didn't know each other's names, we had no access to each other.
Sam: It was very awesome to be able to share and see those photos with Craig of my granny.
It was very fulfilling.
- I'm just so glad that I get to meet my niece, I can introduce you to your niece... - [emotional chuckle] - I get to see my sister again!
- Yes.
- It's a beautiful day.
Steve: To say that we're thankful, it's an understatement.
I don't think there's a-- I don't think there's a right word to just show the gratitude for all this, their bravery and wanting to meet me...
I don't think there's a word for it.
♪ Dan: In Greenfield, Indiana, Jarrell finally gets the chance to learn answers to questions that he's had his entire life from his mother, Vicky.
Jarrell: I just wanna know, like, what happened from your point of view.
- Well, I was in foster care, I was going from home to home.
I done been all over.
I done been to Dayton, Columbus, where I gave birth to you at St. Ann's.
I was up there in a group home for teen unwed mothers.
If you give your baby up for adoption, then the parent can come back to the home for two weeks and stay until the system finds somewhere for you to go, but with me not giving you up, I had to stay in the hospital until they found somewhere for me to go, which I went to the Catherine Booth Home in Cincinnati.
It wasn't a good place.
You might as well say I was homeless.
They didn't even provide me with enough money to survive with you.
I was allowed to see you three days a week.
I was coming down for a visit to visit you, and I told 'em that I was here to see Jarrell Thomas Lee, and they said, "Give us a moment."
I was like, "Okay."
But this specific day, it took you a long time to come out, and I'm like, "Hey, what's goin' on?"
Basically, they had an emergency court hearing where they went in front of the judge and got it to the point where I would no longer have any rights to you.
I wouldn't be able to see you, I wouldn't be able to touch you, smell you... No nothin'.
When they took you from me, I didn't even get to see you that last visit.
I just felt like I didn't get a chance, they didn't give me a chance.
That took me for a whirlwind.
That's when I became homeless.
I was sleeping on park benches.
I didn't know which way to go because I didn't trust no one.
Jarrell: Hearing that my mother felt like the system failed her, uh, it-- it hurts because I just feel like she just had no chance, no opportunity, no nothin'.
When Tina told me the story about, um, you sittin' at the bus stop.
- If I recall correctly, I was laying on that bench asleep.
- She asked you if, you know, you guys are okay.
- I said, "No."
- She took me and, you know, held me, and she said that my eyes were so big they were like headlights, and, um... [sniff] ♪ Vicky: That's why I was homeless 'cause I wasn't happy where I was at, and they was mistreating you, and they would have you sleep in a separate room from me, you wasn't allowed to be in a room with me, so when they finally gave me my rights back for you to be in a room with me, I packed the diaper bag, they said you had a doctor's appointment that day, and I never went back.
♪ I never went back.
♪ I'm so sorry.
I am so sorry.
I thought I was doing the right thing.
Jarrell: Being here now and, um, seeing the man I turned into today, [sniff] now I can be the older brother to my younger siblings and, you know, show them, teach them right from wrong and, you know, be there for you now if you ever need help, 'cause I'm here to stay.
I ain't goin'-- I'm not going anywhere.
- I want a relationship with you.
Jarrell: For sure.
- That's nothin'-- more than what I want.
Jarrell: I feel like my family is complete.
And, you know, I can't wait to build a relationship with my mother and our family.
- He's always been a part of this family, regardless of if he was here in spirit or in person.
He's always been loved, he's never been forgotten.
- I'm grateful for family, both biological and adoptive family.
[inspirational music] Dan: As Day 6 comes to a close, a strike looms.
A third strike for Team Red would send them home.
- We got our relative's address, we made it there no issues, and we got to meet Jarrell's mom!
Dan: Teams Green and Black both only have one strike.
- I mean, I'm not sure about the route, but we drove straight here.
Pam: I am a little concerned about the call tonight.
We just had a rough day.
Dan: And Team Blue, for the moment, remains blemish-free.
- We're definitely gettin' a strike tonight.
- Oh, absolutely.
[tense music] Dan: Hey, it's Day 6.
Did you all think that you would make it this far?
[overlapping answers] Team Black, uh, your morning started great as you took off for Arizona, but then it kinda went downhill.
- It went downhill a little bit with the challenge, and then we also struggled trying to find our relative's address, so we-- we definitely hit some bumps in the road today.
- Well, Team Blue, once you got through with the challenge, uh, your challenge wasn't over.
You also struggled finding your relative.
- Yep - Yes, we did.
Dan: And yet, through all the challenges today, was the payoff worth it?
- Absolutely, 110%.
- Definitely.
- Who did you meet?
- Got to meet my first cousin.
- Hey, how y'all doing?
- His name is Matt.
Susan: Hi!
Dan: Hey, Matt!
JT: His, uh, biological mother and father pretty much, you know, was going through some hard times and something happened, and he was fortunate to be given to some friends to take care of him, and so, he knows how it is growing up like all of us.
- Well, everybody connected with family tonight.
Christine, Pam, who was on the other side of the door for you?
- So, we are very honored to introduce everybody to our older sister, Monique!
[various hi's] Dan: That's four sisters!
- Yeah, we're the quad squad!
Dan: The quad squad, I like it!
Congratulations, Pam and Christine!
That's just fantastic!
Both: Thank you!
- Steve, Susan.
So, today, a pretty dang good day.
Did your great day continue when you got to your relative's door?
- Yes.
- It absolutely did, Dan.
So, we got to meet my niece, which is the daughter of my sister from Day 4!
This is Sam, everybody!
Hold on, wait, there's more, Dan!
So...
Both: [laughing] Steve: So, Sam surprised me with my sister!
This is Jen from Day 4, everybody!
But, hold on, the deal's not over, we got Craig from Day 1.
This is my uncle.
The important thing here, Dan, is that Jen, my sister, always thought that the Philbrook side wasn't kind of real.
Craig here never got to know his sister, and now he gets to meet his niece.
This is completin' circles for everybody.
- Stephen, that's what this show is all about.
Finding family and being able to see how they link to each other and ultimately to you.
Every day is important, Jarrell, but is it safe to say that today might've been extra special for you?
- Uh, yes!
I would-- I would definitely say that because today, I got the chance to meet my biological mother, Victoria.
[whispered cheers] Both: [cheering] - Hey!
Vicky: Hi!
Amauni: [laughing] - Do you know what was so great is to see the reaction from the other three teams for you.
And, perhaps even better than that, was as you just started speaking, was watching your wife start to just clap and applaud.
Isn't that-- isn't that great?
We all have our own close-knit family, but then as that family grows and expands each and every day, we're rooting each other on, because you all know what it's like to be looking for family.
And now, you all know what it's like to find family.
[tense music] Every day, there's a first-place prize that goes to the winner.
Whoever finishes in first place today will have a five-minute video call with anybody that you wanna have it with.
Now, that's probably pretty valuable to all of you right now, whether that's to reach back to kids or even a family member that you've met on the show.
Yesterday, Team Black finished in first place, and you had a five-minute head start today.
And now it's time to find out how everybody fared on the clock.
This is interesting.
The difference between first and second place today was 2 minutes.
Finishing 16 minutes over their allotted time, focused, finding the freeway, and smashing the challenge, Team Green.
Congratulations.
- I mean, I knew we were gonna get first.
I mean, we knew.
- Well, the good news just keeps on comin', Team Red, because you finished in second place-- - Wow!
Dan: --18 minutes over your allotted time.
- Oh my goodness!
All: [contented chuckles] - Team Blue and Team Black, you both struggled today.
Finishing in third place, 27 minutes over their allotted time... [intense music] Team Blue.
Team Black, you finished 37 minutes over your allotted time.
You've picked up your second strike on Relative Race.
That means all four teams are still in it.
Everyone has the chance and the opportunity to do better tomorrow, but you know one thing for sure.
No matter what, you're gonna find family, and that's what it's all about.
- Hey, Dan, real quick, I don't mean to interrupt.
The first place prize, me and my wife talked about it, and we think that it might do more harm than good.
We don't wanna mess up the excitement for the three-year-old and the other kids and stuff.
I was wonderin' if we could donate that.
Dan: Yes, you can.
Tell me who you're giving that five-minute video conference call to and why.
- So, we were thinkin' we'd give it to Team Red.
Um, I think they could use a little bit of a pick-me-up, you know, they got their two strikes, and I think it could do some good for them.
Amauni: [softly crying] [heartfelt music] Amauni: It really means so much.
It shows that we are all really family on this show.
- Amauni, it's like you just finished in first place.
Amauni: [giggling] Jarrell: [laughing] - Thank you!
- Guys, get some time with your family, and I'll look forward to catchin' up with you tomorrow night.
Good luck, stay safe, be healthy and happy.
We'll see you tomorrow.
All: [overlapping bye's and love you's] Kaleigh: Oh my gosh!
JT/Kaleigh: Day 6.
- No strikes.
That's gotta be some kind of history record.
- Gotta be.
- First place!
Way to bring it back!
Jen: That is awesome, you guys!
Congratulations!
- Thank you!
- I mean, that wasn't-- that's not a shock to me.
I'm not happy about it, but I'm not-- It's not like, "Oh my gosh!
I thought we were doing so good!"
You know, like... [sigh] - We're going to get to meet every relative.
- Yes.
- And that-- Oh!
- That's been big on my heart.
- Three more days left, three more relatives.
We can do it with two strikes.
♪ Jarrell: Hi, Cheyenne!
Hi, Jace!
Amauni: Hi, baby!
Jarrell: Hi, Bentley!
- Aw!
I get to see all my kids!
We have a surprise for you guys!
Look who we met today!
That's JJ's mom!
That's you guys' grandma!
- Hi, guys!
Children: Hi!
- Turns out my adoptive mom was watching our kids, so both my mom's got to meet for the very first time.
Margret: Oh my gosh!
Hello!
How are you?
- Fine!
How are you?
You have did a wonderful job with my son.
I thank you, and I greatly appreciate you, 'cause you did a wonderful job with him.
Margret: Oh, he's just a wonderful guy.
Now it's your turn!
- Oh, it's my turn now!
[laughing] - This journey has been a huge blessing.
Meeting my mom, we've been waiting to meet for 28 years, and the fact that it finally happened and we embraced each other, it was remarkable.
♪
Support for PBS provided by: